Cheaper energy rates in off-peak hours?

[B40]

http://www.theimo.com now has a rate per kw. Someone told me before it was cheaper to use energy after 6pm because all the businesses were closed and the demand was lower...

Anybody know anything about this? How much of a difference can it make by doing things like laundry etc. at night?

[sumfunny]

None for you the elecric company can't destinguish night/day use on the meter,

[sdee]

Right now it makes no difference,,,well shouldn't quite say that.

Electric companies are calculating the hourly demands and prices to calculate their "average" cost of power for everyone. Since the highest demand is during the daytime hours, the price in these hours will have the most bearing on the price for our bills.

(say for example the day rate is .10/hr and the night rate is .05/hr you might be billed for .09/hr because most of the demand came in the day when the rate was higher)

Now if enough people started adjusting their electricity habits to after peak hours when electricity costs the hyrdo companies less to buy that would help bring the demand and probably the price down during peak hours hence giving everyone a better average rate.

There used to be a heating system that London Hydro customers could buy,,it basically it charged up in the night when prices were cheaper and used that energy throughout the day. Those customers were given a better rate,,,sadly that ended a few years ago when deregulation was being prepared for.

There are some large companies (factories etc) that have a meter which is hooked up to a phone line and the hydro company taps into it every hour to record the energy used,,, theycan be billed for the hourly price which if they work only at night would be way cheaper. Never heard of a regular consumer doing this tho.

[zippy]

Originally posted by B40@Aug 23 2003, 09:13 AM
http://www.theimo.com now has a rate per kw. Someone told me before it was cheaper to use energy after 6pm because all the businesses were closed and the demand was lower...

Anybody know anything about this? How much of a difference can it make by doing things like laundry etc. at night?
From what I've researched, the IMO still calculates the average price per KWh, even the market has been "re-regulated". They do this since the power generators (OPG, Bruce Power, imports, etc.) are still able to charge what the market will bear for the energy they produce However, any incremental price over & above the cap rate will be paid for not by the consumer, but by a slush fund set up by Eves et al, in order that we can enjoy the politically safer price of 4.3 cents/KWh.

Prices charged to the IMO are cheaper at night due to decreased demand, allowing the IMO to select only lower priced producers to supply the grid.

[anounymouse]

Originally posted by sumfunny@Aug 23 2003, 09:51 AM
None for you the elecric company can't destinguish night/day use on the meter,
I believe alot of new houses are being built with meters that can make that distincition

[gman]

There was a pilot project for providing incentive to people to use electricity in late night (i.e. give them cheaper rate if they shift). It was on TV. However, I did not hear anything after that.

Oh! It was more than 5 years ago (if my memory is right).

[sdee]

[QUOTE=B40,Aug 23 2003, 09:13 AM] [ However, any incremental price over & above the cap rate will be paid for not by the consumer, but by a slush fund set up by Eves et al, in order that we can enjoy the politically safer price of 4.3 cents/KWh.


Heh do you mean the slush fund....aka "put the cost back on the tax payers"?

If its not on the hydro bill they'll find a way to recoop it from us somehow.

How many million has deregulation already cost in terms of setting it up and now capping it again? Where do the funds come from to cover this?

I'm really starting to be cynical towards politicians,,,the few times I've turned to the legislative channel only to see them bickering like children....uggh
<_<

[B40]

http://toronto.cbc.ca/regional/servlet/View?filename=to_power20051103

[CSK'sMom]

Every household is supposed to be retrofitted with a smart meter by 2010. Currently there is absolutely no monetary incentive to use energy during off peak hrs unfortunately...

There are smart meters in service now though. There is supposed to be subdivision somewhere in the GTA that uses them as well as a subdivision in Barrie.