This is going to be a recurring pattern for anyone working this sector and I want to get it in front
of people early.
Cultivation operator leased a 40,000 square foot building that was previously light distribution.
Warehouse load was maybe 60 kW with a terrible load factor. They built out four flower rooms and now
run 900 kW at a load factor north of 0.75.
The account never changed rate class. They are still on the general service schedule the warehouse
was on, which has a demand threshold above which the utility is supposed to move you to the large
general service schedule with a lower energy rate and a different demand structure.
Eighteen months on the wrong schedule. My preliminary number is between 71,000 and 84,000 depending
on how the utility handles the true-up.
Two lessons. Any time a tenant's use changes fundamentally, the rate class is the first thing to
check, and the utility will not do it for you. And when you take on a cultivation client, ask what the
building was before. The answer is almost always something with a completely different load shape.
of people early.
Cultivation operator leased a 40,000 square foot building that was previously light distribution.
Warehouse load was maybe 60 kW with a terrible load factor. They built out four flower rooms and now
run 900 kW at a load factor north of 0.75.
The account never changed rate class. They are still on the general service schedule the warehouse
was on, which has a demand threshold above which the utility is supposed to move you to the large
general service schedule with a lower energy rate and a different demand structure.
Eighteen months on the wrong schedule. My preliminary number is between 71,000 and 84,000 depending
on how the utility handles the true-up.
Two lessons. Any time a tenant's use changes fundamentally, the rate class is the first thing to
check, and the utility will not do it for you. And when you take on a cultivation client, ask what the
building was before. The answer is almost always something with a completely different load shape.