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How to save on your utility bill during off-peak hours for APS and SRP customers
As the hot summer months approach in the Valley of the Sun, APS and SRP customers are noticing a huge spike in their utility bills. On May 1, aka “May Day,” every year, APS and SRP transition from low winter rates to high cost summer rates, just in time for the start of hot weather and the use of air conditioning to stay cool. Perhaps, yet another reason why “May Day” is known as an international distress signal!?
Some APS and SRP customers don’t know that they can lower their utility bills by using most of their energy during off-peak hours, and managing how they use on-peak energy.
APS customers on the TOU-E Saver Choice rate plan are charged about $.13 per kWh during off-peak hours, versus about $.35 per kWh if the consumer were to use electricity during on-peak hours. For APS peak hours customers are weekdays Monday-Friday 4pm-7pm, and for SRP peak hours, summer off-peak hours are 2:00PM to 8:00PM. For SRP customers, and APS customers on demand rate plans, it can be more complicated, but there are a lot of similarities in how to save big.
Do your chores later in the day, after you eat dinner or before you go to bed, when you wake up in the morning and on weekends. Running the dishwasher or doing laundry late at night, earlier in the day or on the weekend can help you save more on your electricity costs. Your clothes dryer, hot water heater and dishwasher are some of the top energy consumers in most homes.
Whether you are home or away during on-peak hours, adjust your thermostat and leave your ceiling fans on. This will allow your home to maintain reasonable temperatures and use less energy from the grid.