Commercial electricity rates are the prices a larger business or C&I site pays for power: usage (cents per kWh), daily supply, and often demand or capacity charges, plus network and other pass-throughs. They are usually more complex than a small-business standing offer. Termina helps commercial buyers benchmark the full landed rate against the retailer market and keep reviewing it after a switch. Headline cents per kWh are not the whole bill, and no provider can guarantee savings.
Smaller sites in participating jurisdictions can still start with Energy Made Easy. Service NSW notes that service covers NSW, ACT, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania under the National Energy Customer Framework. Victoria uses the Victorian Default Offer as a standing-offer benchmark for eligible small customers. Larger commercial loads often sit outside those defaults. For commission-free procurement, see Termina’s procurement overview or get a savings estimate.
What is included in commercial electricity rates?
A commercial rate stack usually includes usage, a supply charge, network costs for your distribution zone, and, for many C&I meters, a demand or capacity component based on peak kW or kVA. Environmental and metering items can sit on top. The number that matters is estimated annual cost on interval data, not a single advertised usage rate.
Retailers package those components into market contracts or, for some small customers, standing offers. Treat any labelled graphic as illustrative until it is checked against 12 months of bills.
How do commercial electricity rates differ from small-business rates?
Small-business rates often resemble household structures, with DMO or VDO caps on some standing offers. Commercial electricity rates for larger sites are typically negotiated, can include demand charges, and are less likely to appear as a simple Energy Made Easy card. Thresholds vary by network and retailer, so confirm your customer class on the bill.
If you manage retail, hospitality, or manufacturing sites, a cafe and a factory should not share one headline rate. New Zealand commercial tariffs sit on a separate retailer and network framework again.
How do you compare commercial electricity rates fairly?
Compare estimated annual cost using interval data, including demand, supply, and contract conditions. Check DMO or VDO only if you are an eligible small customer. Ask in writing how any broker or platform is paid before you sign a Letter of Authority.
Choice Energy is a fair commercial broker that runs retailer tenders. Energy Action is another C&I path some buyers use for auctions. Termina states on pricing that it refuses retailer commissions and earns from a share of documented savings when it runs procurement. None of these paths guarantees a lower bill.
- Energy Made Easy: best for eligible small sites, DIY. Watch-out: many C&I tariffs will not list cleanly.
- Retailer direct: best for one-site quotes. Watch-out: you may not see the full market.
- Traditional broker: best when you need a C&I tender. Watch-out: ask how commissions work.
- Termina: best for multi-site portfolios or ongoing review. Watch-out: savings are not guaranteed.
- Stay put: best when the current landed rate already looks competitive. Watch-out: benefit periods and demand ratchets can still move the bill.
When should you review commercial electricity rates?
Review when a contract or benefit period ends, demand charges jump, you add solar or sites, or wholesale conditions have shifted. Waiting for auto-renewal is a common way a once-competitive commercial rate drifts. Past savings on other sites are not a forecast for yours.
Pull interval data, NMI, and contract dates first. Then tender. Wholesale context on the Termina blog can help with timing, but retail bills still include network and demand.
Why use Termina for commercial electricity rates?
Termina is built for commercial and multi-site buyers in Australia and New Zealand who want commission-free comparison plus ongoing review, not a one-off C&I quote. Pair that with bill consolidation so finance can see the landed rate across every meter. Advisors can refer clients through the partners program.
- Upload bills for a Termina savings estimate
- Separate usage, supply, and demand before you compare
- Switch only after you confirm the assumptions
- Keep reviewing after the switch so demand and rates do not drift
Accountants and advisors can refer clients through Termina partners.
Frequently asked questions
Are commercial electricity rates the same as business electricity rates?
They overlap. Business electricity rates often describe SME plans. Commercial electricity rates usually mean larger sites with more complex tariffs, including demand. Always check the customer class on your bill.
Do DMO and VDO cap all commercial electricity rates?
No. They are standing-offer protections and comparison prices for eligible small customers in defined regions. Many C&I contracts sit outside those caps. Confirm the current ESC or AER page for your type.
Why is my demand charge so high?
Demand (or capacity) charges recover network cost based on peak kW or kVA in a period. A short spike can lift the charge even if total kWh looks modest. Interval data is the way to diagnose it.
Can Termina guarantee lower commercial electricity rates?
No. Termina can tender the retailer market and keep reviewing offers. Results depend on load shape, network, contract timing, and retailer pricing. Historical portfolio outcomes are not a guarantee for your sites.
Should I use a broker or Termina?
Use a broker or platform when you lack time, have multiple sites, or need C&I tenders. Ask how they are paid. Choice Energy and Energy Action are fair broker options. Termina uses a savings-split model and refuses retailer commissions on its pricing page.
Will my supply drop if I switch commercial rates?
Retailer switches in Australia use the same physical network. Supply is not meant to be interrupted. Confirm the process with your chosen provider before you sign.
