Does the per-gallon cost fall on a bigger transfer?

It falls if load and hours stay fixed, because the same energy dollars divide over more gallons. A bigger transfer at the same pumping rate takes longer; enter the extra hours. The energy then rises with the volume, so the unit figure holds only when runtime scales with it.

Where does the blended electricity rate come from?

Take the month's total billed dollars divided by the month's total kilowatt-hours. That folds in energy, demand and riders, which is the number a batch cost should carry.

Should I use metered or nameplate kilowatts?

Metered, whenever a reading exists. A motor working part loaded draws well below its nameplate figure, so a nameplate estimate can overstate the run's energy and its cost by a wide margin.

Why report cost per 1,000 gallons as well as per gallon?

The per-gallon figure is a tiny decimal that is easy to misread, while the per-1,000-gallon figure sits in the same range as treatment and chemical rates. Both express the same cost, scaled.

Process Manufacturing calculator

Plant Pump Energy Cost Calculator

Cost a pumping step from the motor load, hours and blended electricity rate, then read the cost per gallon and per 1,000 gallons. Unit figures divide the run's cost by the volume moved in those hours.

What this calculator does

Pumping energy cost from motor load, runtime and the blended rate, with cost per hour, per gallon and per 1,000 gal.

Formula used

Pump energy used = motor load × runtime
Pump energy cost = pump energy used × blended electricity rate
Cost per gallon = pump energy cost ÷ volume transferred
Cost per hour = motor load × blended electricity rate
Cost per 1,000 gal = pump energy cost × 1,000 ÷ volume; share of target = that cost ÷ target × 100

Inputs explained

Pump Motor Load: Electrical input at the motor terminals, from a meter or nameplate.
Pump Runtime: Hours the pump runs for this transfer.
Blended Electricity Rate: All-in rate including demand, from a recent bill.
Volume Transferred: Gallons moved during the metered runtime.
Target Cost per 1,000 Gallons: Cost target for the pumping step per 1,000 gallons.

How to use the result

Best suited to costing a transfer for a batch record, comparing tariffs for a shift, checking a pumping step against target.
A metered kilowatt-hour figure beats a nameplate estimate; a part-load motor draws less than nameplate. The model prices energy only, not maintenance, wear or pump efficiency.

Current U.S. benchmarks

As of Jul 2026, industrial electricity averages 9.8 cents per kWh across the U.S. (EIA), up 4.7% from a year earlier. State averages range widely, so plants should confirm against their own tariff.
The producer price index for industrial chemicals stands at 336.006 (BLS, Aug 2026), up 13.3% from a year earlier. Quotes priced off last quarter's material cost miss this move.
The U.S. has 14,543 chemical manufacturing establishments employing about 911,245 workers (Census County Business Patterns, 2023).

Common questions

Does the per-gallon cost fall on a bigger transfer? It falls if load and hours stay fixed, because the same energy dollars divide over more gallons. A bigger transfer at the same pumping rate takes longer; enter the extra hours. The energy then rises with the volume, so the unit figure holds only when runtime scales with it.
Where does the blended electricity rate come from? Take the month's total billed dollars divided by the month's total kilowatt-hours. That folds in energy, demand and riders, which is the number a batch cost should carry.
Should I use metered or nameplate kilowatts? Metered, whenever a reading exists. A motor working part loaded draws well below its nameplate figure, so a nameplate estimate can overstate the run's energy and its cost by a wide margin.
Why report cost per 1,000 gallons as well as per gallon? The per-gallon figure is a tiny decimal that is easy to misread, while the per-1,000-gallon figure sits in the same range as treatment and chemical rates. Both express the same cost, scaled.

Last reviewed 2026-10-01.