APS residential customers are expected to benefit from last year’s Arizona Corporation Commission ruling that increases the amount of cheaper off-peak hours to certain plans.
In November, …
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APS residential customers are expected to benefit from last year’s Arizona Corporation Commission ruling that increases the amount of cheaper off-peak hours to certain plans.
In November, the ACC adopted two amendments dealing with time-of-use on-peak hours. One amendment says on-peak times will be reduced from five hours to three hours on weekdays, changing the duration from 3-8 p.m. to 4-7 p.m.
Weekdays are divided two categories — off-peak and on-peak hours. During off-peak hours, the price for energy is the lowest.
“The reduction in on-peak hours effectively reduces the burden on customers by lessening the number of hours that are on-peak, which is a time frame when APS charges more per kilowatt-hour for electricity usage,” said Nick Debus, ACC spokesman. “On-peak hours are when (customers) are charged the most for usage. Off-peak hours are the cheapest, so if you have more off-peak hours it will benefit customers.”
APS recently sent out messages to customers on hard copy bills.
“In May, we will start transitioning customers like you who are on an active time-of-use plan, to these new on-peak hours,” the message read. “Our goal is to have nearly all of these customers on the 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. hours by the end of July.”
The ACC requested the utility develop a phased-in transition plan for limited-income customers, said APS spokeswoman Sherine Zaya. Programs such as energy support programs gives qualified limited-income customers a 25% discount on an APS bill each month.
“The priority is to move limited-income customers (on energy support programs) who are on the time-of-use and time-of-use with demand rate plans,” Zaya said.
How will residential customers know their plan has changed?
The APS message says customers will be updated via email after the utility has reprogrammed the meter with the new hours. In addition, customers will receive an automated phone call from APS, the message said. Customers also will receive an alert on their online account and a message on the hard copy of the monthly bill.
“For example, if you normally wait to dry your laundry after 8 p.m. weekdays, you can do that an hour earlier after 7 p.m. once your meter and account have been updated. And, if you are on our time-of-use plan with demand, you only need to stagger use of your major appliances for three hours each day, not five,” the APS message said.
Time-of-use plans offer customers potential for savings, Hanks said.
More than 60% of residential customers — around 740,000 — are currently on time-of-use plans. APS serves customers in 11 of Arizona’s 15 counties, according to Jill Hanks, an APS spokeswoman.
A number of factors can impact a customer’s bill amount, Hanks said.
Examples include the amount of energy used, customer behavior, the number of days in the billing cycle, and energy adjustors that can vary month to month and current weather conditions, she said.
“As we prepare for the summer months, aps.com is also a great place to find tips, tools and rebates to save on monthly bills,” Hanks said. “For example, annual check-ups and changing air filters can improve AC performance and efficiency and a programmable thermostat to turn down your AC to pre-cool your home when rates are lower also can help reduce your energy costs.
Customers can utilize tools like usage alerts or the APS mobile app to monitor and manage energy use and enroll in programs like Cool Rewards, for smart thermostat rebates.”
For information, visit aps.com/plans or aps.com/newTOU.
Brent Ruffner Lead News Reporter | Daily Independent @AzNewsmedia
Journalism has fascinated Brent Ruffner since junior high school.
Since 2001, his stories have been published in newspapers from the Albuquerque to the Arizona and he has always had a knack for making sure his facts are right and his words are to the point.
Growing up, Brent watched as sports reporters covered his beloved Phoenix Suns, a team he followed since Charles Barkley first arrived in Phoenix via trade in 1992. Sports reporting was a dream back then.
But after gaining some writing experience, Brent found a love for news instead of covering different types of sports. In 2008, he moved to New Mexico and covered crime, schools and city beats all while holding elected officials accountable.
He covered stories that ranged from a DEA drug bust gone bad to an award-winning story on school lunches.
In Arizona, Brent was a freelance writer who covered everything from the importance of citrus in the state to Esteban owning a store in downtown Prescott.
Brent is a 2007 graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.
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