Energy suppliers offer many different types of electricity rates, but they can be divided into 3 categories: variable, fixed, and custom rates. You might ask yourself “Should I lock in my electric rate, or remain on a variable rate and pay the market price month to month?” The correct answer for your business depends on how you use your electricity and how risk averse you are or aren’t.

What it means to “lock in” electricity rates

When you lock in an electric rate it means you are entering into a contract with an energy supplier where your electricity price per kilowatt-hour will remain fixed for the contract term. Like any other commodity, electricity is sold at varying rates depending on many factors like supply & demand. When you lock in a rate, you pay that price no matter what happens to the price of electricity.

Fixed-rate contracts are for set periods of time anywhere from 6 months to 5 years. Fixed rates are the most common types of contract for businesses and are generally the best option.

As a business owner, one of your top concerns is keeping your costs low. One of the biggest expenses for any business is energy, and as a result, you may be wondering when the best time is to lock in your electricity rates. In this blog post, we’ll explore this topic in detail and help you understand the factors that influence electricity rates.

What is a Good Fixed Rate for Electricity?

A good fixed rate for electricity, or the best rate for electricity, depends on a variety of factors, including market conditions, your electricity usage, how many locations your business has, and what territory your business is in. Generally speaking, a fixed rate that is lower than your utility’s price to compare is a good deal. However, it’s important to consider the contract terms and any potential fees associated with the plan before signing up.

Make sure to get many quotes (5+) when you are looking to enroll in a contract or renew your contract. Just because a supplier had the best pricing previously, doesn’t mean will now.

Should I Lock in My Electric Rate?

Whether or not you should lock in energy rates, or lock in your electric rate, depends on your business’s individual needs and circumstances. If you value predictability and stability, a fixed rate plan may be a good choice for you. However, if you’re willing to take on some risk and potentially save money, a variable rate plan may be a better option.

For most businesses, a fixed rate is often best.

When should I lock in my electricity rate?

This way, you can take advantage of the low prices and ensure that your electricity bill remains predictable.

The key factors that affect electricity prices per the U.S. Energy Information Administration are:

• Fuels: Fuel prices, especially natural gas and petroleum may increase during periods of high electricity demand and when there are fuel supply constraints or disruptions because of extreme weather events and accidental damage to transportation and delivery infrastructure. Higher fuel prices, in turn, may result in higher costs to generate electricity.
• Power plant costs: Each power plant has financing, construction, maintenance, and operating costs.
• Transmission and distribution system: The electricity transmission and distribution systems that connect power plants with consumers have construction, operation, and maintenance costs, which include repairing damage to the systems from accidents or extreme weather events and improving cybersecurity.
• Weather conditions: Extreme temperatures can increase demand for heating and cooling, and the resulting increases in electricity demand can push up fuel and electricity prices. Rain and snow provide water for low-cost hydropower generation, and wind can provide low-cost electricity generation when wind speeds are favorable. However, when there are droughts or competing demand for water resources, or when wind speeds drop, the loss of electricity generation from those sources can put upward pressure on other energy/fuel sources and prices.
• Regulations: All utilities and energy suppliers are heavily influenced by federal, state and environmental regulations on coal, oil, nuclear power and natural gas. In 2020 80% of the electricity in the U.S. came from these sources, with renewables (hydro, wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal) making up the remaining 20%.
  

The last thing you need to consider for your business is seasonality. Generally speaking electricity rates are highest in the summer/winter and lowest in spring and fall. In a perfect situation you would lock in your rate in spring/fall with a number of the above factors in your favor. In actual practice it’s rarely this simple but this should point you in the right direction.

The benefits of locking in your electricity rate

1. A stable rate that isn’t affected by world events and market conditions

Getting a fixed-rate ensures you are paying the same price for the entire term of the contract. Market conditions and world events that cause the price of electricity to rise like heat waves or the war in Ukraine won’t affect you.

2. Having a more consistent electric bill

With a locked in rate, the only thing that affects your electric bill is your total usage for the month. Businesses tend to use a similar amount of energy year to year so a fixed rate will make your bill more predictable and consistent and will make budgeting energy costs very simple.

3. You can get a lower rate

If you do your due diligence you can often get a rate that is lower than your utility’s price to compare, which will  lower your monthly bill.

The best months to lock in your electricity rate

Generally speaking the best time to lock in your rate is during lower demand months in Spring (March-April) or Fall (September-October) under perfect circumstances.

Temperature and weather have a large effect on energy prices in general. In summer most consumers are using their a/c more, which can drive up demand. Some states get a lot of severe weather, like hurricanes, and tornados which can affect energy transmission. This can cause rates to rise.

Further up north, winter is a high demand time. The cold and ice can cause businesses to use more electricity or interrupt transmission.

In actual practice it’s not always best to wait until spring or fall as global events, regulatory changes, extreme weather, etc. can cause prices to rise. Ultimately, you have to factor in time of year with the current energy market to make the correct choice for your business.

Making the switch and locking in your electric rate

Here’s a couple tips to help ensure your business gets the best deal possible:

• Get 5 or more quotes or work with a broker who will get quotes from dozens of suppliers and relay the best rate to you.
• Stay away from suppliers that aren’t well established and are new to the market.
• Don’t sign a long term contract without considering where the market is likely to go over the next couple years.
• If you signed a contract previously make sure this new agreement starts after your previous one ends to avoid cancellation fees.

Consumer Energy Solutions Can Help You Find the Best Business Electricity Rates

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