Sisko used his transporter allotment to visit his father while he was a first year cadet. It’s not about energy limits, it’s likely just an allowance for cadets, especially first year, to get them acclimated to structure and working within limits.

This could sort of like be an old post on r/DaystromInstitute about how holodeck time could be used as a currency between crewman, and also a tangible punishment.