Utility bill audits for paper and packaging plants
Paper and packaging plants use both fuels heavily. Corrugators and dryers run on steam from gas-fired boilers, while converting lines, pumps and fans run on large motors. That makes gas service type and electric demand the two biggest places a bill can go wrong.
Why paper and packaging bills drift
- Boiler gas may qualify for transport or interruptible service, or a large-volume schedule, that the plant never moved to.
- Heat-content and pressure factors on large gas meters turn volume into billed energy, and a wrong factor repeats every month.
- Large motor loads bring demand charges, ratchets and power factor charges.
- Plants with on-site generation pay standby or backup charges whose terms are easy to misapply.
- Corrugated and converting plants added through acquisitions often keep the previous owner's rate classes and contracts.
What an audit checks
| Check | Why it matters here |
|---|---|
| Gas service type | Sales versus transport, firm versus interruptible, for boiler load |
| Gas rate class | Large-volume or industrial schedules for steady boiler use |
| Therm factor and pressure | The factors that convert metered volume into billed energy |
| Demand and ratchets | Motor-heavy converting and pulping loads |
| Standby and backup charges | Contract demand and outage terms for plants with on-site generation |
| Power factor | Charges a correction could remove |
saved for a multi-location manufacturer. See the manufacturing results and all case studies.
Gas is half the story
For steam-heavy plants, the delivered gas price depends on NYMEX, basis, pipeline transport and the utility's delivery schedule. See the natural gas bill audit checklist and how a delivered gas price is built. Where local delivery capacity is tight, the gas capacity outlooks show what a utility's own filings say about the coming winters.
Frequently asked questions
What drives a paper or packaging plant's utility bill?
Gas for steam in boilers that feed corrugators and dryers, and electricity for motors on converting lines, pumps and fans. Both are usually billed on large-customer schedules.
Could our boiler gas move to transport or interruptible service?
It depends on the state, the utility and the site's volume and backup fuel. An audit checks eligibility and setup for every account.
Do you audit plants with on-site generation?
Yes. Standby and backup charges are tested against the tariff terms for contract demand and outages.
Find out what your bills should have cost.
Send one recent bill per site, or a list of accounts. We tell you where we expect findings before you sign anything. No upfront audit fee.