Three layers owners must separate
Layer one is consumption: kWh and kW your laundromat draws running washers, electric water heating—about half of commercial laundry primary energy per DOE—and lighting across CLA's mean 16.6 daily hours. Layer two is procurement: contract with REP or supplier for commodity price. Layer three is delivery: TDU or utility distribution and transmission recovery per Oncor-style unbundling.
Gas dryers illustrate the split: California IOU testing shows 96.8% of dryer energy from gas, yet procurement still sets electric supply price for remaining kWh.
| Layer | Owner levers | Bill section |
|---|---|---|
| Consumption | Equipment, schedules, maintenance | kWh and kW usage |
| Procurement | Supplier, contract type, term | Supply charges |
| Delivery | Mostly regulated | TDU / distribution / transmission |
Market models by region
Texas ERCOT competitive areas require REP selection for supply under PUC Texas rules while Oncor or other TDUs deliver. Austin Energy, CPS Energy, and many co-ops remain bundled. Michigan electric choice caps at 10% with waitlist. Virginia generally limits choice for typical laundromat loads unless exceeding five megawatts or joining aggregation. Georgia Power territory laundromats usually purchase bundled regulated supply.
Always confirm eligibility before engaging brokers—posting a competitive quote where choice is unavailable wastes time.
Contract components to review
Commercial supply contracts specify price structure—fixed, variable, or indexed—term length, renewal notice, early termination, pass-through clauses for capacity or ancillaries, and billing entity. They do not replace demand kW management on commercial tariffs where Oncor cites 10 kW thresholds or Pepco-style 25 kW GSLV demand applies.
Read definitions section for 'delivery charges,' ' swing,' and 'material change' before execution.
- Product type: fixed, variable, block and index.
- Start and end dates with auto-renewal terms.
- Notice window—often 30–90 days before expiration.
- Pass-through components excluded from fixed price.
- Credit requirements and deposit policies.
- Billing method: consolidated TDU bill vs dual bill.
Purchasing process outline
Typical sequence for eligible commercial loads.
- Gather 12 months bills; compute supply-only $/kWh.
- Confirm ESID or account identifiers and rate class.
- Verify choice eligibility with utility or state commission.
- Request quotes aligned to your load shape and term appetite.
- Compare contract definitions—not headline rate alone.
- Execute switch order before expiration if replacing incumbent.
- Validate first post-switch bill against contract supply rate.
