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Time of Use Overview

A Time of Use (TOU) plan type is an energy pricing structure where the cost of electricity varies based on the time of day, day of the week, or season. It is designed to reflect the actual cost of electricity during different demand periods, encouraging customers to shift usage to off-peak hours when rates are lower.

Key Characteristics of TOU Plans:​

  • Multiple Rates: Electricity is priced differently during:
    • Peak hours (high demand – usually more expensive)
    • Off-peak hours (low demand – cheaper or sometimes free)
  • Defined Intervals: TOU plans often define time intervals like:
    • Daily intervals (e.g., 9 PM to 9 AM = free nights)
    • Weekly intervals (e.g., Friday 7 PM to Sunday midnight = free weekends)
  • Assumed Consumption Percentages: These help calculate average pricing based on expected usage patterns during those intervals.

Example:​

A “Free Nights” plan might offer:

  • 0¢ per kWh from 9 PM to 9 AM
  • 12¢ per kWh from 9 AM to 9 PM

In OpsAdmin​

When a plan is marked with the Time of Use type:

  • New interval-based fields become available (e.g., Interval Rate, Start/End Time, Consumption %)
  • These fields can be used in documents, emails, and autoresponders
  • The plan type must have the Multiple Rates Required checkbox enabled

This setup allows for greater flexibility and targeted marketing for customers who can benefit by shifting their energy usage to lower-cost periods.

Time of Use Configuration Examples

The Time of Use functionality assumptions:

  • That the TOU billing plans have been set up in the billing system.
  • Time of Use (TOU) has been added as a Plan Type in Plan Settings
  • Example uses an Interval Rate = 0, but any value can be used \

Time of Use Plan Types​

Plan Types are accessible from the Plans menu, under Settings > Plan Types:

Multiple Rates Required – this box is required for average rate calculation and presentment purposes.

Time of Use Web Plans​

From the Web Plan Manager, select Time of Use from the Plan Type dropdown:

When the Plan Type = Time of Use, a new set of ‘Interval Rate Setup’ fields will be displayed. These fields are available as dynamic variables to be used in documents and/or autoresponders.

Example Config: Free Nights​

Web Plan

This product has a daily 0 cent Energy Rate from 9 PM to 9 AM.

  • Weekly Interval From (Day of Week and Time) = NULL
  • Weekly Interval To (Day of Week and Time) = NULL
  • Interval Rate Cents (¢) = 0
  • Daily Interval From (Time AM/PM) = 09:00 PM
  • Daily Interval To (Time AM/PM) = 09:00 AM
  • Interval Assumed Consumption Percentage (for avg price calculation) = 35

Dynamic Fields Example 1​

Energy Charge[PLAN_RATE_CENTS] ¢ per kWh, Daily beginning at [DAILY_INTERVAL_TO] and ending at [DAILY_INTERVAL_FROM]
[INTERVAL_RATE_CENTS] ¢ per kWh, Daily beginning at [DAILY_INTERVAL_FROM] and ending at [DAILY_INTERVAL_TO]

Average price calculations are based on a total consumption profile over a 12 month period assuming [INTERVAL_ASSUMED_CONSUMPTION_PERCENTAGE]% of consumption occurs during the Designated Free Period.

Example Config: Free Weekends​

Web Plan

This product has a 0 cent Energy Rate from Friday thru the end of Sunday.

  • Weekly Interval From (Day of Week and Time) = Friday 07:00 PM
  • Weekly Interval To (Day of Week and Time) = Monday 12:00 AM
  • Interval Rate Cents (¢) = 0
  • Daily Interval From (Time AM/PM) = NULL
  • Daily Interval To (Time AM/PM) = NULL
  • Interval Assumed Consumption Percentage (for avg price calculation) = 35

Dynamic Fields Example 2​

Energy Charge[PLAN_RATE_CENTS] ¢ per kWh, [WEEKLY_INTERVAL_DAY_TO, WEEKLY_INTERVAL_TIME_TO] thru [WEEKLY_INTERVAL_DAY_FROM, WEEKLY_INTERVAL_TIME_FROM]
[INTERVAL_RATE_CENTS] ¢ per kWh, [WEEKLY_INTERVAL_DAY_FROM, WEEKLY_INTERVAL_TIME_FROM] thru [WEEKLY_INTERVAL_DAY_TO, WEEKLY_INTERVAL_TIME_TO]

Average price calculations are based on a total consumption profile over a 12 month period assuming [INTERVAL_ASSUMED_CONSUMPTION_PERCENTAGE]% of consumption occurs during the Designated Free Period.

Example Config: Free Nights and Weekends​

Web Plan

This product has a daily 0 cent Energy Rate from X PM to X PM.

This product has a 0 cent rate from Friday at 7 pm thru Sunday at 11:59.

  • Weekly Interval From (Day of Week and Time) = Friday 07:00 PM
  • Weekly Interval To (Day of Week and Time) = Sunday 11:59 PM
  • Interval Rate Cents (¢) = 0
  • Daily Interval From (Time AM/PM) = 05:00 PM
  • Daily Interval To (Time AM/PM) = 07:00 AM
  • Interval Assumed Consumption Percentage (for avg price calculation) = 18

Dynamic Fields Example 3​

Energy Charge[PLAN_RATE_CENTS] ¢ per kWh, Weekdays except for free hours, defined below.
Happy Hour Rate: [INTERVAL_RATE_CENTS] ¢ per kWh beginning at [DAILY_INTERVAL_FROM] and ending at [DAILY_INTERVAL_TO], and [WEEKLY_INTERVAL_DAY_FROM, DAILY_INTERVAL_FROM] and ending [WEEKLY_INTERVAL_DAY_TO] at [WEEKLY_INTERVAL_TIME_TO]