A Way to Avoid Those Summertime (Electric Bill) Blues

Summer will get here – eventually – and when it does, Con Edison will have a cool offer for its customers. It’s a seasonal tweak to an existing system called “time-of-use” rates. As a way to avoid brownouts and blackouts during hot weather, residential consumers will be charged significantly extra for electricity during times of peak demand – and rewarded with sharply reduced rates during non-peak demand hours. 

From June 1 through September 30, electricity during the “off-peak” hours of midnight to 8 AM will cost 1.54 cents per kilowatt/hour. During the “peak” hours of 8 A.M. to midnight, the rate will soar to 21.80 cents. Rates will be even higher during the “super-peak hours” of 2 to 6 P.M. on summertime weekdays. (During non-summer months, the off-peak rate is unchanged, and the peak rate is 8.07 cents. Customers who are not in the time-of-use program pay roughly 18 cents per kilowatt/hour.) 

Full-service Con Ed residential customers who switch to the time-of-use rates must remain with the program for one year from the date of the switch. Those who then return to the standard residential rate will be ineligible for time-of-use rates for 18 months. 

Owners of electric vehicles can try the time-of-use rates for one year at no risk. After 12 months, Con Ed will compare what the vehicle-owner paid under time-of-use rates with what was billed under the standard residential rate. If the former is higher than the latter, Con Ed will credit the customer’s account with the difference. 

To apply online, submit a signed request including your name, address, phone number, and 15-digit Con Edison account number to timeofuse@conEd.com. To apply by mail, submit a signed request including the same information to: 

Con Edison

Attn: Time-of-Use Coordinator

30 Flatbush Avenue (Room 520)

Brooklyn, NY 11217.