Bill calculator
Load factor calculator: how well you use the demand you pay for.
Enter this month’s units, the days in the billing month and the Maximum Demand from your bill. See your load factor, what the demand charge adds to every unit, and what the same work would save at a higher load factor.
Load factor50%Average demand 250 kVA against Maximum Demand of 500 kVA
- Hours in the month
- 720 hours
- Demand charge this month
- ₹1,50,000
- Demand charge per unit
- ₹0.83 per kVAh
- Maximum Demand at target load factor
- 417 kVA
- Monthly saving at target
- ₹25,000
- Yearly saving at target
- ₹3,00,000
Illustrative defaults — replace them with your own bill and tariff. The demand charge here is Maximum Demand × rate; minimum billing demand, rebates and surcharges are not included.
How load factor is calculated
Load factor = units ÷ (Maximum Demand × hours in the month) × 100
Units divided by hours gives the average demand. Load factor is that average as a share of the peak. On a kVA-billed connection, use kVAh units and kVA demand; on a kW-billed one, kWh and kW.
Example: 1,80,000 kVAh in a 30-day month is 720 hours, so average demand is 250 kVA. Against a Maximum Demand of 500 kVA, load factor is 50%.
What is a good load factor?
It depends on how many hours the plant works. A plant that runs one 8-hour shift and is off the rest of the day cannot pass about 33%; two shifts cap it near 67%. Continuous process plants can run well above 70%. The useful comparison is your own load factor month to month, and against plants that work the same hours.
Why it matters for the bill
The demand charge is the same whether you use the peak for one interval or all month. Spread over the units, it costs more per unit as load factor falls.
| Load factor | Demand charge per unit (₹300 per kVA, 720 hours) |
|---|---|
| 30% | ₹1.39 |
| 50% | ₹0.83 |
| 70% | ₹0.60 |
| 90% | ₹0.46 |
Some state tariffs also give a rebate on energy charges above a set load factor. Check your tariff order.
How to improve load factor
- Lower the peak: stagger start-ups and move flexible loads out of the peak interval. See how to reduce Maximum Demand.
- Improve power factor on a kVA-billed connection, which lowers kVA demand. See improve power factor.
- Fill the valleys with work, not waste: run deferrable jobs in quieter hours. Idle load raises load factor without making anything.
Load factor in KONDUKTOR® EMS
KONDUKTOR® EMS shows load factor for every meter from its own units and 15- or 30-minute Maximum Demand, with the load profile that explains it. See load monitoring.
Common questions
What is load factor in electricity?+
Load factor is the average demand over a period divided by the Maximum Demand in that period, as a percentage. It shows how evenly a plant uses the capacity that sets its demand charge.
What is a good load factor for a factory?+
It depends on working hours. One 8-hour shift caps it near 33% and two shifts near 67%; continuous plants can run above 70%. Compare your own month-to-month figure and plants with the same hours.
How can a factory improve its load factor?+
Lower the peak rather than adding load: stagger start-ups, move flexible loads out of the peak interval, and on a kVA-billed connection improve power factor. Idle load raises load factor but wastes money.
See load factor for every meter.
Book a live demo and see load factor and the load profile behind it on meters like yours.