Thinking about time-of-day pricing? See if it's a fit with two simple tools

Charging an electric vehicle at home is one of the biggest opportunities to save with our optional time-of-day pricing.

See which rate is right with our estimator, or new HydroHome app feature

If you're unsure whether switching to our optional time of day electricity pricing is right for you, we're here to help you figure it out.

First, it helps to know that switching to our time-of-day (TOD) pricing could save you anywhere from $25 to $300 per year, and some households may save even more. But it might not be the right fit for everyone, which is why we have a couple great tools to help you decide. And remember, if you do opt in and later realize it's not working for your household, no stress — you can switch back just as quickly.

Save while you sleep: How time‑of‑day pricing works

Time‑of‑day pricing rewards you for using electricity when demand across the province is lower. Overnight, from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., you receive a discount of 5 cents per kWh. During the period of highest electricity demand, from 4 to 9 p.m., there is a surcharge of 5 cents per kWh. All other hours remain at the standard rate, with no discount or surcharge applied.

You will benefit the most from time‑of‑day pricing if you can shift some of your electricity use into the overnight hours. Charging an electric vehicle at home is one of the biggest opportunities to save; setting your dishwasher to run after 11 p.m. can also help reduce your costs.

Time‑of‑day pricing isn't the right fit for everyone. If you live in an apartment or condo, your electricity use is usually lower and there's less flexibility to shift when you use electricity so time‑of‑day pricing generally isn't recommended. Without EV charging, the opportunity to save money with this rate option is quite small for households in smaller homes.

Here are the two reliable ways to determine whether you'll save with time‑of‑day pricing.

Rate estimator tool

Our rate estimator tool uses your actual household energy‑use data to determine how your annual bill could change under a different rate. It also highlights any potential savings you might see by adding optional time‑of‑day pricing.

If you're already logged in to your account online, you can go straight to the rate estimator tool.

If not, log in and look for the "Learn more about all rate plans" link near the upper right corner of your account home page, just to the left of your consumption graphs. Select that link, choose "Time‑of‑day pricing" on the electricity rates page, and then select "Try the rate estimator."

Jaclyn using the HydroHome app to check how her home uses electricity.

HydroHome gives you an easy look at your electricity use — with hourly breakdowns, clear summaries, smart insights, and alerts that help you shift your use.

HydroHome's new Advisor Card

If you haven't downloaded HydroHome yet, it's a great way to get a clearer picture of how your home uses electricity. The free app helps you spot usage patterns, understand when you use the most energy, and offers tips and insights to help you use electricity more efficiently. You can stay with the free version, or add a hub device (Energy Bridge or Powerlync) to unlock real‑time energy data and smart‑home features, including the ability to control supported devices from your phone.

HydroHome also includes a new feature designed to help you make confident decisions about your electricity plan: the Advisor Card. The card appears automatically when your energy‑use patterns suggest that time‑of‑day pricing may be a better option for your household. When that happens, the Advisor Card shows your estimated annual savings based on the past year of your electricity use, along with a clear side‑by‑side comparison of your current plan and time‑of‑day pricing.

It also breaks down the time‑of‑day rate periods, such as the 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. overnight period and explains how the costs differ. If you decide the switch makes sense for you, the card provides a one‑click option to change your rate, with reassurance that you can switch back at any time.

HydroHome's full set of tools makes it easier to understand and optimize your electricity use, with hourly breakdowns, daily and monthly summaries, contextual insights, real‑time or near real‑time data (when supported), and in‑app notifications that help you shift usage to lower‑cost periods. The Advisor Card builds on that foundation by helping you identify if time‑of‑day pricing could be your best match.