Most prominent non-commodity costs of 2026 – and what you can do about them
Planning for foreseeable costs cannot start too soon.
Non-commodity costs can make up 60% of your business energy bill. As the UK grid modernises and expands, that figure is set to rise.
You can’t avoid non-commodity costs, but you can reduce their impact. Here are three charges to watch in 2026, what you can do about each of them – and what they all have in common.
Nuclear Regulated Asset Base (RAB)
The Nuclear RAB funds the design, construction, commissioning and operation of new nuclear capacity, starting with Sizewell C.
Suppliers are required to contribute through the Supplier Obligation mechanism based on market share, and the passed-on costs are reflected in the non-commodity element of your electricity bill.
Nuclear RAB rates are updated quarterly; in July 2026 the rate was set at £4.488/MWh for Q3 2026. How this appears on your bills will vary depending on your supplier and contract type.
What can you do about the Nuclear RAB?
Work with an energy advisor to understand exactly how your supplier passes through RAB costs and factor this into your forward planning.
Transmission Network Use of System (TNUoS) charges
TNUoS charges recover the installation and maintenance costs of the transmission network across England, Wales, Scotland and offshore. Suppliers and generators pay TNUoS tariffs, and these costs are ultimately passed on to consumers.
National Energy System Operator (NESO) publishes the TNUoS tariffs each January to take effect from 1 April each year.
For the April ‘26 to March ‘27 period, TNUoS charges increased from £3.97bn in ‘25/26 to £6.38bn – a 61% increase.
Although a significant jump, this increase was still less than originally forecasted – demonstrating the constant change non-commodity costs are subject to.
The main drivers of this most recent increase include higher allowed revenues from transmission owners, rising interconnector contributions, and the knock-on effect of lower overall consumption spreading fixed costs across fewer units.
The decision not to pursue zonal pricing under the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements (REMA) has also played a role.
What can you do about TNUoS charges?
First you should know the impact of charges like TNuoS to your billing overall with a service like a forensic energy cost audit.
Once you have the facts, you can begin to reduce your consumption. Work with an energy advisor to forecast your charges and identify where targeted reductions will have the greatest impact.
EII Support Levy
Introduced in 2023, the Network Charging Compensation (NCC) scheme supports Energy Intensive Industries (EIIs) by compensating them on eligible network charges.
The cost of this compensation is spread across all licensed suppliers and ultimately reflected in the non-commodity element of your electricity bill via the EII Support Levy.
In October 2025, the government committed to raising the level of EII relief available through the NCC scheme from 60% to 90% – meaning the corresponding levy on non-EII businesses will increase from 1 April 2027.
What can you do about the EII Support Levy?
It’s never too early to start allocating for foreseeable costs. Budgeting now means you’re not absorbing the cost unprepared in 2027.
What can you do about your non-commodity costs?
We’ve looked at three charges, but the same rule applies to all non-commodity costs: how much they affect you depends on your portfolio, so taking charge of your consumption is key.
Improving your data visibility, using less energy and reducing wastage all help to lower non-commodity costs. Beyond this, a forensic energy cost audit can pinpoint whether your past non-commodity rates have been applied correctly, and whether there are historical savings to recover.
These funds can then be reinvested into energy efficiency solutions such as building controls and LED lighting without competing for operational or capital expenditure – creating a self-funding pathway to decarbonisation and operational improvement.
Budgeting matters too. These charges change, sometimes sharply as the TNUoS increase demonstrates. Forecasting your exposure gives you time to plan, rather than to absorb costs after the fact.
Inspired’s latest whitepaper, The 60% Problem, examines how to reduce the impacts of rising non-commodity costs to your portfolio. Download your free copy here.
How can Inspired help?
Given that non-commodity costs are shaped by your specific portfolio, making sense of them requires expert knowledge.
If you would like to discuss how non-commodities impact your billing or receive a forecast of future charges, please contact the Inspired team [email protected]
