ConEd Time-of-Use Rates: Are They Worth It?
Updated July 3, 2026 · Independent guide by Meltek — not Con Edison
Time-of-Use (TOU) billing changes the deal with ConEd: instead of one flat delivery price, you pay less overnight and more during daytime peaks — dramatically more in summer. Whether that is a discount or a penalty depends entirely on when you live your life.
ConEd can't really tell you whether to switch (it offers the rate either way), and Reddit anecdotes range from “saves me $130 a month” to instant regret. Here's how to decide with your own numbers instead.
How TOU pricing works
On TOU, delivery charges vary by time of day: cheap overnight (roughly 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.), expensive during weekday peaks, with the gap widest June through September. Under Rate III the peak period spans weekday daytime and evening hours, and summer afternoons can include a super-peak block priced higher still.
TOU plans also carry a slightly higher fixed monthly charge than the standard rate, so small savings can be eaten by the base difference. Exact prices change with each rate case — always check the current schedule before switching.
Who actually saves on TOU
| Likely to save | Likely to pay more |
|---|---|
| EV owners charging overnight | Home during weekday afternoons (WFH with AC running) |
| Night-shift workers and late-night households | Electric heat or AC that must run on a schedule you cannot shift |
| Small daytime footprint (out 9-6, appliances on timers) | Households that cannot move laundry/dishwasher/cooking off-peak |
| Disciplined big-load scheduling year-round | Anyone who would stress about watching the clock |
How to decide with your own data
Your smart meter already recorded a year of your real usage in 15-minute intervals. Pull it up in your ConEd account (Energy Use), see what share of your usage falls in off-peak windows, and apply the current TOU prices to last summer. If less than roughly half your usage is off-peak and you cannot shift the big loads, TOU probably is not your rate.
ConEd publishes rate calculators and an eligibility screener that help with this math, and its Steady Use Rate is a middle-ground option that rewards spreading usage evenly rather than shifting it overnight.
The alternative: earn on the standard rate
If your schedule cannot bend around TOU windows, you can still monetize flexibility the easier way: stay on the standard rate and enroll in Smart Usage Rewards. You only need to cut back during a handful of called summer events — and you get paid for it rather than betting your whole bill on a rate switch. The two approaches target the same grid problem; one changes every hour of your billing, the other pays you per event.
Frequently asked questions
- Is ConEd Time-of-Use worth it?
- It depends on your load shape. If you can push half or more of your usage overnight (EV charging is the classic case), TOU can produce real savings. If you are home weekday afternoons with the AC on, the summer peak prices usually outweigh overnight discounts.
- Does TOU cost more per month in fixed charges?
- TOU plans carry a modestly higher fixed monthly charge than the standard rate. Factor it in — small shifting gains can disappear into the base difference.
- Can I switch back if TOU does not work out?
- You can change rate plans through ConEd, though billing transitions are not instant. Model it with your smart meter data first rather than experimenting on live bills.
- Is there a way to benefit from peak pricing without switching rates?
- Yes — demand response. Smart Usage Rewards pays standard-rate customers for reducing usage during called summer events, no rate change required.
Official Con Edison pages for this topic
Meltek is an independent Con Edison Smart Usage Partner, not Con Edison. Program details, amounts, and deadlines are set by Con Edison and change over time — always confirm on the official pages above.
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