How Pacific Power customers can save money through voluntary program and strategic energy use

(Update: adding video, information on program)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- For Pacific Power customers, the timing of electricity use could matter just as much as the amount of energy used.

The utility offers smart meters and a voluntary “Time of Use” rate plan designed to help customers better understand their energy habits — and potentially save money by shifting some electricity use to lower-cost hours.

The concept is simple: Electricity generally costs more when demand is high and less when fewer people are using it.

Customers enrolled in the Time of Use plan may be able to lower their bills by moving some everyday activities to off-peak hours. That could include using a dishwasher’s delay setting, putting lights on timers, or charging an electric vehicle when demand is lower.

Those changes could also benefit the broader electric grid. When many customers shift their energy use away from the busiest times of day, it can help reduce strain on the system and make better use of available power during periods of lower demand.

Smart meters provide customers with more detailed information about their electricity use, making it easier to see when energy consumption is highest and where changes could help reduce costs.

The program gives customers another way to manage their electric bills — not only by using less power, but also by being more strategic about when they use it.

According to Pacific Power, on-peak hours are between 5:00p.m. — 9:00p.m. and off-peak hours are between 6:00a.m. — 5:00p.m. and 9:00p.m. — 6:00a.m every day. Customers must be enrolled in the program to receive Time of Use pricing.

More information about Pacific Power’s Time of Use program is available at pacificpower.net/tou.