What the Supercharger removes from your bill
Eligible energy-intensive businesses get a full exemption from the indirect costs of four policy schemes that suppliers normally pass through:
- Renewables Obligation (RO)
- Feed-in Tariffs (FiT)
- Contracts for Difference (CfD)
- Capacity Market (CM)
On top of that, the Supercharger pays up to 90% compensation on network charges such as TNUoS, DUoS and BSUoS. The government puts total support at roughly £65 to £87 per MWh. For a plant using 5 GWh a year, that can be worth several hundred thousand pounds annually.
Who qualifies for EII relief?
Eligibility works at two levels. Your sector must be on the eligible EII list, defined by SIC code and based on electricity and trade intensity. Your business must then pass its own electricity-intensity test, comparing your electricity costs with your gross value added (GVA). Typical eligible sectors include steel and metals, chemicals, paper, glass, ceramics, cement and some food and plastics processes.
If you clear both tests, you get an EII certificate showing the percentage of each meter that's exempt. Your supplier applies the exemption from that certificate.
Why eligible plants still overpay
We regularly see three problems on EII-certified sites:
- The supplier hasn't applied the certificate to every MPAN, or applied it at the wrong percentage.
- The certificate is out of date after a change in site, meter or production mix.
- Network charge compensation hasn't been claimed, even though it's a separate process from the levy exemption.
A bill review against your certificate usually spots these within minutes.
EII vs BICS: which applies to you?
BICS (the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme) opens similar relief to a much wider group of manufacturers from April 2027. It covers RO, FiT and Capacity Market, but not CfD or network charges, so it's worth up to about £40/MWh. If you already hold an EII certificate, the Supercharger is the better deal. You can apply for BICS too, but only for electricity not already covered by your EII certificate. If you never qualified for EII, BICS is likely your route in, and the application window closes on 30 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
It's the UK government's package of electricity cost relief for eligible energy-intensive industries. It combines full exemption from RO, FiT, CfD and Capacity Market costs with up to 90% compensation on network charges.
Government estimates total Supercharger support at roughly £65 to £87 per MWh of electricity, depending on the site and its network charges.
Yes, but not for the same electricity. BICS only applies to the share of a meter that isn't already covered by your EII certificate.
It's the document confirming your business's eligibility and the percentage of each meter's electricity that's exempt. Your supplier uses it to remove the relevant levies from your bill.