When the electricity prices rose and suppliers started to fail, we thought we were going to be OK as we had contracts in place. Then our electricity supplier failed and we were thrown to the wrath of the market. We had to take out a bridging contract which tripled our costs during the winter months, the time of our heaviest use.
New contracts have to be negotiated at the new higher prices with questions and debates over how long to sign up for. Two years, three years, five years?
Whatever we choose, the result will be that our electricity costs are going to more than double and if they only double we will be doing well.
There have been days when I have just stared at the figures on the page, hoping they would change, but they haven’t and having tens of thousands of pounds added to your bottom line is scary.
We had been due to do a partial upgrade of the floodlights on our main pitch to LED and gradually work through to a full upgrade across both pitches over a number of years as the cost of a full upgrade in one go was very substantial. The figures have been blown out of the water.
With the cost of electricity about to double and LEDs reducing usage by up to a half we are now investigating a full upgrade to LED for both pitches.
Either we invest the money in LEDs or give the money to the electricity companies and then still have to upgrade over the next few years.
The buildings had been gradually changing the lights to LED as and when they needed to be replaced. We are now accelerating that process and aim to have all our lights converted to LED as soon as possible.
Despite our efforts to mitigate the rises we cannot do it all and it means that costs to our members and facility users will be going up.
Words by Centre Manager Elizabeth Moss
Read our Energy Crisis coverage and how hockey clubs are adapting here
