A walk-in cool room may operate around the clock, but that does not mean the refrigeration system is drawing its maximum power 24 hours a day. The compressor cycles on and off as required, with actual electricity use determined by the size of the room, insulation, temperature setting, ambient conditions, door traffic, stock being loaded and the efficiency of the refrigeration equipment.
For budgeting purposes, published energy-use estimates for walk-in chillers commonly sit around 8–25 kWh per day, although a heavily used or larger commercial room can consume considerably more.
Using a simple planning electricity rate of 25 cents per kWh, that would put electricity consumption at approximately 60–190 per month, or around 730–2,280 per year.
That is a budgeting range rather than a guaranteed running cost. The correct figure for a New Zealand business depends on the room and the site.
What Does Electricity Cost a New Zealand Business?
There is no single electricity rate that applies to every commercial property in New Zealand.
Rates vary according to the electricity retailer, location, network, consumption profile and contract structure. Larger commercial users may also face capacity or demand-related charges that cannot be allocated neatly to one piece of refrigeration equipment.
As a useful reference point, MBIE data shows the average nominal commercial electricity price in New Zealand was approximately 23 cents per kWh in 2024, excluding GST. Commercial prices in MBIE’s statistics exclude GST because businesses can generally reclaim it.
For the calculations below, we have used 25 cents per kWh simply to keep the maths clear. It is not intended to represent every current commercial power contract.
Your own electricity bill should always be used when calculating the actual cost.
Example Walk-In Cool Room Running Costs
At an electricity price of $0.25 per kWh:
|
Daily electricity use |
Approx. daily cost |
Approx. monthly cost |
Approx. annual cost |
|
8 kWh |
$2.00 |
$60 |
$730 |
|
12 kWh |
$3.00 |
$90 |
$1,095 |
|
15 kWh |
$3.75 |
$113 |
$1,369 |
|
20 kWh |
$5.00 |
$150 |
$1,825 |
|
25 kWh |
$6.25 |
$188 |
$2,281 |
|
30 kWh |
$7.50 |
$225 |
$2,738 |
|
40 kWh |
$10.00 |
$300 |
$3,650 |
These figures cover the electricity consumed by the equipment only. They do not include fixed electricity charges, demand charges, maintenance or repair costs.
They also show why quoting one universal figure for a walk-in cool room is misleading. A room consuming 10 kWh per day costs half as much to run as one consuming 20 kWh, even though both may appear to be relatively similar cool rooms.
How Much Electricity Does a Walk-In Cool Room Use?
There is no standard number.
Published commercial refrigeration examples put walk-in chiller consumption at approximately 8–20 kWh per day, while another recent industry benchmark places a well-maintained mid-sized walk-in cooler at approximately 15–25 kWh per day.
Individual equipment specifications demonstrate the same point. One commercially available walk-in chiller rated for 0°C to 8°C operation lists consumption of 18.72 kWh per 24 hours.
These figures are useful for early budgeting, but they are not a substitute for calculating the refrigeration load of a specific room.
Made2Cool walk-in chillers are available in different sizes and can also be custom designed. They use locally manufactured panels and doors together with Kirby or Tecumseh refrigeration equipment and digital temperature control. Because the room and refrigeration package can be matched to the application, there is no single Made2Cool power-consumption figure that accurately describes every installation.
So, What Should You Budget?
For an early estimate, a walk-in chiller consuming 8–25 kWh per day would cost approximately 60–190 per month in electricity at a planning rate of 25 cents per kWh.
That equates to roughly 730–2,280 per year.
A larger room, heavy door traffic, high ambient temperatures, substantial warm-product loads or inefficient equipment can push the figure beyond that range. A smaller, well-insulated and lightly used room may sit below it.
The most reliable calculation is always:
actual measured kWh consumption × the electricity rate on your business bill.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do walk-in cool rooms use a lot of electricity?
They can. Refrigeration operates throughout the day and night, although the compressor normally cycles rather than drawing maximum power continuously. The total consumption depends on the room, refrigeration equipment and operating conditions.
How much power does a walk-in cool room use per day?
Published planning figures commonly range from about 8–25 kWh per day for walk-in chillers, but there is no universal figure. Large or heavily loaded commercial rooms can use substantially more.
How much does a cool room cost per month in New Zealand?
At 25 cents per kWh, a room using 10 kWh per day costs about $75 per month in electricity. At 20 kWh per day, the figure is about $150. At 30 kWh per day, it is approximately $225.
Is a walk-in freezer more expensive to run than a chiller?
Generally, yes. A freezer has to maintain a much lower internal temperature, creating a greater refrigeration requirement. It can also require additional features associated with sub-zero operation.
Does a bigger cool room always cost more to run?
Usually, but not necessarily in direct proportion to its volume. Insulation, door traffic, product load, ambient temperature, refrigeration efficiency and maintenance can have just as much influence on consumption.
What is the best way to find the exact running cost of an existing cool room?
Measure its electricity consumption in kWh over a representative period and multiply that figure by the effective electricity rate on the business’s power bill. Measuring several weeks of operation provides a better picture than relying on the equipment’s maximum rated power.