Staying at Home on a Time-of-Use Plan

More Time at Home and What That Means If You Are on a Time-of-Use Plan

Let’s face it, there are good things and bad things about being at home all day due to the coronavirus outbreak. Some are binge watching their favorite shows and others are watching their energy use like a hawk. Some increases in energy use can be expected, but what will that mean for your energy bill, especially if you are on a Time-of-Use (TOU) plan? 

To ease your mind a bit, check out the key facts below about TOU pricing:

  • More time at home means more chances to shift and save
    • Shifting some of your energy use, such as doing laundry, to daytime super off-peak hours has never been easier and can help nudge your bill lower.  

 

  • Time-of-Use (TOU) plans offer lower prices during the day – even more so in March and April
    • Weekdays from 10am – 2pm in March and April have super off-peak pricing.

 

  • TOU peak pricing in the wintertime (November – May) is not very “peaky”
    • Worried about higher prices from 4-9pm? Don’t be. Electricity prices are pretty much the same day and night, increasing by only $0.01 from 4-9pm. 

 

  • Using more power than usual? No High Usage Charge to worry about 
    • The state-mandated High Usage Charge (HUC) does not apply to Time-of-Use plans. So, if you are using more power than usual, you won’t pay the HUC. (HUC still applies to non-TOU plans)

We recognize that many are struggling, and please know that we are here to support you and your family through these challenging times. If you are worried about paying your energy bill, please contact us. We can extend payments to fit your needs. We also offer assistance programs that can save you 30 percent or more on your monthly bill. Visit sdge.com/coronavirus to learn about payment assistance offerings as well as helpful energy savings tips.