Summer vs Winter Energy Rates
Summer vs Winter Energy Rates: Get the Best Savings Deal
Your energy use and the cost to produce electricity vary by season and affect your bills. In summer, overall energy use is at its highest, leading to higher costs. The graph on your bill and our online tools can help you keep track of how much electricity you use and when.
Understanding Kilowatt Hours
Electricity use is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). A kWh equals the amount of energy you would use by running a 1,000-watt appliance for one hour (1,000 Watts X 1 hour = 1 kWh). For example:
| Watts Used | Duration | kWh Used |
| 10 watt - LED Lightbulb | 100 hours | 1 |
| 50 watt - Laptop | 20 hours | 1 |
| 80 watt - TV |
12 hours | 1 |
| 100 watt Lightbulb | 10 hours | 1 |
| 1000 watt – Washing Machine | 1 hour | 1 |
| 3000 watt – Electric Dryer | 20 minutes | 1 |
See what appliances and devices consume the most kilowatt hours in your home.
Flat Rate Plan vs Time-of-Day Rates
With “flat” rate energy plans, you pay the same amount per kWh no matter what time of day you use it. With the standard Off-Peak Time-of-Day (TOD) Rate, electricity prices per kWh are lower during off-peak hours. With the Super Off-Peak Rate, overnight Super Off-Peak hours cost 40% less than the flat rate plans. 88% of the year are either Off-Peak or Super Off-Peak.
Seasonal Rates and Your Bills
On “flat” electric rates, delivery rates in summer months increase once your energy use exceeds 250 kWh during the billing period. This seasonal increase can add about $45 per month to summer bills. On the Time-of-Day Off-Peak Rate and Super Off-Peak Rates, rates per kWh do not change based on a threshold of energy use, but there are summer and non-summer prices. Most importantly, rates vary year-round based on when you use energy – just like peak or surge pricing for the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) or Uber. Yes, there is a Peak period when the price increases, but that only happens during a few high-demand weekday hours. Like flat rates, prices do also change.