What Is TOU Rate III?
Most Westchester homeowners are on Con Edison's standard residential rate (Rate I), which charges a flat per-kWh price regardless of when you use electricity. TOU Rate III is an alternative pricing structure that charges different rates depending on the time of day. During peak hours, electricity costs significantly more. During off-peak hours, it costs less. The idea is simple: shift your heavy usage to off-peak times and your overall bill drops.
Peak vs. Off-Peak Hours
Under TOU Rate III, peak hours run from 8:00 AM to midnight on weekdays. Con Edison off-peak hours in NYC The price difference is substantial. Peak rates can be 50-70% higher than off-peak rates. For a household that can shift usage (laundry, dishwasher, EV charging, pool pumps) to nights and weekends, the savings add up fast.
See Current Status
Want to know if it's off-peak right now? Check our live Con Edison Rate III status for your zip code.
Why TOU Rate III Without Solar Is Risky
Here's the catch: if you switch to TOU Rate III without changing your usage patterns, you could actually pay more. Most families use the bulk of their electricity during peak hours (cooking dinner, running AC in the afternoon, working from home). Without solar or battery storage to offset peak consumption, TOU Rate III can backfire. That's why we always model your actual usage data before recommending the switch. For context on why Con Edison rates keep climbing, that trajectory makes TOU optimization more valuable every year.
The Solar + Battery + TOU Rate III Combination
This is where the real savings unlock. Solar panels generate electricity during peak daytime hours, offsetting your most expensive consumption. A battery storage system (like the Tesla Powerwall or Enphase IQ Battery) stores excess solar energy and discharges it during evening peak hours when the sun is down but rates are still high. The result: you're essentially paying off-peak rates for all your electricity because solar and battery cover the expensive hours. For a typical Westchester home spending $350/month on electricity, this combination can save an additional $800-1,200 per year on top of base solar savings. See the full battery storage ROI breakdown for detailed payback scenarios.
How to Know If TOU Rate III Is Right for You
The answer depends on your specific usage patterns, system size, and battery capacity. Upload your Con Edison bill to our free analyzer and we'll model the Rate I vs. TOU Rate III comparison using your actual data. No guesswork, no generic estimates. You'll see exactly what each rate structure costs you and how much battery storage shifts the equation.
Want to see your exact rates?
Upload your bill and we'll show you what you're paying per kWh, peak vs off-peak.