Multi-site energy management
One facility's bills can be checked by hand. Two hundred across forty states and seven provinces cannot. We keep every account correct, competitively supplied, paid on time and visible in one place.
Multi-site energy management is the coordinated oversight of utility accounts, billing, rates, procurement and payment across many facilities, typically spanning multiple states, provinces or utility jurisdictions. Discovery Energy delivers it as one connected service run against a single account inventory in TaraBase.
Where the gaps between vendors cost money
| What a portfolio needs | Usually handled by | What that provider does not see |
|---|---|---|
| Every bill paid on time | Bill-pay vendor | Whether the rate behind the bill is right |
| Every account on the right rate, tariff and rider | Utility auditor | Which bills are about to incur late fees |
| Supply bought competitively | Energy broker | Sites outside the states it is licensed in |
| One view of cost, usage and contracts | Software platform | Tariff errors inside correctly captured data |
| All of the above | An integrated multi-site provider | Nothing, by design |
At one 103-facility client, the previous broker was licensed in two states. Costs fell in those two states, and the rest of the portfolio was never evaluated. Read what changed.
Regulated and deregulated sites, one portfolio
| Market type | What sets the cost | Where savings come from |
|---|---|---|
| Regulated | The local utility's tariffs, rate classes and riders | Correct rate class, rider review, billing-error recovery, corporate classification |
| Deregulated | Utility delivery charges plus a competitive supply contract | All of the above, plus supplier selection, contract structure and purchase timing |
For current conditions in the largest U.S. grid, see our PJM market briefing.
How we run a portfolio
Authorize
One letter of authorization lets us work with each utility on your behalf.
Consolidate
Every account, meter, contract and bill enters TaraBase: one system of record.
Audit and optimize
Every account, not just the large ones, is tested and corrected.
Procure
Every eligible account in every choice market is evaluated for supply.
Pay and code
Bills paid on time and coded to your cost centers and GL accounts.
Monitor
New bills are checked as they arrive; anomalies are flagged the same month.
Benchmark
Sites compared with one another and with their own history.
Report
Results in the form each team needs, from plant manager to CFO.
Questions buyers ask
What is multi-site energy management?
The coordinated oversight of utility accounts, billing, rates, procurement and payment across many facilities, usually in several states, provinces or utility territories. Every account is managed as part of one portfolio rather than site by site.
Can one provider cover both regulated and deregulated states?
Yes. Rate, tariff and billing review applies in every market; competitive procurement applies wherever supplier choice exists. Discovery serves organizations across the US and Canada, so the whole portfolio is covered rather than the few states a broker happens to be licensed in. Competitive procurement applies only where a state or province allows supplier choice.
How much do multi-site audits usually uncover?
Most Discovery audits uncover savings and refunds equal to 3% to 15% of annual utility spend. Results depend on the portfolio's utilities, rate structures and billing history; no specific result is guaranteed.
Do you code utility bills to our cost centers and GL accounts?
Yes. As part of bill pay, each bill is coded to your cost centers and GL accounts before it reaches your books.
Do we have to replace our current broker or bill-pay vendor?
No. Discovery can work alongside existing providers. At a national steel company, an independent audit run behind an active energy-management contract recovered $374,326.20 and found more than $150,000 a year in new savings.
How are acquired facilities added?
Once the authorization letter is signed and the TaraBase account exists, new facilities are generally added by email. Occasionally a new utility needs its own authorization first.
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.