If you're a PECO customer — especially one with solar panels, a battery, or an electric vehicle — there's an optional program that could meaningfully lower your electricity bill. It's called Time-of-Use (TOU) Pricing, and when paired with solar, it's one of the most powerful tools available to homeowners in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
What Is PECO's TOU Pricing?
Standard PECO rates charge you the same price for electricity no matter what time of day you use it. Time-of-Use pricing is different: your generation supply rate varies based on when you consume electricity. TOU is an optional, generation-only rate available to residential and small commercial customers with an advanced (AMI) meter. To enroll, you must use PECO as your electric supplier — if you're currently with an alternative supplier, check your contract for any switching or cancellation fees first.
PECO's TOU program has three pricing tiers:
- Peak (2:00 PM – 6:00 PM, non-holiday weekdays) — The most expensive rate. This is when grid demand is highest. Residential rate: ~$0.32/kWh.
- Off-Peak (6:00 AM – 2:00 PM & 6:00 PM – midnight on weekdays; 6:00 AM – midnight on weekends and holidays) — A much lower rate. Residential rate: ~$0.076/kWh.
- Super Off-Peak (midnight – 6:00 AM, every day) — The cheapest rate. Residential rate: ~$0.053/kWh.
Holidays include New Year's Day, MLK Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day — all treated as off-peak days.
Note: TOU generation rates are updated periodically by PECO. The rates above reflect the Dec 2025 – May 2026 schedule. Check PECO's TOU page for the latest pricing and TOU FAQs for more details.
Why Solar Owners in SE PA Should Pay Attention
Here's where it gets interesting for solar customers. Your solar panels generate the most electricity between roughly 10 AM and 4 PM — which overlaps with the peak window of 2–6 PM. That means your solar system is producing power during the most expensive part of the day (~$0.32/kWh).
Under TOU pricing, this works in your favor in two ways:
- Your solar generation covers your home's needs during peak hours, so you avoid buying electricity at the highest rate.
- Any excess power you export back to the grid earns net metering credits. When you later draw from the grid during off-peak and super off-peak hours, those credits offset consumption at much lower rates — stretching every credit further.
The result? Your weighted average cost of electricity drops significantly — because you're self-powering during peak and drawing from the grid mostly during the cheapest periods.
The EV Advantage: Charge at Night, Save All Year
Electric vehicle owners are among the biggest winners under TOU pricing. Simply by scheduling your car to charge overnight during super off-peak hours (midnight to 6 AM), you pay the lowest available rate.
Based on current PECO residential TOU generation rates:
- Super Off-Peak rate: ~$0.053/kWh
- Peak rate: ~$0.320/kWh
That's roughly a 6x difference in generation cost. For a typical EV charging 300 kWh per month, charging during super off-peak instead of peak could save you over $80/month in generation charges alone.
Battery Storage Makes TOU Even More Powerful
If you have a battery system like Tesla Powerwall, Enphase IQ, Sigenergy, FranklinWH, or Sol-Ark, you can take TOU savings to the next level. Charge your battery from solar during the day, then use stored energy during peak hours (2–6 PM) instead of buying from PECO at ~$0.32/kWh. This is called time-of-use arbitrage — and it's one of the most effective ways to maximize your solar investment in the PECO service territory.
Is TOU Right for You?
TOU pricing works best for PECO customers who can shift at least some of their usage away from the 2–6 PM weekday window. It's a strong fit if you:
- Own solar panels (your system produces during the most expensive hours)
- Have a battery system (store solar energy and use it during peak)
- Charge an EV at home (charge overnight at the lowest rate)
- Work a schedule where you're away during peak hours
PECO also offers a Rate Comparison Tool that uses your actual usage history to estimate how much you'd save on TOU vs. the standard flat rate. Once enrolled, you receive monthly savings reports comparing your costs.
Want to know if TOU pricing could save you money? Contact Pennstar Solar or call 610-900-6405 — we'll help you evaluate whether TOU makes sense alongside your solar and battery setup.
