Energy Procurement
- Estimated annual electricity cost reduction: $81,800 ($163,600 over the full 24 months term)
- Overall 8% reduction in total electricity costs
- Eight NMIs aggregated across multiple campuses to unlock stronger C&I market pricing
- 24 months contract locked in with the retailer who offered the lowest rates
Trinity Grammar School
Trinity Grammar School is one of Australia’s most respected independent boys’ schools, operating across multiple campuses in Summer Hill and Strathfield, NSW. With eight separately metered sites spanning classrooms, boarding facilities, sporting grounds, and administrative buildings, electricity represents one of the school’s most significant ongoing operating costs — making strategic energy procurement a material lever for the institution’s financial management.
The Challenge
When Spinifex Energy engaged Trinity Grammar School, the school had eight NMIs spread across multiple sites in the inner-west Sydney corridor. All sites’ current electricity contracts were due to expire on 31 December 2025 — creating a hard deadline with no room for delay.
Without a proactive tender process, the school would have rolled over onto the default rates based on spot market, with no competitive pressure and no assurance those rates reflected the volatile conditions in current market. For an institution of this size, that risk compounds quickly: eight sites consuming a combined ~3.8 million kWh annually means even a modest rate improvement translates into material dollar savings.
The additional complexity here was that the sites had historically been managed and procured independently — a common situation that quietly costs institutions more than it should. Our job was to aggregate the full portfolio and take it to market as a single, unified procurement exercise.
Identifying the Opportunity
A review of Trinity Grammar School’s consumption profile confirmed that the combined load across all eight NMIs was substantial — approximately 3.8 million kWh per year. Treated as a single aggregated portfolio, this positioned the school as a highly attractive C&I buyer, unlocking pricing that no individual site could access on its own.
Multi-site aggregation opened up several structural advantages for Trinity Grammar School:
- Aggregating all eight NMIs into a single tender presented a combined load profile that commanded significantly stronger market interest and more competitive pricing than any site could achieve individually
- Running a live competitive tender across our full panel of leading retailers in C&I energy market — created genuine pricing tension across the market
- Extended contract terms of up to 48 months were available, giving the school the ability to lock in rates and plan its operating budget with genuine certainty
- Detailed cost modelling across all term options allowed the school to make an informed decision, comparing not just headline rates but the full cost structure across all periods.
With the portfolio aggregated and the market properly tested, we found the strongest offer and the school was able to secured a 24-month agreement.
The Results
The multi-site aggregation strategy, combined with a well-run competitive tender, delivered a meaningful and immediate improvement to Trinity Grammar School’s energy position:
- Trinity Grammar School’s energy expenses reduced by an estimated $81,800 per year — $163,600 in savings across the full 24 months contract term.
- A 7.8% reduction in total electricity costs — a material improvement to the school’s operating budget.
- Rates locked in for 24 months, protecting the school from future market volatility – which became more evident after finding out the staggering difference of $192,000 per year between the lowest cost offer and highest cost offer we received during the tender.
- Eight NMIs across Summer Hill and Strathfield consolidated into a single, strategically procured agreement — simplifying contract management and eliminating the cost of fragmented procurement.
The entire process was managed end-to-end, within the hard deadline by Spinifex Energy — fast, seamless, and with zero disruption to school operations.
Large institutions with multiple metered sites are often leaving significant savings on the table simply by not aggregating their load. Trinity Grammar School is a clear example of what becomes possible when you treat a complex portfolio as a single commercial opportunity and run it properly through the market.
Could your institution be managing energy more strategically?
Contact Spinifex Energy for a free assessment — we’ll identify exactly where you stand and what’s achievable. spinifexenergy.com.au
