Received info on on & off peak hours from electric company

**NikoSan999** · 12-22-2009, 01:49 PM

I got our electric bill a couple days ago and it had one of those inserts in it that I used to toss. No more.

In it it had the On Peak and Off Peak information. This is for Progress Energy in Florida. Most electric companies have peak hours. Call and ask.

Wanted to post the pricing to show what I've been saying on my posts about not turning anything on before 9PM if possible. I was saying it was about 50% cheaper. I was wrong. It's 5 times cheaper. Maybe 4...admit I'm not a math whiz but you can see what I'm saying by just a glance. Goes back on peak at 7AM.

Energy Charge
On Peak 16.920 per kWh
Off Peak 3.471 per kWh
..
Fuel Charge
On Peak 7.069 per kWh
Off Peak 3.889 per kWh

So washers/dryers after 9 gals. Same with dishwashers, showers if possible. Gonna be up awhile warm the house with baking after 9PM.

Any other ideas for after 9??? I'm open to new suggestions. Between unplugging and after 9 is how I cut my electric about $125 a month.

**baxjul** · 12-22-2009, 01:59 PM

I called our company, we are in Florida also. Withlacoochee River Electric Coop, and they said the only on and off peak we have is the older people, get a cheaper rate for certain months during the winter. In other words, unless you are a snowbird, you don't get the benefits.

**NikoSan999** · 12-22-2009, 02:08 PM

Originally Posted by baxjul

I called our company, we are in Florida also. Withlacoochee River Electric Coop, and they said the only on and off peak we have is the older people, get a cheaper rate for certain months during the winter. In other words, unless you are a snowbird, you don't get the benefits.

That sucks. I know not EVERY electric comp does this. Daughters in Tn doesen't either. But son's in Texas does. Maybe it's vice versa.

But for those that do this is a terrific chance for the ones that can take advantage to do so.

**frugalfranny** · 12-22-2009, 02:52 PM

I had heard that Niko and even saw the ads for my util. co. saying this.......but the message of the ad was to conserve energy - not save us money!

What I can't get my mind around is: how do they know when I am using the elec? There is no clock on my meter......is it programmed in somewhere? Can't grasp this concept and guess I need to know more........thanks if you can help.

I could even understand why they would want you to use it then.......to lighten their load. For my company - the less I/we use - the more they have to sell! PROFIT!

**savvy_sniper** · 12-22-2009, 03:00 PM

They are installing new meters over a period of time here in Houston Texas. The new meters have the capabities Niko is talking about. Of course, we are paying for them - so much money a month extra on our electricity bill over so many years.

Originally Posted by frugalfranny

What I can't get my mind around is: how do they know when I am using the elec? There is no clock on my meter......is it programmed in somewhere? Can't grasp this concept and guess I need to know more........thanks if you can help.

I could even understand why they would want you to use it then.......to lighten their load. For my company - the less I/we use - the more they have to sell! PROFIT!

**frugalfranny** · 12-22-2009, 03:24 PM

Originally Posted by savvy_sniper

They are installing new meters over a period of time here in Houston Texas. The new meters have the capabities Niko is talking about. Of course, we are paying for them - so much money a month extra on our electricity bill over so many years.

Savvy, you didn't say much about the type of new meters and what they are capable of.......

I got a new meter this summer too (separate story here, my demand and fight, after they left my gate open TWICE!) - one that is capable of posting my usage at their office, no meter reader required. But again........no 'clock' on it.......so less money for them to spend THUS more profit.

Hoping for an explanation on this........

Asked him about the 'phatom elec.' too - and he said "not much savings"....

**NikoSan999** · 12-22-2009, 03:29 PM

I've asked several electricians that come in here and they all but one say that's not real. But when asked how much their bill went up and why mine went down they acted like I'd smacked them. How dare I question their expert answers. Only one said yes he definitely believed in it.

**littleplum** · 12-22-2009, 08:09 PM

We don't have on peak/off peak with ComEd, either. But what they do offer is real time pricing in which you can buy power at the wholesale rates.

Our "normal" rates are about 6.5 cents per kwh. With the RTP, we pay whatever the market price is, and get the estimated rates the day before. It works like OP/OP in that the highest rates are in the early afternoon, and shifting your usage can impact your bill, but we naturally use less electricity in the afternoon.

We also have a thing called Load Guard, where they put a remote switch on your A/C and turn off the compressor when electricity gets to a certain price (ours is set at $.10/kwh).

Then, as if that isn't enough, the electric company pays us $10/month during the summer to allow them to shut off our compressor for up to 3 hours when electricity usage is especially high. We had the 50% option (which is 15 minutes every half hour over a 6 hour period) and never even noticed it this summer, and we got $20 just for having the switch there. We opted to do the 100% option this summer, and doubt we will even notice it, again.

**littleplum** · 12-22-2009, 10:09 PM

Originally Posted by frugalfranny

Savvy, you didn't say much about the type of new meters and what they are capable of.......

I got a new meter this summer too (separate story here, my demand and fight, after they left my gate open TWICE!) - one that is capable of posting my usage at their office, no meter reader required. But again........no 'clock' on it.......so less money for them to spend THUS more profit.

Hoping for an explanation on this........

Asked him about the 'phatom elec.' too - and he said "not much savings"....

You are really not making any sense. Do you really believe that by selling electricity to another customer instead of you, they make more money?

**lparker** · 12-29-2009, 09:13 PM

I checked the NYSEG website here in NY... they don't have off peak rates for anyone using less than 1000Kwh /month. We try to keep it below 600 a month. Summer's a a killer though with the 18,000BTU air conditioner in the dining room, the dehumidifier and two freezers in the cellar.

Just figured out that we used 6756 Kwh in the last 12 months or 563/month or approx. 18.75/day - about 800 Kwh/month June-Sept.

**Luckybustert** · 12-30-2009, 05:58 AM

Originally Posted by littleplum

You are really not making any sense. Do you really believe that by selling electricity to another customer instead of you, they make more money?

She's making sense, and here's why:

1) There are competitive markets for wholesale power trading. As an example, in 2000 during the California power crisis, electricity went for approx $400/MWH on the west coast but was selling for approx $45/MWH on the east coast. If you were a utility on the west coast, would you rather sell that power in the competitive market or use it to power FF's home at a set rate?

2) Retail prices for electrical power vary by customer class. Utilities charge different rates to residential customers, commercial customers, industrial customers, etc.

**Luckybustert** · 12-30-2009, 06:15 AM

Originally Posted by frugalfranny

Savvy, you didn't say much about the type of new meters and what they are capable of.......

I got a new meter this summer too (separate story here, my demand and fight, after they left my gate open TWICE!) - one that is capable of posting my usage at their office, no meter reader required. But again........no 'clock' on it.......so less money for them to spend THUS more profit.

Hoping for an explanation on this........

Are you referring to the Smart Grid technology? See the section on what Smart Grid is and isn't located here: http://www.oe.energy.gov/Documentsan...ges%281%29.pdf Section on what it is and isn't begins on page 14 of the PDF document.

See also WSJ article re: smart meters: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124050416142448555.html

**Luckybustert** · 12-30-2009, 06:35 AM

With Portland General Electric, we have two options for the rate we pay for electricity:

Basic Service (this is what I have)
Up to 250 kWh = $5.124 ¢ per kWh
More than 250 kWh = $6.899 ¢ per kWh

and

Time of Use
On-peak = $ 12.155 ¢ per kWh
Mid-peak = $ 6.899 ¢ per kWh
Off-peak = $ 4.052 ¢ per kWh

The Time of Use option has a 12 month term plus $1/month meter charge (why? do they not use meters for both plans?). Also, Time of Use participants must provide PGE with hands-on access to the electric meter, providing entry through locked gates or doors. The meter area must be free of debris, hazards and animals.

They're not getting through our locked doors or gates without meeting our dogs, and we don't want to have to plan our schedules around when they need to read the meters so the Time of Use option didn't seem like the best plan for us. And not really sure it'd save us all that much money anyway.

**imagine** · 12-30-2009, 08:53 AM

Ours doesn't do peak and off peak pricing. It is the same price all the time. I can't get Hubby to understand that. He is sure it is cheaper late at night. He doesn't like it when the dishwasher is run during the day, but he at least he starts the dishwasher when he comes to bed.

**kimmy4433** · 01-05-2010, 09:41 AM

We only have on and off peak if you use over $140.00 in a month. Ours is never more then $75.00 in any given month even with the AC. We have interruptable service, where every hour they can turn our AC off for 20 minutes if there is a high volume. It helps us keep our electric bill low. I just looked at our gas bill and we jumped from 6.9 usuage in November to 15.9 in December. My hubby will not leave the temp alone. I think I will be making a trip to Home Depot to buy one of those lock boxes!! lol At least we only have about 3 more months of this crazyness! Then our gas bill will make a big drop because this summer I plan on line drying everything, not just some things. The only time I am going to use our dryer (gas) is to "fluff" our towels.

I keep everything off but 1 tv, and my notebook durring the day. When DD is at school the tv is off. I don't turn any lights on in the house, until I am tripping over my own two feet in the dark! lol

I have learned that every little bit helps.