Definitions tied to your meter
Supply encompasses energy commodity costs—fuel, wholesale purchases, renewable certificates, and supplier margin. Delivery encompasses the regulated network: local distribution operators, transmission allocators, and metering services that keep your coin laundry energized during 16.6 mean daily operating hours per CLA's 2024 survey.
Oncor's delivery charge explainer separates TDU delivery from energy supply on Texas bills—a pattern repeated in other unbundled states. Even when supply is competitive, the TDU remains your delivery provider.
| Category | Usually supply | Usually delivery |
|---|---|---|
| Energy kWh charge | Yes | Sometimes bundled in regulated states |
| Demand kW charge | Rare | Often yes on commercial schedules |
| Customer charge | No | Often yes |
| Transmission cost recovery | No | Yes |
| Distribution cost recovery | No | Yes |
| Metering | No | Yes |
How choice states treat laundromats
EIA explains retail choice is territory- and customer-class specific—not universal nationwide. Texas mandates REP selection for most loads in TDU areas served by the Public Utility Commission framework, while Austin Energy, CPS Energy, and many co-ops remain bundled. Michigan limits choice to 10% of load with a waitlist. Virginia generally restricts choice for typical laundromat loads unless they exceed five megawatts or join an aggregation.
Georgia Power territory laundromats usually see bundled regulated supply and delivery on one bill; gas may follow Atlanta Gas Light's marketer model instead.
Decision framework for owners
When evaluating a supplier quote, map which bill dollars are in scope.
- Step 1: Highlight supply subtotal on last twelve months of bills.
- Step 2: Highlight delivery and demand subtotals separately.
- Step 3: Confirm whether your load qualifies for choice in your state cap or size rules.
- Step 4: Compare quoted supply $/kWh only to historical supply $/kWh.
- Step 5: Track blended bill impact after one full cycle—delivery and peak kW may unchanged.
- Step 6: Document that procurement does not replace efficiency work on washers and water heat.
Interaction with laundromat load profile
Gas dryers shift bulk drying energy off the supply kWh line but electric water heating keeps supply charges material—DOE cites water heating as about 50% of commercial laundry primary energy. Demand charges on the delivery side still respond when washers, boosters, and HVAC align during your open hours.
Procurement lowers the price per supply kWh; staggered starts lower billed kW—a different bill section.
