Are you overpaying for energy? Nine questions every US energy leader should ask

Energy has quietly become one of the largest sources of cost and risk for U.S. businesses—yet for many organizations, it still isn’t managed strategically. 

From volatile natural gas markets to evolving regulatory requirements, the environment is changing fast. Leaders across operations, procurement, and finance are being asked to deliver cost control, ensure reliability, and support renewable energy goals—often with limited visibility into their actual energy performance. 

The reality? Most businesses don’t know whether they’re overpaying, overexposed to risk, or missing opportunities to improve. 

That’s because energy strategy isn’t just about securing supply or locking in a price. It’s about understanding how market dynamics, contract structures, and operational behavior interact to drive costs and risks over time. 

For example: 

• Do you know your true cost per MMBtu—including non-commodity charges? 
• If the price of natural gas doubled, even for a few days in the winter, could your budget withstand that? 
• How much of your exposure is hedged versus market-driven? 
• Could your current contract structure be limiting flexibility or increasing risk? 
• Are you confident your supplier is delivering measurable value? 

In today’s environment, these are not optional questions. They are critical to protecting your business. 

To help, we’ve created a practical U.S. Energy Strategy Health Check — a simple 9-step framework used by energy leaders to evaluate their current approach across cost control, risk management, and resilience. 

In under 10 minutes, you’ll be able to assess where you stand —and where you may be leaving value on the table.