The purchase of any commodity on an as-available basis is referred to as a non-firm purchase. In the energy industry, it typically refers to spot market purchases of available energy which is not likely to be required by other customers who may have arranged for production at that particular time. Once the purchase is made, the seller can't arbitrarily make that energy available to another customer who is willing to pay a higher price, but the buyer may not always be able to buy energy in this fashion.

May also be spelled as nonfirm purchase.

See also: