Electricity costs have risen again. NERSA approved an 8.76% increase for customers supplied directly by Eskom from April 2026, and an average increase of 9.01% for municipalities from 1 July 2026. For most businesses, energy is now one of the fastest-growing operating costs.
The good news is that many savings cost little or nothing to implement. Here are five places to start:
1. Understand your tariff and your bill
Time-of-use charges, demand (kVA) charges and network charges can make up a large part of a commercial bill. Checking that you are on the right tariff, and that your notified maximum demand is set correctly, can produce savings without any new equipment.
2. Shift load out of peak periods
Running pumps, compressors, heating or batch processes outside peak hours can significantly reduce costs on time-of-use tariffs.
3. Fix the basics
Compressed-air leaks, lighting left on in empty areas, poorly maintained HVAC systems and motors running when not needed are among the most common, and cheapest, sources of waste we find.
4. Measure before you invest
Sub-metering or a short logging exercise shows where energy is actually used. It is the foundation for a sound business case, and for claiming the Section 12L tax incentive.
5. Consider solar PV, properly registered
Rooftop solar can reduce daytime grid consumption, but systems connected to the grid must be registered with your municipality or Eskom as small-scale embedded generation (SSEG).
Want to know where your savings are? Book an energy assessment →
