Time of Use Plans

[gpsman]

Hello.

I currently can get power all hours at 20.5 cents.

I can, for no additional fee, switch to a time of use plan. Sounds good on the surface, but while late night rates go down, the rest of the day rates go UP.

Under my area's time of use plan:

Peak is 45 cents per kWh.
Partial Peak is 25 cents per kWh.
Off-Peak is 12 cents per kWh.

If Off-peak were something reasonable like 7p to 7a I would choose this plan. I could defer cooking and laundry and air conditioner use, plus charging to after 7pm. However, it is unreasonable to wait until after 11pm. Off-peak is 11pm to 7am.

What plan do you have?

For me, the current normal plan of 20.5 cents all hours sounds best to me.

Thanks!

 

[wetz]

Southern Edison provides a calculator to determine which TOU plans works best for you. I'm sure other electric company has similar service.

We have Solar panel which offsets some of our peak electricity usage, so TOU plan is a no brainer for us.

One thing I learned though is if you have TOU plan, it can help you discipline your electricity usage. For example, our off peak is 10pm-8am, mid peak is 8am-2pm and 8pm-10pm and Peak is 2pm-8pm. Goal is just to avoid using at Peak and minimize mid peak. So dishwasher only runs after 10pm. Laundry either in the morning or after 8pm. For the AC, we set our Nest to gradually heat/cool. So for summer for example, we set it to 78F at 6pm, then 76 at 8pm then 74 at 10pm through the night.

 

[phatcat73]

Agree a calculator should help you, along with how much energy (daily driving range) you typically utilize. Those rates do sound a bit high. In AZ our off peak duration is 7PM to noon. In IL we're on a real time pricing plan where late nights are generally cheapest and the utility has a access to adjust our Nest thermostat a few degrees during ultra peak demand for a $10 monthly bill credit

https://hourlypricing.comed.com/live-prices/

 

[oilerlord]

I currently can get power all hours at 20.5 cents.

I can, for no additional fee, switch to a time of use plan. Sounds good on the surface, but while late night rates go down, the rest of the day rates go UP.

Under my area's time of use plan:

Peak is 45 cents per kWh.
Partial Peak is 25 cents per kWh.
Off-Peak is 12 cents per kWh.

If Off-peak were something reasonable like 7p to 7a I would choose this plan. I could defer cooking and laundry and air conditioner use, plus charging to after 7pm. However, it is unreasonable to wait until after 11pm. Off-peak is 11pm to 7am.

What plan do you have?

For me, the current normal plan of 20.5 cents all hours sounds best to me.

Thanks!

I'm on a spot pricing plan, not sure if there is an advantage, or even if one is offered in your area. The most expensive plan where we live is $0.08 per kWh. On our spot plan last month, we paid 0.028 per kWh. No typo. Under 3 Canadian cents. Essentially, the energy is almost free - except for other fees that push it to ~5.5 cents all-in.

Sounds to me that the TOU plan being offered is designed to gouge you between 4.5 - 24.5 cents most of the time so you can save 8.5 cents some of the time.

 

[joe]

TOU plans are also less useful if you don't charge every day (night), which I think may be the case for many people who don't drive that far every day.

 

[gpsman]

TOU plans are also less useful if you don't charge every day (night), which I think may be the case for many people who don't drive that far every day.

Good point. Which IS the case with the big battery Bolt.

I know power companies have trouble ramping up and down as demand changes. I'd like to help level the load. But the pricing does not make sense in current form.