Energy Tips for Unoccupied Buildings

The most common billing questions we receive about unoccupied buildings or rental units relate to rate schedule, demand and unexpected electric use.

PPL Electric Utilities’ rates include both demand (kW) and consumption (kWh) charges. Unoccupied buildings and rental units may consume less electricity, but sometimes have the same peak demand as when the building was occupied. Listed below are tips to help you reduce electric bills for unoccupied buildings.

Rate Schedule
Twelve months after your account is activated, we will retroactively apply the rate schedule that is best for your usage pattern. Subsequent changes in square footage, production, equipment and occupancy may affect which rate schedule is best for you.  After major changes, or when transferring an account for a vacant rental unit back to the landlord, please let us know that conditions have changed. You may ask for a free rate check to find out if a different rate schedule would save you money.

Note: For all non-residential accounts that are activated after Jan 1, 2008 and receive service at 480 volts or below, the rate will be determined strictly by the service type.  Customers taking three phase service will be billed on the GS3 rate (25 kW minimum demand charge) and all single phase customers will be billed on the GS1 rate.

Demand
The electric meter records both kilowatt-hour use and the highest demand during the billing cycle. To reduce the effect of demand on your electric bill:
  • When showing a building or rental unit, do not turn on all of the lights at the same time. Turn on the lights only in the area you are showing.
  • When demonstrating equipment, operate only one item at a time.
  • If the heating or cooling system has multiple units, pre-start one or two smaller units several hours before showing the building. Turn off heating or cooling before turning on lights or demonstrating equipment.

Unexpected electricity use
Unoccupied buildings require electricity for security systems, fire protection, and to keep water pipes from freezing. With the exception of freeze-protection, these systems use little power.

Even if the building is empty, transformers, pumps, compressors, fans and heating equipment may run occasionally. If you want to be certain that this equipment won’t run, you must turn it off at the disconnect switch, or shut off power at the circuit breaker.

To minimize electricity use and keep water from freezing in pipes, set thermostats at 35 to 40 degrees. You can also provide localized freeze protection with low-wattage heating coils and pipe-wrap insulation. If you do not intend to heat the building, drain all water from the pipes, or use an anti-freeze such as propylene glycol.

If you shut off the heat in one part of an otherwise heated building, you should insulate common walls, floors and ceilings between the unheated area and heated areas in the building. Without insulation, heat will transfer from heated parts of the building to the unheated space, increasing your energy costs. This also happens when a business that had occupied the adjoining space moves out and the space is no longer being heated.