Southern California Edison (SCE), which provides electricity to millions of customers in Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange, San Bernardino, and Ventura Counties, will enforce a new “Time of Use” (TOU) plan for 2.3 million of its customers over the course of the next six months, all the way into April. The plan will raise the amount of money charged from 4:00-9:00 p.m. 

In the past, plans have been based solely on how much electricity is consumed by a customer. This plan aims to reduce the amount of stress on the electrical grid during those hours and shift energy usage to morning and midday times in order to tap into cleaner and renewable resources. 

SCE is offering three different plans with customers automatically placed on the lowest cost plan based on the history of their power consumption. TOU 4:00-9:00 p.m.  and TOU 5:00-8:00 p.m. for customers who can reduce their power consumption during those hours and TOU Prime for customers with electric or hybrid vehicles, as well as those with a residential battery or electric heat pump system for water or space heating. SCE has an online calculator on their website. The calculator is used to assist customers in determining the least expensive plan based on their past usage data. There is also an energy calculator that can help customers estimate savings from shifting appliance use to off-peak hours.

If customers wish to opt out of this new plan, they can do so by using the reply card included with the notification letter, by completing the online form or calling 877-287-2140 before their scheduled transition date. Customers who take no action will automatically be transferred into the new plan and will see it reflected on an upcoming bill. According to SCE  12 months of the bill, protection will be given to customers who switch to a TOU plan by April. On its website, SCE states that if a customer ends up paying more for an electric bill with the TOU plan for the first 12 months than they did on a regular tiered plan, SCE will provide them a one-time bill credit for the difference. 

The new plans aim to use energy in a more sustainable way. Although the new TOU plans charge more for electricity, they hope to create a new and lasting way to use electricity that will hopefully benefit the environment. 

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