Calculator

Idle electricity savings calculator

Put a dollar figure on an always-on load. Enter kW, runtime, your own $/kWh and your demand charge to see what idle equipment costs over a year.

What it asks for: idle load (kW) · idle hours a year · $/kWh · demand charge ($/kW-month).

Run the numbers

What idle electrical load costs

Calculate energy and demand costs separately. Include demand savings only if removing the load reduces the peak used for your demand charge.

kW still drawn when nothing is being made, which is the overnight floor on your trace
nights, weekends and shutdowns added up
dollars per kWh, from your own bill
dollars per kW-month; only counts if this load is also what sets your monthly peak. Set it to 0 if it isn’t.

Enable JavaScript to calculate with your inputs. The figures shown use the example values. You can also email your figures to for help.

What it costs you

$50,589/yr

  • 337,500kWh a year, at idle
  • $40,500of it is energy
  • $10,089of it is demand
Annual cost of an idle electrical load
YOUR NUMBERS25 kW: 16,863 $/yr50 kW: 33,726 $/yr75 kW: 50,589 $/yr150 kW: 101,178 $/yr300 kW: 202,356 $/yr16,86333,72650,589101,178202,356
YOUR INPUTS · YOUR RATES · CANADIAN DOLLARS

Estimate based on the inputs and rates shown.

The assumptions behind this
  • Electricity rate · 0.12 $/kWhExample electricity rate used by Quantify: $0.12/kWh. Enter the rate from your own bill.
  • Demand charge · 11.21 $/kW-monthAlectra Utilities, Guelph Rate Zone, General Service 50–999 kW interval-metered (Class B), from the OEB-approved Tariff of Rates and Charges effective 2026-01-01, Rate Order EB-2025-0055. Distribution volumetric $3.4474 + low-voltage $0.0257 + 2026 riders $0.0893 net + Retail Transmission Network $4.5377 + Line and Transformation Connection $3.1058 = $11.2059/kW-month. Typical range across urban Ontario LDCs is $10.50–$13.00; Toronto Hydro bills on kVA (~$19 equivalent) and Hydro One rural reaches ~$28. CLASS B ONLY: a Class A customer's economics are dominated by Global Adjustment, not by this charge.

Where these numbers come from

Every constant, its value, and the document it was read out of.

  • Electricity rate · 0.12 $/kWhExample electricity rate used by Quantify: $0.12/kWh. Enter the rate from your own bill.
  • Demand charge · 11.21 $/kW-monthAlectra Utilities, Guelph Rate Zone, General Service 50–999 kW interval-metered (Class B), from the OEB-approved Tariff of Rates and Charges effective 2026-01-01, Rate Order EB-2025-0055. Distribution volumetric $3.4474 + low-voltage $0.0257 + 2026 riders $0.0893 net + Retail Transmission Network $4.5377 + Line and Transformation Connection $3.1058 = $11.2059/kW-month. Typical range across urban Ontario LDCs is $10.50–$13.00; Toronto Hydro bills on kVA (~$19 equivalent) and Hydro One rural reaches ~$28. CLASS B ONLY: a Class A customer's economics are dominated by Global Adjustment, not by this charge.

Measure the use behind the estimate.

We will walk your facility with you, identify what to meter first and help quantify the cost.

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