Recovering 42,300 PLN from erroneous energy invoices
For a parts manufacturer from Elbląg, we found errors in distribution fee calculations spanning 14 months.
A manufacturer from Elbląg was paying significantly more for electricity than machines' real consumption. We analyzed 14 months of settlements and found an error on the supplier's side that the accounting department had missed.
The challenge
Metal-Grot operates 14 CNC machines and works two shifts, generating significant fixed costs. In mid-2023, the technical director noticed that energy bills were rising faster than the number of man-hours, but the supplier claimed the meters were working. The problem was that no one in the company had the time or knowledge to break down the invoice into its component parts.
For over a year, the plant was overpaying for contracted power and reactive energy, even though the real grid load was lower. The accountant tried to clarify the matter by phone but hit a wall of the operator's corporate procedures. The numbers stopped adding up, and the production margin for parts began to drop dangerously.
Our approach
We delegated a 3-person team to the audit, starting with a physical check of the meters in the Elbląg hall. We looked for holes in everything and soon found that the measuring system configuration did not match the contract entries. Then we downloaded data from the last 42 invoices and cross-referenced them with the company's ERP system reports.
We know every screw in the production budget, so we didn't just focus on final amounts. We checked power factors and peak hours. We prepared a hard technical argument that did not allow the supplier to give another generic answer. It was clear that the operator was using the wrong multiplier for the industrial tariff.
The solution
We prepared an official technical complaint consisting of 31 pages of precise calculations. We proved that the error in calculating the capacity fee had been continuous for 14 months. On behalf of Baltic Synergia Consulting, we conducted 4 talks with the power supplier's technical department to force retroactive invoice corrections.
Additionally, we implemented a simple utility monitoring sheet for the production manager. Now, every month he enters 3 key numbers from the meters, allowing any deviations from the norm to be caught immediately. There was no point in buying expensive software — a specific control process was enough.
Results
The energy operator accepted the complaint in full and transferred the overpayment refund directly to Metal-Grot's account. The company now has fixed costs lower by over 3,000 PLN per month.
Timeline
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January 8, 2024On-site visit at the production hall and meter analysis.
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January 22, 2024Completion of verification of 42 archival invoices.
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February 5, 2024Filing of the official request for correction with the distributor.
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February 26, 2024Decision to accept the complaint and transfer of funds.
"I always thought invoices from big suppliers were flawless. Only the audit showed how wrong I was. The money returned to the account and was enough to service two large machines."