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Grid charges from April 2027: the parts of your bill that may not be fixed

Adam Elder · · 2 min read

Illustration of a ticked checklist, a clock and an electric plug

Many businesses have fixed their electricity unit rate and feel protected. That's sensible. But your bill isn't only the energy itself. It also carries charges for running the grid and a government tax, and several of these rise from 1st April 2027.

What's going up

  • BSUoS is the cost of balancing the grid minute by minute. The National Energy System Operator (NESO) published draft rates on 21st September: £21.67 per MWh for April to September 2027, about 58% higher than this year. The draft for October 2027 to March 2028 is about 48% higher. Final figures are due in December. NESO BSUoS charges
  • TNUoS pays for the big transmission lines. NESO's initial forecast puts the average for businesses at £30.68 per MWh in 2027/28, up about £5. Its updated forecast on 9th October expects the fixed daily part of the charge to be about 5% higher again. Final tariffs are due by 31st January 2027. NESO TNUoS charges
  • CCL, the Climate Change Levy, is a tax on business energy. The electricity rate will be 0.827p per kWh from 1st April 2027. HMRC Climate Change Levy rates

Why "fixed" may not mean fixed

Plenty of contracts fix the price of the energy but pass these other charges through at whatever they turn out to be. Some fix them for a while and then allow changes. Others fix everything. The only way to know is to read the contract, or ask your supplier in writing.

What to do before April

  • Find your current contract and look for words like "pass-through", "non-commodity" or "third-party charges".
  • Ask your supplier which lines on your bill are fixed until the contract ends, and which can move.
  • If any can move, build the April increase into next year's budget now, rather than finding it on a bill in May.
  • If your contract ends soon, ask for quotes both ways, fixed and pass-through, so you can compare like for like.

None of this needs to be complicated. It's about knowing which numbers are fixed before they change.

If you'd like a second pair of eyes on your contract's small print, get in touch. We'll show you the numbers and options, with no hard sell.

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  • Energy costs
  • Non-commodity charges
  • UK business

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