Time of use programs help to save on electric bill

The service was introduced about three decades ago and is used in various forms primarily by commercial customers, like office buildings, but the program is getting a fresh look from residential customers.

This month, Con Edison said residential customers in New York City and Westchester County see their electricity bills increase by over 22 percent this summer from last year, almost twice the increase initially expected by the utility. For customers in New York City apartments, that is an average increase of about $8 each month on their electric bill.

The premise of the time-of-use service is simple and fits Mr. Katzenstein’s lifestyle, though the financial benefits have been mixed.

Compared with standard summer rates, time-of-use customers pay three times more for electricity between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. on weekdays, yet 80 percent less at other times. Mr. Katzenstein, a lawyer, and his partner, are rarely in their two-bedroom Manhattan apartment during the afternoon and early evening, which means that they rarely have to decide whether to pay more to use air-conditioning during those peak hours.

More on time of use electricity from the NY Times