97 Options — Compare electricity and natural gas plans
Business Energy

Compare Business Electricity Rates & Commercial Energy Plans

Energy is a major operating expense for many organizations, and choosing the right plan can make costs easier to understand, manage, and forecast. 97 Options helps small businesses, property managers, schools, nonprofits, retailers, restaurants, and multi-location operations explore competitive commercial electricity rates, business energy plans, and natural gas options across Texas, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, and Connecticut.

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Unlike residential plans, commercial energy pricing in the USA can depend on annual electricity usage, peak demand, operating hours, utility rate class, contract length, and service locations.
Whether you operate a single office, restaurant, retail location, school, or an entire property portfolio, 97 Options can help you compare available suppliers and request a custom quote based on your actual business energy usage and account requirements.
You can also compare electricity and natural gas plans for other eligible accounts through the 97 Options platform.

Business Energy Pricing Built Around Your Actual Usage

Generic advertised rates do not always reflect what a commercial customer will actually pay. Two businesses in the same U.S. ZIP code may receive different quotes because their usage patterns, peak demand, equipment, utility territory, and commercial rate classes differ. Business electricity suppliers may evaluate several factors before providing commercial pricing:
  • Total monthly and annual electricity usage
  • Highest recorded demand in kilowatts
  • Business operating hours
  • Seasonal usage changes
  • Local utility and service territory
  • Commercial rate class
  • Number of meters or locations
  • Current contract expiration date
  • Preferred contract length
  • Renewable energy requirements
For example, a professional office that operates from nine to five has a different load profile from a restaurant running refrigeration, ventilation, and cooking equipment throughout the day. A school may have high daytime usage during the academic year but substantially lower consumption during holidays and summer breaks. Because every account is different, the existing 97 Options service uses custom quoting instead of displaying a generic commercial price that may not apply to the customer’s meter or rate class.

Choose the Business Segment That Fits Your Needs

Different organizations across the USA have different energy usage patterns, procurement requirements, and budget priorities.


Property Management

Multi-site portfolios, common-area accounts, and pass-through billing can make property management energy procurement more complicated than pricing a single meter.
97 Options helps property managers explore commercial electricity rates for:

  • Apartment communities
  • Residential portfolios
  • Mixed-use developments
  • Condominium common areas
  • Retail and office buildings
  • Parking areas and exterior lighting
  • Multiple meters across different properties
Account aggregation may make it possible to place several qualifying locations under a coordinated commercial energy contract. However, utility territories, rate classes and account ownership can affect which meters are eligible to be combined.

Schools And Nonprofits

Schools, churches and nonprofit organizations often work with strict annual budgets, seasonal usage and formal procurement or board-approval processes.
Commercial energy plans for these organizations may need to account for:

  • Academic calendars
  • Summer and holiday closures
  • Heating and cooling peaks
  • Gyms, kitchens and auditoriums
  • Campus aggregation
  • Multiple buildings or meters
  • Budget approval timelines
  • Contract renewal policies
A fixed-rate business electricity plan may provide greater budget predictability, while contract timing should be aligned with the organization’s procurement cycle and expected seasonal consumption.

Merchants And Retail

Storefronts, restaurants, and small retail chains may have long operating hours and equipment that creates consistent or demand-heavy electricity usage.
Commercial electricity plans may be available for:
  • Retail stores
  • Restaurants and cafés
  • Grocery and convenience stores
  • Salons and personal-care businesses
  • Warehouses
  • Franchise locations
  • Shopping-center tenants
  • Multi-location retail operators
Refrigeration, kitchen equipment, lighting, heating and cooling systems can significantly affect a merchant’s load profile. Comparing only the advertised supply rate may therefore overlook demand charges, delivery costs, contract conditions and usage-related fees.

Small Business

Small businesses need clear energy pricing without the complexity of building an in-house procurement team.
97 Options helps offices, service businesses and single-location operators explore small business electricity rates based on their actual consumption and contract needs.
Suitable accounts may include:
  • Professional offices
  • Medical and dental practices
  • Repair and service businesses
  • Small workshops
  • Local agencies
  • Studios
  • Independent stores
  • Single-location commercial properties
A recent utility bill usually provides the information needed to begin reviewing business electricity plans, including monthly usage, meter details and the account’s utility rate class.

Compare Business Electricity Plan Types

The lowest advertised price is not automatically the most suitable commercial energy offer. Contract structure, risk tolerance and operational requirements should also be considered.

Fixed-Rate Business Electricity Plans

A fixed-rate plan generally keeps the agreed supply rate stable for the contract term. It can help businesses create more predictable energy budgets and reduce exposure to short-term market price changes.
Fixed-rate contracts may be suitable for:
  • Budget-sensitive organizations
  • Businesses with stable usage
  • Schools and nonprofits
  • Property portfolios
  • Companies planning to remain at the same location
The contract should still be reviewed for early termination fees, renewal provisions, demand-related charges, and items excluded from the fixed supply rate.

Variable-Rate Commercial Energy Plans

Variable pricing may change periodically according to market conditions or the supplier’s pricing methodology.
These plans can provide flexibility, but businesses may face less predictable monthly costs when market prices increase. Organizations considering variable pricing should understand how frequently the rate can change and whether advance notice is provided.

Indexed Energy Plans

Indexed commercial energy plans are connected to a defined market index or pricing formula. They may provide greater transparency for organizations that understand wholesale markets, but costs can fluctuate.
Indexed products are usually more appropriate for experienced commercial buyers than businesses seeking simple, predictable monthly budgeting.

Renewable Business Energy Plans

Some U.S. business electricity providers offer plans supported by renewable energy certificates or other green-energy products.
Businesses should review:
  • Renewable-content percentage
  • Source of renewable certificates
  • Contract length
  • Additional premium
  • Sustainability reporting
  • Documentation required for environmental targets

What Should You Compare in a Commercial Energy Quote?

A proper business electricity comparison should look beyond the headline cents-per-kilowatt-hour figure.
Compare the following details across supplier offers:
The U.S. Energy Information Administration publishes commercial electricity-price data that can provide general market context. However, statewide and national averages are benchmarks—not supplier quotes for a specific business account. Commercial classifications may also depend on rate schedules, demand, and usage characteristics.

How Commercial Electricity Differs From Residential Electricity

Residential electricity plans are generally designed around household usage. Business electricity pricing can involve more variables because commercial accounts may operate larger equipment, use electricity during different parts of the day, or create a much higher peak demand.
Important commercial pricing factors include:

Annual Usage Volume

Suppliers evaluate the total amount of electricity a business is expected to consume during the contract period. Larger accounts and multi-site portfolios may receive individually negotiated pricing.

Load Profile

A load profile shows when a business consumes electricity.
A restaurant, school, warehouse, and office may use the same total amount of electricity over a month while placing very different demands on the system throughout the day.

Peak Demand

Peak demand is the highest amount of electricity drawn during a defined interval in the billing cycle. Commercial accounts with high simultaneous equipment usage may be placed in a demand-metered rate class.

Utility Rate Class

The local utility assigns a business account to an applicable commercial rate schedule. That classification can affect delivery charges, demand thresholds, and how different portions of the bill are calculated.

Contract Length

Short contracts may provide flexibility, while longer agreements may offer greater price certainty. The most appropriate term should reflect the business lease, operating plans, budget cycle, and expected location changes.

Compare Business Electricity and Natural Gas Plans

Businesses using natural gas for heating, cooking, water heating, industrial processes, or commercial equipment may also be eligible to compare business natural gas rates.
Electricity and gas contracts should be evaluated separately because:
  • Different suppliers may serve each commodity.
  • Contract terms may not expire at the same time.
  • Gas usage can be highly seasonal.
  • Rates may be quoted per therm, Ccf, or Mcf.
  • Electricity and gas deregulation rules vary by state and utility territory.
Where available, 97 Options can review commercial electricity and natural gas requirements together, helping the business coordinate procurement while still comparing each service on its own terms.

U.S. Business Energy Markets We Serve

97 Options sources custom business electricity and natural gas quotes in eligible deregulated utility territories across:

Texas

Serving eligible commercial accounts in markets such as Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, Plano, Irving, Corpus Christi and other deregulated Texas service areas.

Illinois

Business energy options may be available in Chicago, Aurora, Rockford, Joliet, Springfield and qualifying ComEd or Ameren Illinois territories.

Pennsylvania

Commercial electricity and natural gas opportunities may be available in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Harrisburg, Erie, Scranton, Lancaster and other eligible Pennsylvania markets.

New Jersey

Businesses may request commercial energy pricing in Newark, Jersey City, Trenton, Edison, Paterson and other qualifying utility territories.

Ohio

Eligible accounts may include businesses in Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton, Toledo, Akron and surrounding deregulated markets.

Connecticut

Commercial electricity quotes may be available for businesses in Hartford, New Haven, Stamford, Bridgeport, Waterbury and other eligible Connecticut utility territories.

Supplier availability varies by ZIP code, local utility, account classification and commodity. A location within a listed state does not automatically guarantee that every electricity or natural gas option is available.

How to Request a Business Energy Quote in the USA

1. Provide Basic Business Information

Submit the business name, contact details, service state, and the type of organization requesting pricing.

2. Share Usage or a Recent Utility Bill

A recent bill can help identify:
  • Current supplier
  • Utility company
  • Monthly usage
  • Rate class
  • Account and meter details
  • Contract or supply information
Multi-location businesses should provide bills or usage records for each relevant account.

3. Compare Available Supplier Offers

Review eligible quotes based on supply rate, contract term, renewal conditions, fees, renewable content, and account-specific requirements.

4. Select the Appropriate Commercial Plan

When an eligible U.S. business changes its competitive energy supplier, the local utility generally continues handling physical electricity or gas delivery, meter services, and outage response.

Find a Business Energy Plan That Fits Your Operation

Commercial energy procurement should begin with the way your organization actually uses electricity or natural gas, not with a generic advertised rate.
97 Options helps U.S. businesses compare account-specific energy offers for single locations, multi-site portfolios, schools, nonprofits, restaurants, retailers and other commercial operations. Share your recent usage or utility bill to begin evaluating available business electricity suppliers and commercial energy plans.

Choose the segment that best fits your business

Each segment has different usage patterns, contract needs, and procurement requirements. Pick the closest match to start a custom quote request.

How commercial electricity differs from residential

Instant commercial pricing

Enter your ZIP and monthly usage to see live wholesale pricing for your service area. Commercial pricing depends on your load factor, so each supplier card will also ask for the peak demand (kW) and billing days printed on your bill.

Peak demand (kW) and billing days are printed on your commercial bill next to your kWh usage.

Frequently asked questions

Q: How are business electricity rates calculated in the USA?

A: Business electricity rates may be based on annual usage, load profile, peak demand, utility rate class, service territory, contract term, and supplier requirements. This is why commercial accounts are normally quoted individually.

Q: What information do I need for a business energy quote?

A: You should provide your business name, contact details, service address, and a recent utility bill or monthly usage information. Multi-site businesses should also provide a list of accounts, meters, and service locations.

Q: Can I request a quote using only my utility bill?

A: Yes. A recent utility bill is often the fastest way to begin because it usually includes usage, utility, meter and rate-class information.

Q: What is a demand charge?

A: A demand charge is based on the business’s highest electricity draw during a specified interval rather than total monthly kilowatt-hour usage alone. It may apply to certain commercial utility rate classes.

Q: Are commercial electricity rates always cheaper than residential rates?

A: Not necessarily. Commercial rates are calculated differently, and the final cost depends on usage, demand, utility charges, rate class, and contract terms. A lower supply rate does not automatically mean a lower total bill.

Q: Which electricity plan is best for a small business?

A: The appropriate plan depends on the business’s usage stability, lease length, budget requirements, and tolerance for market changes. Many small businesses prefer fixed-rate plans for predictability, but every contract should be compared individually.

Q: Can several business locations be placed under one contract?

A: Some suppliers can aggregate qualifying accounts under one agreement. Eligibility may depend on account ownership, utility territory, state, rate classes,s and supplier rules.

Q: Will switching business electricity suppliers interrupt service?

A: Normally, no. The local utility continues delivering electricity and handling outage response, while the selected supplier provides the energy supply under the new contract.

Q: Can 97 Options compare commercial natural gas rates?

A: Commercial natural gas quotes may be available in qualifying deregulated territories. Availability depends on the state, local gas utility, and account type.

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