Which hours/days are considered on-peak and off-peak?
- Summer Season: May through October
On-peak hours are Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Off-peak hours are Monday through Friday during all other hours:
12 a.m. to 3:59 p.m. and 9:01 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
Weekends and eligible holidays are off-peak 24 hours a day, year-round.
- Winter Season: November through April
On-peak hours are Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Off-peak hours are Monday through Friday during all other hours:
9:01 a.m. to 4:59 p.m. and 9:01 p.m. to 4:59 a.m.
Weekends and eligible holidays are off-peak 24 hours a day, year-round.
What exactly am I signing up for?
Shift & Save! enrolls eligible residential customers in IID’s Time-of-Use rate. With Time-of-Use, the price of electricity depends on when you use energy. Customers can save by shifting some energy use to lower-cost, off-peak hours, including weekends and holidays, when off-peak pricing is available 24 hours a day.
Does IID control my thermostat?
No. Shift & Save! with Time-of-Use does not give IID control of your thermostat. Customers remain in control of their home, appliances and energy use.
Do I have to keep my house at a certain temperature?
No. There is no required thermostat setting. IID may share energy-saving tips to help customers reduce cooling costs, but customers decide how to manage their own energy use.
Can I still use my washer, dryer, dishwasher or other appliances during on-peak hours?
Yes. Customers may still use electricity whenever they need to. Shift & Save! encourages customers to shift activities like laundry, running your dishwasher, EV charging or other major appliance use to off-peak hours when possible because electricity costs less during those times.
Will I be penalized if I use electricity between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.?
No. You are not penalized for using electricity during on-peak hours. Under Time-of-Use, electricity used during on-peak hours is billed at the on-peak rate, while electricity used during off-peak hours is billed at the lower off-peak rate. The opportunity to save depends on how much energy you are able to shift to off-peak times.
What happens if I have to use energy during on-peak hours?
Nothing happens beyond normal billing under the Time-of-Use rate. IID understands that every household is different, and some energy use cannot always be shifted. Shift & Save! is designed to give customers more control and more opportunities to save where it works for their schedule.
Does enrolling guarantee that I will save money?
No. Savings are not guaranteed. Your bill depends on how much electricity you use and when you use it. Customers who can shift more usage to off-peak hours may have more opportunities to save.
Who is eligible for Shift & Save!?
Shift & Save! with Time-of-Use is available to eligible residential customers.
What are Time-of-Use (TOU) rates?
These are electricity rates based on the time of year, hour, day and the costs of electricity. TOU rates could give customers the choice to save on their monthly electric bills by shifting energy use to lower cost, off-peak hours. TOU rates also give IID a proven way to reduce peak demand, which enhances the electric system’s reliability and maintains energy affordability for all of our customers.
What do TOU rates do?
TOU rates are designed to encourage customers to shift usage from peak demand periods to off-peak hours, when electricity costs are lower. TOU rates give customers more control over their bills. These rates allow customers to take advantage of low off-peak rates, giving them the power to save money. By managing your energy use, you’ll have more control over your power costs and can ensure you are receiving the lowest possible rates.
Why is peak power the most expensive?
Electricity is most expensive when demand is the highest. The State of California has had a limited power supply, which has impacted IID’s ability to import energy to serve its customers. Such limited supply has caused the cost of power to increase substantially.
What are IID’s goals in shifting demand to off-peak periods?
IID cares about TOU rates because we are concerned about managing peak load, stress on the grid, enhancing system reliability and maintaining affordability for our customers. By reducing peak energy demand, IID can reduce the high cost of energy market purchases, as well as reduce the stress on the overall electric system. Less stress means greater reliability and lower costs.
How do TOU rates enhance IID’s system reliability?
During periods of unusually high demand, utilities run the risk of exceeding their electrical system’s designed capacity. This can lead to outages. Shifting some of that demand to off-peak hours reduces stress on the system, which improves reliability.
How do TOU rates help maintain energy affordability?
By shifting demand from peak hours to off-peak hours, IID reduces the need to purchase expensive peak power. These savings could be passed on to the consumer.
How do TOU rates help shift usage to off-peak periods?
TOU rates provide an economic incentive for customers to shift to off-peak periods, as it is during these periods the rates will be the lowest. With TOU rates, bills will reflect the amount of energy consumed in each time period, based on seasonal rates. By understanding when you use the most power, you’ll have the ability to weigh the economic benefits of shifting your usage to off-peak hours.
How does TOU rates work?
TOU rates are be based on the time of day and season. The year is divided into summer and winter, and two time periods on-peak and off-peak. Time periods are based on the hours most energy is consumed.
Which months are considered summer and winter?
In IID’s service area, under TOU, summer rates are from May through October; winter rates are from November through April.
Will customers still be able to take advantage of budget billing?
Yes. Budget billing will be evaluated periodically to ensure the existing budget billing amount remains appropriate.
How will qualified low-income customers who receive assistance with their IID electric bill, such as through the district’s Residential Energy Assistance Designed for You program, be affected under a Time-of-Use rate structure?
Customers who qualify for assistance programs will continue to benefit, receiving their regular monthly discounts. Under the Time-of-use rate, customers also have the opportunity to lower their electric bill even further. For those customers who choose not to participate in TOU, there will be no impact; the standard rate will apply.
Who should I call for more information?
For general information, please contact our Call Center by dialing 1- 800-303-7756. Representatives are available 6:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Monday - Friday. Please visit the Shift &Save! webpage for more information.
