TOU for Business

Take Advantage of Business Time-Of-Use (TOU) Rate Periods

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In 2019, your TOU periods changed. This means you can lower your costs by shifting more of your energy use away from these times:

  • Business TOU On-Peak periods are now 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
  • Agriculture & Pumping Optional TOU peak periods are now 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

  • As California continues to adopt cleaner resources to generate energy, the cost to deliver power throughout the day is changing. Energy is now less costly during midday and more costly in the late afternoon and evening. TOU peak periods have changed to reflect these times of day.

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    What is Time-Of-Use?

    Our Time-Of-Use rates are part of a statewide initiative designed to keep the electric grid reliable—even when energy resources are in high demand.

    All rates feature energy charges that vary based on the time of day, the day of the week, and the season. Some rates also include demand charges that are based on the maximum amount of electricity your business uses at once and during certain times of the day.

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    New Time-Of-Use Periods

    June 1 to September 30 (4 months)  

    Standard Business TOU Periods

    Business TOU rates starting March 2019 (pending CPUC approval). Summer weekdays: Midnight 4pm to 9 pm.
    Business TOU rates starting March 2019 (pending CPUC approval). Summer weekends and Holidays: Midnight 4pm to 9 pm.
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    Agriculture & Pumping Optional TOU Periods

    Agriculture & Pumping Optional TOU rates starting March 2019 (pending CPUC approval). Summer weekdays: 5pm–8pm=On-Peak, 8pm–5pm=Off-Peak. Summer weekends and holidays: 5pm–8pm=Mid-Peak, 8pm–5pm=Off-Peak.
    Agriculture & Pumping Optional TOU rates starting March 2019 (pending CPUC approval). Summer weekdays: 5pm–8pm=On-Peak, 8pm–5pm=Off-Peak. Summer weekends and holidays: 5pm–8pm=Mid-Peak, 8pm–5pm=Off-Peak.
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    October 1 to May 31 (8 months)

                                            Standard Business TOU Periods

    Business TOU rates starting March 2019 (pending CPUC approval). Winter weekdays, weekends, and holidays: 8am-4pm=Super Off-Peak, 4pm–9pm=Mid-Peak, 9pm–8am=Off-Peak.
    Business TOU rates starting March 2019 (pending CPUC approval). Winter weekdays, weekends, and holidays: 8am-4pm=Super Off-Peak, 4pm–9pm=Mid-Peak, 9pm–8am=Off-Peak.
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    Agriculture & Pumping Optional TOU Periods

     Agriculture & Pumping Optional TOU rates starting March 2019 (pending CPUC approval). Winter weekdays, weekends, and holidays: 8am-5pm=Super Off-Peak, 5pm–8pm=Mid-Peak, 8pm–8am=Off-Peak.
    Agriculture & Pumping Optional TOU rates starting March 2019 (pending CPUC approval). Winter weekdays, weekends, and holidays: 8am-5pm=Super Off-Peak, 5pm–8pm=Mid-Peak, 8pm–8am=Off-Peak.
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    Text Alerts

    Interested in getting TOU text alerts to help remind you of on-peak and/or lower cost periods? Sign up to get notified of peak periods through your text messages.

    Sign Up Now >

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    Helpful Tools and Resources

    Compare Rate Options

    See how the new TOU peak periods will affect you. Our Rate Plan Comparison Tool will help you compare rates based on your actual usage.

    Try the Rate Plan Comparison Tool >

    Get the Facts About TOU

    Our helpful fact sheet summarizes the upcoming changes to TOU. Find answers to frequently asked questions and energy-efficiency tips.

    Download the TOU Fact Sheet

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    Tips to Lower Your Bills with TOU

  • Run ice machines at night and into the early afternoon to build up a large supply.
  • Turn off all office equipment and lights every night and weekend; if you can’t turn
         off computers, turn off monitors and the printers.
  • Always use night covers on refrigerated display cases.
  • Do laundry and waste-processing tasks before or after On-Peak hours.
  • Charge battery-powered equipment before or after On-Peak hours.
  • Precool your workspace by lowering the thermostat in the morning, then turn it up
         during On-Peak hours.
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    See Energy Saving Solutions by Industry >

     

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    More Ways to Save for Agricultural Customers

  • Shift use of non-essential electrical equipment to before or after peak hours
  •   Reduce or shift production tasks
  •   Shut off all or most pumps during peak hours
  •   Decrease use of aerators during peak hours
  •   Plan your irrigation to maximize lower cost time periods such as evenings and weekends
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    Inside Edison: Craft Brewery Taps Into Electricity

    Electric Brewing Co. in Murrieta uses SCE Time-Of-Use and Off-Peak periods to implement successful business strategy.

    Read More >

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    Pitigliano Farms Saves Big with TOU

    This family farm switched to a TOU rate that matched their business needs and optimized their operations to save even more.

     

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    Common TOU Questions

     

    TOU rates better align the cost of electricity to the time it is produced and the cost to deliver it when your business needs it. Pricing will generally be higher during summer weekdays in the late afternoons and evenings.

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    You can help lower your costs by shifting energy use from the more expensive On-Peak hours to the Mid-Peak, Off-Peak, and Super Off-Peak hours of the day when TOU pricing is lower.

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    Customers with behind‐the‐meter (BTM) solar generating facilities may be eligible to be served on TOU rates that retain discontinued TOU periods for 10 years from the date their systems were authorized to operate. To qualify for a discontinued TOU period, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:

    ● Your initial solar interconnection application must have been submitted by January 31, 2017. This deadline was extended for public agency customers to December 31, 2017. 

    ● Your solar generating facility must be sized to offset at least 15% of your annual load.

    Download the Discontinued TOU Rate Fact Sheet

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    One way to understand demand charges is to consider an example–imagine a single light bulb running for 10 hours. Now imagine 10 light bulbs running at once for 1 hour. Both situations use the same amount of electricity, but running 10 light bulbs at once increases the load demand on the electricity grid. This makes it more expensive for us to maintain the supply of energy. In some rate plans, your business can incur costs for the extra demand.

    Demand charges are based on the highest amount of electricity used within any 15-minute period during your monthly period (referred to as “Facilities-Related Demand”) and/or on your highest amount of electricity used within a specific TOU period during your monthly billing period (referred to as “Time-Related Demand”). The unit of measurement used is kilowatts (kW). Energy charges are based on the total amount of electricity used in each TOU period within a billing cycle. For energy charges, the unit of measurement is the kilowatt hour (kWh).
     

    Learn more about Time-Of-Use Charges >

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    Facilities-Related Demand Charges apply year-round and are calculated per kilowatt (kW) according to the highest recorded demand during each monthly billing period, regardless of season, day of week, or time of day.

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    Time-Related Demand Charges apply year-round and are calculated per kilowatt (kW) according to the highest recorded demand during On-Peak and Mid-Peak hours, non-holiday weekdays. On-Peak TRD charges apply during the summer and Mid-Peak TRD charges apply during the winter. 

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