Power peaks: how to lower your grid fee
A single hour can set the capacity charge for a whole month. How to find the peak in the hourly data, break the simultaneity and choose the right subscribed capacity.
Why the peak costs money
If you have a capacity subscription (effektabonnemang, a grid contract priced partly on your power demand in kW), you pay not only for how much electricity you use but also for how much you draw at the same time. The network operator measures power, usually as the hourly average in kW, and charges for the highest hour per month, the highest during peak-load hours or a subscribed level for the whole year. How your particular tariff works is set out in the network operator's price list and terms of application.
A single hour can therefore set the price for an entire month, or an entire year. That is why it rarely pays to save kWh across the board if the peak remains. It is the peak you need to find.
The halt to capacity charges (effektavgift, a fee based on your highest power demand) in March 2026 applied to the requirement for smaller connections. Capacity subscriptions above 63 A remain as before. Read more in Capacity charges for businesses 2026.
Step 1: Find the peak in the hourly data
Ask the network operator for hourly values for the past twelve months, often via the customer portal. Put them in a spreadsheet and do three things:
- Sort out the ten highest hours per month.
- Note the day of the week, time of day and outdoor temperature for each peak.
- Compare the peak with the average load. If the peak is more than twice the average load, there is usually something to gain.
A recurring pattern, the same day of the week or the same time of day, means the peak can be planned for. A peak that appears once and never again may be an operational fault or a test of backup power, and then the remedy is about routines.
Also check whether the network operator measures per hour or per quarter-hour. Meters often report quarter-hourly values, but in the price lists we have reviewed the charge is calculated on hourly average power.
Step 2: Find out what runs at the same time
A peak is almost always the sum of several loads that happen to coincide. Go through the peak hours with the person responsible for operations and list what was running. Common combinations:
- start-up of ventilation, heating and process equipment on the same morning
- defrosting of several refrigeration units at the same time
- charging of vehicles or forklifts when staff return
- an electric boiler or immersion heater kicking in when it is coldest
- compressors and fans starting after a power cut
Simultaneity is what you can influence. The total installed power is often much higher than the highest hour, because everything rarely runs at full load at once. The goal is for that to happen even more rarely.
Step 3: Schedule and spread out
The cheapest way to cut a peak is to change the order. Spread the start-up of large loads over one or two hours, set defrosting at different times and move charging and heat storage to the night. Check clocks and timers after the switch to and from summer time, since two schedules drifting together is a common cause of new peaks.
If the network operator has peak-load hours, for example weekdays 06–22 during the winter months, it may be enough to move a load outside that window.
Step 4: Load control where scheduling is not enough
When scheduling is not enough, a load guard or control system can temporarily disconnect or throttle loads that can tolerate it: immersion heaters, chargers, ventilation in little-used zones or refrigeration units with good thermal inertia. This is a technical measure that should be carried out by your electrician or building automation supplier, and it must never compromise safety, food hygiene or patient safety.
Step 5: Choose the right subscribed capacity
If you have a subscribed capacity, it should follow your actual peak, not the size of the main fuse or a level chosen when the site was built. Compare the highest hour of the year with the subscription. If you are well below, you are paying for capacity you do not use. If you are above, you pay for excess usage, often at twice the price per kW.
The subscription can usually only be changed with notice and a limited number of times per year. Lower the peak first and adjust the subscription afterwards.
Calculate the value of a reduced peak
The value of a lower peak is the number of kW multiplied by the capacity price. With an assumed price of 50 kr per kW per month, that is 600 kr per kW per year, 20 kW is worth 12,000 kr a year. Prices vary widely between network operators, so always calculate with your own price list.
Tip: Start with the five highest hours last winter. If you can explain them, you also know where the savings are.
Where the peak occurs in different industries
The method is the same everywhere, but the peak occurs in different places depending on the business. Choose your industry for a worked example with an assumed capacity price.
- Energy advice for restaurants
Example: In a restaurant, the peak occurs just before lunch service, when ovens, griddles, the dishwasher and ventilation are switched on within the same half hour. A restaurant with a capacity subscription can lower the peak by preheating the ovens one after another and waiting to run the dishwasher until service is under way. With an assumed capacity price of 50 kr per kW per month, a peak 15 kW lower is worth 9,000 kr a year. Read more: Kitchen power peaks.
- Energy advice for hotels
Example: A hotel has its peak between 06:00 and 09:00 when the breakfast kitchen, showers, laundry and sauna run at the same time, often on weekend mornings with full occupancy. Running the laundry after 10:00 and letting the hot water system heat up overnight cuts the peak without guests noticing. With an assumed capacity price of 50 kr per kW per month, a peak 25 kW lower gives 15,000 kr a year.
- Energy advice for industrial companies
Example: In industry, the peak is often set on Monday morning when lines, compressors and furnaces start up after the weekend. If two large machines of 60 kW each are started an hour apart instead of at the same time, the peak can fall by up to 60 kW. With an assumed capacity price of 50 kr per kW per month, that equals 36,000 kr a year. Industry also often has reactive power to review. Read more: Capacity charges in industry.
- Energy advice for property owners
Example: In a property portfolio, the peak occurs in the coldest week, when heat pumps and immersion heaters run at full power at the same time as tenants charge their cars in the evening. Blocking the immersion heaters during the hours when charging is highest lowers the peak without the flats getting cold. With an assumed capacity price of 50 kr per kW per month, a peak 30 kW lower per property is worth 18,000 kr a year. Read more: Power in properties: charging, heat pumps and simultaneity.
- Energy advice for housing cooperatives
Example: In a housing cooperative (BRF), the peak is now often set by the charging points in the evening, when members come home and plug in their cars at the same time. If the cooperative has communal electricity on a capacity subscription, a load-balancing charging solution can spread the power over the night. With an assumed capacity price of 50 kr per kW per month, a peak 20 kW lower is worth 12,000 kr a year. Read more: Charging points and power in a BRF.
- Energy advice for shops & retail
Example: A shop with a capacity subscription often has its peak at opening time, when lighting, ventilation, escalators and air curtains at the entrance are switched on at the same time. The air curtain is a common peak driver in winter and often runs at full power all day. Starting ventilation and lighting in stages before opening and reducing the air curtain's output can give a peak 10 kW lower, which with an assumed capacity price of 50 kr per kW per month is 6,000 kr a year. If the shop is in a shopping centre, it is usually the property owner who holds the subscription.
- Energy advice for grocery stores
Example: In a grocery store, refrigeration and freezers form a high base load around the clock, and the peak occurs when defrosting of the freezer cabinets coincides with hot summer afternoons or full oven baking. Spreading the defrost cycles over the day can give a peak 15 kW lower. With an assumed capacity price of 50 kr per kW per month, that is worth 9,000 kr a year. Read more: Capacity charges for grocery stores.
- Energy advice for agriculture & farming
Example: On a farm, the year's peak often occurs during grain drying in August and September, when drying fans and burners run around the clock with milk cooling and feeding on top. If the network operator has an annual subscribed capacity, one such week is enough to set the level for the whole year. Running the dryer at lower power during milking can give a peak 20 kW lower, which with an assumed capacity price of 600 kr per kW per year is 12,000 kr.
- Energy advice for offices & serviced offices
Example: An office has its peak on weekdays between 08:00 and 10:00, when ventilation and cooling start at full power just as staff arrive. In serviced offices with electric car charging in the garage, charging often falls in the same morning hours. Starting ventilation an hour earlier at a lower fan speed and delaying charging can give a peak 15 kW lower, which with an assumed capacity price of 50 kr per kW per month is 9,000 kr a year.
- Energy advice for logistics companies
Example: A logistics terminal has its peak at shift changes, when forklifts are put on charge while the sorting system is running flat out. Twenty 3 kW forklift chargers starting at the same time add 60 kW. Spreading charging over the night with control systems or timers can halve that addition. With an assumed capacity price of 50 kr per kW per month, a peak 30 kW lower is worth 18,000 kr a year.
- Energy advice for property managers
Example: For a property manager, the problem is often that each property has its own subscription, chosen when the building was built and never reviewed. Compare the year's highest hour with the subscribed capacity for all sites in a table. A property subscribing to 200 kW that has never exceeded 150 kW pays, with an assumed capacity price of 600 kr per kW per year, 30,000 kr a year for capacity that is not used. Read more: Reviewing a property company's electricity bills.
- Energy advice for health centres
Example: Most health centres have a fuse-based subscription (säkringsabonnemang, a grid contract priced on the size of the main fuse), and for these the capacity charge has been removed or paused in many networks during 2026. If the health centre is in a larger healthcare building with a capacity subscription, the peak occurs in the morning when ventilation, cooling and equipment start at the same time. Starting ventilation in stages is a harmless measure. With an assumed capacity price of 50 kr per kW per month, a peak 8 kW lower gives 4,800 kr a year. Medical equipment must never be switched off by load control.
- Energy advice for hospitals
Example: In a hospital, most of the load is business-critical and cannot be moved. What can be influenced is the test running of backup power, heat recovery and chillers. A test run in which the backup generator hands the load back to the grid all at once can create a new peak. Scheduling test runs outside peak-load hours and phasing in the load gradually can give a peak 100 kW lower, which with an assumed capacity price of 600 kr per kW per year is 60,000 kr.
- Energy advice for dental clinics
Example: A dental clinic almost always has a fuse-based subscription of no more than 63 A and therefore no capacity subscription. If the network operator has a capacity charge for fuse-based customers, it is worth checking whether it has been removed or only paused during 2026. The peak occurs when autoclaves, compressor and suction system start at the same time in the morning, and starting the autoclaves one after another is a simple routine if the charge remains.
- Energy advice for care homes for the elderly
Example: In a care home, the peak occurs around mealtimes, when the main kitchen, dishwashing room and laundry run at the same time, often on weekday mornings when the laundry is done. Moving the laundry's tumble dryers to the afternoon or evening can give a peak 15 kW lower. With an assumed capacity price of 50 kr per kW per month, that is worth 9,000 kr a year. Heating and ventilation for residents should not be turned down.
- Energy advice for haulage companies
Example: A haulage company with electric lorries gets its peak when several vehicles return in the afternoon and are plugged into rapid charging at the same time. Two 150 kW chargers give 300 kW, more than the depot otherwise uses. If the vehicles stay overnight, lower charging power spread over the night is often enough. With an assumed capacity price of 50 kr per kW per month, a peak 150 kW lower is worth 90,000 kr a year. Do the calculation before the chargers are installed.
- Energy advice for car dealerships
Example: At a car dealer, the peak occurs when new electric cars are charged ahead of delivery while the workshop is in full operation and the showroom is lit. Five 11 kW chargers add 55 kW. Charging delivery cars overnight or with load balancing can give a peak 30 kW lower, which with an assumed capacity price of 50 kr per kW per month is 18,000 kr a year.
- Energy advice for car repair shops
Example: In a car repair workshop, the peak is often set by the compressor together with the spray booth, heating and a customer car being charged. The spray booth's heating is the heaviest single load. If the workshop has a capacity subscription, painting can be scheduled for times when other equipment is running at low power. With an assumed capacity price of 50 kr per kW per month, a peak 12 kW lower gives 7,200 kr a year. Most smaller workshops have a fuse-based subscription, so first check which tariff you have.
- Energy advice for bakeries
Example: In a bakery, the peak occurs early in the morning when the ovens heat up while dough mixers and proving rooms are running. Two 40 kW ovens heating up at the same time give 80 kW. Starting the second oven when the first has reached temperature can lower the peak by up to 40 kW, which with an assumed capacity price of 50 kr per kW per month is 24,000 kr a year.
- Energy advice for gyms & fitness centres
Example: At a gym, the peak occurs in the evening between 17:00 and 19:00 when visitor numbers are highest, the sauna is on and the hot water has to last for all the showers. If the sauna heater is switched on at 16:00 and the hot water is heated before the evening sessions, the peak can fall by 10 kW. With an assumed capacity price of 50 kr per kW per month, that is worth 6,000 kr a year.
- Energy advice for spas & swimming centres
Example: In a swimming centre, pumps, water treatment and ventilation form a steady base load, and the peak occurs when pool water has to be heated after a water change or when several saunas and steam rooms start up ahead of the weekend. Heating the pool overnight after a water change and starting the sauna heaters one after another can give a peak 40 kW lower, which with an assumed capacity price of 600 kr per kW per year is 24,000 kr.
- Energy advice for camping & campsites
Example: A campsite has its peak for a few weeks in July when every pitch has electricity and caravans run fridges and sometimes air conditioning. With an annual subscribed capacity, those weeks are enough to set the level for the whole year. Limiting the power per outlet on the pitches and moving the service building's laundry to the morning can give a peak 25 kW lower, which with an assumed capacity price of 600 kr per kW per year is 15,000 kr.
- Energy advice for warehouses
Example: In a warehouse, the load is steady, and the peak occurs in winter when the doors are open and the heating is running at full power while the forklifts are charging. Faster doors and overnight charging are the most common measures. With an assumed capacity price of 50 kr per kW per month, a peak 15 kW lower is worth 9,000 kr a year. If you have a peak-load charge, charging after 22:00 does not count towards it.
- Energy advice for schools & preschools
Example: In a school, the peak is set just before lunch when the main kitchen is cooking while ventilation runs at full power in all classrooms. After the Christmas and February half-term holidays, a cold building that needs to be heated can also cause a peak on Monday morning. Starting the heating on Sunday spreads out the load. With an assumed capacity price of 50 kr per kW per month, a peak 20 kW lower gives 12,000 kr a year.
- Energy advice for server halls & data centres
Example: A data centre has a flat load close to its peak around the clock, so there is little to shift in operation. What can be influenced is the subscribed capacity, which has often been chosen with a large margin for future growth. A data centre with 1,000 kW subscribed and a highest hour of 750 kW pays, with an assumed capacity price of 600 kr per kW per year, 150,000 kr a year for unused capacity. Calculate the effect of lowering the subscription and raising it as the load grows.
- Energy advice for refrigeration plants
Example: In a cold storage facility, the peak occurs on hot summer days when the condensers work hardest and several compressors run at the same time, or when new goods need to be cooled down. Pre-cooling the store overnight when it is cooler can give a peak 30 kW lower during the day. With an assumed capacity price of 50 kr per kW per month, that is worth 18,000 kr a year. Also check that defrost cycles do not coincide.
- Energy advice for churches & parishes
Example: In a church, the peak occurs when a cold building is heated ahead of the weekend service or a winter wedding. Switching on all the heating at once on Friday morning gives a peak that sets the price for the whole month. Starting the heating earlier at lower power can give a peak 25 kW lower, which with an assumed capacity price of 50 kr per kW per month is 15,000 kr a year. Read more: Heating and electricity costs in churches.