Working on an audit for a seasonal ice cream shop that's only open May through September. ComEd account, about $2,800/month during operating season, drops to $200 in winter months. The seasonal usage pattern is making it tricky to identify if they're on the optimal rate schedule. Anyone have experience with these seasonal patterns?
Seasonal business complications
Seasonal businesses are tough because you need to look at the annual picture, not just peak months. I had a similar situation with a beach snack bar - turned out they should have been on a different rate class that had lower demand charges during off-peak months. Saved them about $800/year.
Floyd's right about the annual view. Also check if the utility offers seasonal rate options - some do have special schedules for businesses with significant seasonal variations. And don't forget to analyze the winter months for potential errors too, sometimes the base charges or connection fees get miscalculated.
Great suggestions! I'll dig into ComEd's seasonal rate options. The winter months are interesting - they're maintaining refrigeration equipment even when closed so there's still meaningful usage. Might be an opportunity there.