Refrigerated Container Power Consumption and Running Costs in the UK

Electricity is the running cost that catches people out. A hire rate or a purchase price is easy to compare; the power bill that follows the container around is not, because refrigerated container power consumption varies with size, set point and how the unit is used. This guide sets out indicative consumption figures by format — observed on the market in 2026 — and turns them into daily and monthly costs in pounds. Across the common configurations, budget for roughly 70 to 170 kWh a day; the full span, from a small unit on chilled duty to a 40ft high cube on frozen duty, runs from about 50 to 215 kWh. All hire and purchase figures on this page are ex VAT, with VAT charged at 20%.

Power consumption by size and set point

Two variables dominate: the size of the container and the temperature you ask it to hold. Frozen duty at -18 °C draws more than chilled duty at +2 °C on the same machine, and a 40ft high cube uses roughly twice the electricity of a 20ft.

These are indicative figures for a unit in reasonable condition, running around the clock. One warning: never apply a 20ft figure to a 40ft high cube — the larger format consumes roughly double.

What that means in pounds

Electricity contracts vary too much for a single true number, so the honest method is arithmetic: multiply the daily kWh by the rate on your own supply contract. For illustration only, at 25p per kWh:

Substitute your own contracted rate before drawing conclusions — cheaper tariffs land well below these figures, punitive deemed rates well above.

Put the numbers next to the hire market and the lesson is stark: long-term hire rates start at around £12 a day ex VAT, so on a 20ft unit the electricity can cost more each day than the hire itself. When you compare quotes, compare the whole cost of keeping the container cold, not just the headline rate.

What drives consumption up or down

The table gives the frame; these factors decide where in each range a real unit lands:

• Set point. Holding -18 °C works the machine harder than holding +2 °C. A standard reefer operates across -25 °C to +25 °C, so one unit covers both duties — choose the warmer set point your product allows.
• Ambient temperature and siting. A unit in full summer sun works harder than one in shade. Air needs to circulate around the machinery end.
• Door discipline. Every opening dumps cold air and pulls in warm, humid air the unit must then remove. Frequent, brief, planned openings beat doors propped open.
• Warm product. A reefer is built to hold goods at temperature, not to pull a warm load down. Loading pre-chilled product keeps consumption in the normal range.
• Condition of the unit. Door seals, insulation and the refrigeration plant all age. When hiring or buying used, ask when the unit last passed a PTI (Pre-Trip Inspection) — a test under three months old is the standard expectation.

The power supply behind the bill

The standard connection is three-phase 380/400 V through a five-pin 32 A CEE plug; some small formats run on single-phase 230 V. Depending on size, the machine draws 5 to 12 kW while running — the instantaneous demand your supply must carry, not to be confused with the kWh it accumulates over a day. If three-phase is already on site, connection can cost little or nothing; running a new supply is an electrician’s job and worth pricing before the container arrives. Our power supply guide covers plugs, cabling and generators in detail.

Running costs beyond electricity

For hirers, the day rate is the other recurring cost: indicatively from around £12 a day ex VAT on longer terms, with minimum periods of about 90 days common in the UK, though some suppliers do offer short-term hire at a higher day rate. Delivery, collection and siting are normally charged separately.

For owners, the capital cost frames everything: used refrigerated containers are observed at £4,500 to £7,500 ex VAT, against £18,995 to £22,500 ex VAT for a new one-trip unit — our prices page sets out the full picture. Beyond that, allow for periodic servicing of the refrigeration plant and door seals; a well-maintained machine holds its consumption down as well as its value. The threshold worth pricing is 18 to 24 months of continuous use: beyond that, buying often beats an open-ended hire bill.

Keeping the bill down

None of this requires special equipment — just habits:

1. Set the warmest temperature your product allows; do not run frozen duty for chilled goods.
2. Site the unit in shade where possible, with clear airflow around the machinery end.
3. Load product already at temperature.
4. Keep door openings short and deliberate.
5. Right-size the container — a 10ft holds 4 to 5 pallets, a 20ft 10 to 11, a 40ft high cube 23; cooling empty space is pure waste.
6. Ask for the service history and a recent PTI before the unit arrives.

When you are ready to compare real offers rather than averages, describe your requirement once and we pass it to specialist suppliers, who contact you directly if they can meet your need.