Contents
1) Flat rates
Simple: one $ per kWh for all energy. Great if you can’t shift usage or you have consistent, even loads.
Pro: predictable bills. Con: you can’t exploit cheap off-peak hours.
2) Tiered rates
Blocks of usage are priced differently—e.g., first 500 kWh cheaper, the rest higher. Encourages conservation.
Keep monthly kWh under the next threshold to cut the bill disproportionately.
3) Time-of-Use (TOU)
Price varies by time. Peak costs the most; off-peak the least; some plans add a shoulder middle tier.
- Shift flexible loads (laundry, dishwasher, EV charging) to off-peak.
- Solar shifts daytime energy off the grid; a battery can move evening peaks off-peak.
4) Quick demo: shift peak → off-peak
Adjust the slider to move a % of energy from peak hours to off-peak. The example assumes a simple TOU plan.
Shift slider
This assumes you can move some flexible loads away from peak. Shares are normalized to ≈100% before shifting.
Monthly energy cost (before → after)
— → —
Savings: —
Effective rate (before → after)
— → —
—
| Period | kWh (before) | kWh (after) | Rate | Cost before | Cost after |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peak | — | — | $0.400 | — | — |
| Shoulder | — | — | $0.280 | — | — |
| Off-peak | — | — | $0.180 | — | — |
| Total | — | — | — | — |
Want a full bill with fixed fees, taxes, and demand? Use the Monthly Bill Estimator.
5) Which plan fits you?
- Flat: Even usage, little flexibility to shift.
- Tiered: You can keep kWh under the next threshold.
- TOU: You can move 10–30% of kWh off-peak (or pair with solar/battery).
Still unsure? Plug your numbers into the Bill Estimator and compare plans side-by-side.