SMUD, and many other energy providers including PG&E, have specific times of day where they increase their price per kilowatt. These “Peak Hours” are designed around when energy usage tends to be the highest in the day, depending on the season. To meet the higher electricity demand, electric companies often have to buy energy from expensive, less environmentally friendly sources, causing an increase in prices.
SMUD’s Time-Of-Day Hours by the Season
Summer
| Time | Rate |
|---|---|
| Midnight to Noon All day weekends and holidays |
Off-Peak $0.1323 kWh |
| Noon to 5:00 pm | Mid-Peak $0.1827 kWh |
| 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm | Peak $0.3215 kWh |
| 8:00 pm to Midnight | Mid-Peak $0.1827 kWh |
Non-Summer
| Time | Rate |
|---|---|
| Midnight to 5:00 poon All day weekends and holidays |
Off-Peak $0.1098 kWh |
| 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm | Peak $0.1516 kWh |
| 8:00 pm to Midnight | Off-Peak $0.1098 kWh |
Why does this matter?
You can save money and conserve energy by:
- Doing household chores, like dishes and laundry, during non-peak hours and the weekends
- Turning off and unplugging (when possible) lights and appliances when not in use
- Setting your washer’s water temperature to cold
- Setting your AC to higher temperatures, 78 degrees or higher during peak hours (health permitting)
Keep Your Home Cooler
- Planting shade trees around your house to reduce the need for heating and cooling. You can get up to 10 free shade trees through SMUD!
- Checking the weather stripping and caulking around doors and windows, and keeping curtains closed during the day. Heat gain and heat loss through windows are responsible for 25%–30% of residential heating and cooling energy use
- Using fans effectively to keep your house cooler. Create a cross breeze with your fans to circulate cool air and push hot air out
- Opening your windows at night to cool your entire home
- Avoiding large appliances that generate more heat, like the dryer or oven, during the hottest parts of the day