Time-of-Day Rate Pilot Program

  • 1 – TOD Pilot Program – Business

TIME-OF-DAY RATE PLANS

pilot program

One of the many benefits of installing smart meters on homes and businesses like yours is our ability to launch new and innovative solution, which provide customers with more control over their energy use and costs. Our Time-of-Use and Critical Peak rate plans provide an opportunity for you to shift some of your energy use from peak hours to off-peak hours. Peak hours are times when demand is elevated, and your rates are higher. Off-peak hours are times when demand is low, and your rates are less. By participating in this optional program, you have the opportunity to change your behaviours to save money on your annual energy costs.  

Recruitment for the pilot program is now closed, but we're accepted applications to be added to the waitlist. Use the application form below to join the waitlist.

ABOUT THE PILOT PROGRAM


Through this pilot program, we are looking to examine how shifts in the time of day that energy is used can benefit both customers and the electrical grid. These plans provide opportunities for customers to save money on their annual power bill by reducing or shifting their energy use from peak hours when demand is high for electricity, to off-peak hours when demand is low.

Pilot Details

  • Recruitment for this year's pilot program is now closed. Use this application form to sign up for the waitlist. 
  • The pilot program will run from November 1, 2023, to October 31, 2024. 
  • Participants will pick the rate plan that best suits their unique energy needs.
  • Participation is optional and customers can leave the pilot at any time and switch back to the Small General or General (with Demand Charges) rate plan.
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PROGRAM BENEFITS


Choice: Every business is different. You pick the rate plan that best suits your unique energy needs.

Control: Control your costs by shifting your business's use of energy.

Savings: Shift your energy use to off-peak rate times to increase your annual savings.



 

CHOOSING YOUR NEW RATE PLAN

Each of these new plans offer potential annual cost savings to customers who reduce or shift their energy use to off-peak hours.

 

SMALL & MEDIUM BUSINESS (RATE 10)

Commercial customers on this rate include businesses like bakeries, banks, and malls. You can confirm your rate by checking your last power bill.

Time-of-Use Plan

Winter weekdays (November to March) are divided into peak and off-peak hours. Rates are higher during peak hours when demand is high. 

  • Take advantage of lower rates during off-peak hours (including weekends and holidays) by shifting the use of high energy consuming equipment or managing electric heating and cooling to minimize use during peak hours.  
  • In non-winter months (April to October) the price for electricity is less than the current standard rate and does not change based on time of day. 

This plan is designed for customers who can reduce or shift their energy use outside the two daily peak periods from Monday to Friday in the winter.

graph: Rate 10 TOU rates for Nov - Mar: peak $0.33 per kWh, off-peak $0.18 per kWh
graph: Rate 10 TOU rates for Apr-Oct: $0.12 per kWh

The above rates are per kWh and are rounded to the nearest decimal for simplicity. Full rates can be found in our Tariff Book.

Critical Peak Plan

On winter days, when the electrical grid is at peak capacity, a "Critical Peak Event" may be announced where prices are higher to reflect the higher cost of providing energy during those hours.

Critical Peak Events:

  • can occur between November 1st and March 31st with a maximum of 18 total events.
  • are limited to three events per week.
  • last for four hours anytime between 6:00 am and 11:00 pm. (Typically called 7:00 am to 11:00 am and/or 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm).
  • can occur on weekdays and up to three on weekends, but never on statutory holidays.
  • will be communicated by email and/or text by 4:00 pm the day before and then again once the event starts.

Outside of peak events, your rate will always be lower. This means your savings will add up when you're paying a lower rate and there are no peak events.

A registered MyAccount is required to participate in this plan.

The above rates are per kWh and are rounded to the nearest decimal for simplicity. Full rates can be found in our Tariff Book.

 

GENERAL DEMAND (RATE 11)

Commercial customers on this rate include businesses like grocery stores and multi-unit residential buildings. You can confirm your rate by checking your last power bill.

Time-of-Use Plan

Winter weekdays (November to March) are divided into peak and off-peak hours. Rates are higher during peak hours when demand is high. 

  • Take advantage of lower rates during off-peak hours (including weekends and holidays) by shifting the use of high energy consuming equipment or managing electric heating and cooling to minimize use during peak hours.  
  • In non-winter months (April to October) the price for electricity is less than the current standard rate and does not change based on time of day. 

This plan is designed for customers who can reduce or shift their energy use outside the two daily peak periods from Monday to Friday in the winter.

graph: Rate 11 TOU rates for Nov-Mar: peak $0.26 per kWh, off-peak $0.14 per kWh
graph: Rate 11 TOU rates for Apr-Oct: $0.09 per kWh

The above rates are per kWh and are rounded to the nearest decimal for simplicity. Full rates can be found in our Tariff Book.

Critical Peak Plan

On winter days, when the electrical grid is at peak capacity, a "Critical Peak Event" may be announced where prices are higher to reflect the higher cost of providing energy during those hours.

Critical Peak Events:

  • can occur between November 1st and March 31st with a maximum of 18 total events.
  • are limited to three events per week.
  • last for four hours anytime between 6:00 am and 11:00 pm. (Typically called 7:00 am to 11:00 am and/or 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm).
  • can occur on weekdays and up to three on weekends, but never on statutory holidays.
  • will be communicated by email and/or text by 4:00 pm the day before and then again once the event starts.

Outside of peak events, your rate will always be lower. This means your savings will add up April to October when you're paying a lower rate and there are no peak events.

A registered MyAccount is required to participate in this plan.

The above rates are per kWh and are rounded to the nearest decimal for simplicity. Full rates can be found in our Tariff Book.

Energy shifting tips

hand adjusting a wall thermostat

For many businesses, space cooling, lighting, and fans are some of the biggest energy users. Try adopting new strategies to manage your usage with behaviour changes that are relatively easy to make. For example:

  • Dim or turn off specific lights or light circuits
  • Install motion sensors to automatically shut off unused lights
  • Shut off non-essential appliances
  • Power down or unplug unnecessary equipment
  • Change thermostat settings on space-conditioning systems to reduce operating times
  • Cycle or curb ventilation fans
  • Shift cleaning and maintenance crews to off-peak hours

Use a building automation system (BAS)

A BAS is a great way to implement or facilitate your energy saving or demand response (DR) strategy. Depending on the features of your BAS, it can turn off or turn down HVAC equipment, lights, or industrial processes, either automatically or with some manual intervention. Some BAS systems can use preprogrammed control strategies to minimize building energy use. A BAS that's not capable of an automated response can still be used with a DR program - when building operators receive a DR signal, they can either activate preprogrammed control strategies or manually turn off or down building systems.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are peak hours? What are the rates and times for peak and off-peak hours?

Peak hours are the times during the day when there is high demand for electricity during the winter months (November 1 – March 31). 

For the Time-of-Use rate, peaks times are 7:00am – 11:00am and 5:00pm – 9:00pm Monday to Friday. After 9pm, weekends and holidays are all off-peak. 

For the Critical Peak rate, peak events are 4 hours in length and can occur any time between 6:00am and 11:00pm every day but holidays.

Rates during these hours vary by plan.

How much money can I save?

Everyone’s energy use is different, but if your business reduces or shifts energy use to off-peak hours, you have the potential to save money on this pilot. Visit the Energy Shifting Tips section for tips on how your business can reduce your usage.

 

Could I end up paying more on my power bill?

Your bill is based on how much energy your business uses. If you cannot reduce or shift your energy to off-peak hours on winter weekdays between November and March, there is a chance your bill could increase. Your bills may increase in the winter, particularly on the Time-of-Use rate plan, which is offset with lower rates in the summer months. You can switch back to the Small General or General (with Demand Charges) rate plans anytime, without penalty. This can be done by contacting our Customer Care at 1-800-428-6774.

How does the Critical Peak Rate Plan work and is it right for me?

Critical Peak events last four hours, and participants will be notified by email and/or SMS by 4:00 pm the day prior, and directly before the event starts allowing time to adjust usage. The Critical Peak rate plan is designed for customers who can respond to the notification by shifting their usage as much as possible during the four-hour period between 6:00 am and 11:00 pm. Up to a maximum of 18 peak events could be called between November 1 and March 31 and can be only called on weekdays and up to three on weekends (statutory holidays are excluded). Outside peak events and winter season, your rate will always be lower. This means your savings will add up when you're paying a lower rate and there are no peal events. A registered MyAccount is required to participate in this plan.

Can I opt out after enrolling?

We encourage you to participate for the full year to experience potential savings on your bill, but you can switch back to the Small General or General (with Demand Charges) rate plans at any time, without penalty. If your business location moves during the pilot, participation at your current address will end and you are required to fill out a new application for your new location.

How long is the pilot?

This voluntary rate trial will run from November 1, 2023, to October 31, 2024. 

How do I apply and what happens next?

Applications to participate in pilot program are now closed but we are accepting applications for our waitlist. To join the waitlist, complete this application form. 

Will my data be kept confidential?

Yes. Your account data, including energy use information and savings, will be kept confidential. NS Power takes the privacy of its customers very seriously. For further information on the collection, use and disclosure of personal information, please see our Privacy Policy.

What’s the difference between Time-of-Day rates and the Time-of-Day Rate Plans Pilot?

Our existing Time-of-Day (TOD) rate works for customers who install an Electric Thermal Storage (ETS) unit in their homes. TOD rates work by billing a rate more reflective of the actual cost of making and delivering power at different times, meaning power is cheapest overnight and on weekends and holidays when overall demand on the electricity system is lower. Power is also more expensive during winter days, when demand is the highest. 

The Time-of-Day Rate Plans Pilot program is a new pilot that runs through October 31, 2024. Under this pilot, customers do not need to install an ETS and choose the plan that works for their lifestyle. These plans provide opportunities for customers to save money on their annual power bill by reducing or shifting their energy use from peak hours when demand is high for electricity, to off-peak hours when demand is low.

See more FAQs

APPLICATIONS CLOSED. WAITLIST AVAILABLE.

Recruitment for the pilot program is now closed. Applications for the waitlist are being accepted.

Need Some Additional Help?

If you still have questions about the Time-of-Day Rate Pilot please contact Customer Care at

1-800-428-6774