The TOD rate charges a premium for electricity during periods of high demand on the electrical system, and offers a discount rate during off-peak hours. TOD allows the customer the choice of when to use electricity to do everyday tasks. The rate incentive encourages the customer to do their tasks, such as water heating, laundry, cooking, etc., during the off-peak, lower rate periods, with the reward being a lower monthly electric bill.
The rate starts with a fixed charge of $51.45 per month. For electricity used during the peak periods, the rate is 35¢ per kilowatt hour (June thru August) from 1:00-7:00PM and 30¢ per kilowatt hour (Sep-May) from 4:00-8:00 PM. For all other times of the day, the off-peak times, the rate is 7.56¢ per kilowatt hour (Sep-May) and 9.06¢ (June-August). Compare that to the regular monthly rate of 11.7¢ per kilowatt hour (13.2¢ per kwh in summer, June-August).
The peak times vary during the year. In the summer months of June, July, and August, they are from 1:00 PM through 7:00 PM, weekdays only. All other months, the hours are 4:00 - 8:00 PM.
The off-peak rates apply during all other hours each month. They also apply on weekends and holidays throughout the year. These times represent 85% of all of the hours during the year.
With the Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) system in use by the Cooperative, the meters are read every hour, and you have access to that information on the co-op’s Smart Hub website. You can make changes to your daily use patterns, check Smart Hub to see the new hourly data, and then make a decision about whether or not to switch to the TOD rate. The co-op staff can provide information on how to access Smart Hub.
The beauty of the TOD rate is that it allows you as the customer to choose when you use the electricity and how you control your usage. You can manually turn off any or all appliances, lights, etc. throughout your home, farm or business. However, the most efficient and effective reduction will be achieved through daily control of your major appliances by using devices such as time clocks to automatically turn the power off to an appliance. Electric water heaters, electric heaters, and clothes dryers are just some of the items you may select to automatically turn off during the peak periods.
Yes. The electronic AMR meters used by Taylor Electric Cooperative will provide usage figures for the peak and off-peak periods. It can also provide reports of the usage data on day-by-day, hour-by-hour, or shorter time frames, as well as other useful information such as outages and power quality.
No. An electric water heater is one of the largest users of electricity in the home, if not the largest user. Most likely you will want the water heater to be turned off during all of the peak hours. The radio receiver does not control the water heater during these peak hours each day. A time clock or digital timer of some sort will be more useful and assure that the water heater is off during the peaks. Keep in mind that these time clocks are your responsibility to reset, from summer to winter, when daylight savings time changes, and after power outages. A minimum $75 trip charge may be billed for follow-up calls to reset timers or time clocks.
TOD becomes a whole house (or farm, business, etc.) system if you elect this rate. If you have a second meter for electric heat, your options will vary depending on whether it is sub-metered or direct metered. If you have sub-metered electric heat (where the kilowatts used also go through your main meter and have to be subtracted each month), the heat meter can either be left in or removed. However, your TOD meter (main meter) will be the only readings used for your monthly bill. In this case, if you want the heat meter left in for you to watch your heat usage, there will be a monthly fee for the second meter. There may be several options if you have direct-metered electric heat (where the electric heat usage is only recorded by one meter, does not go on the main meter). You could keep the electric heat metered and controlled as it now is, and have the TOD for the rest of your electric use. Or, if there is a way to connect the electric heat onto the main meter, it could all be metered by the TOD meter. Under our current electric heat control strategy, electric heat is subject to winter control on peak usage days, or in emergencies, for extended periods that may last six hours or more. With TOD, you would probably want to turn the heat off during the peak hours, every day. Our employees will help explain all your options for electric heat if you elect to go on TOD.
There is no charge to have a TOD meter installed.
Yes, but you may only switch rates once in twelve months, and after you go on the TOD rate, there will be a $75.00 fee to switch rates again.