With spring comes warming weather, longer days and all the good things that come with this time of year. This March, DTE customers also received more choice and more control of their electric use with DTE Energy’s new Time of Day 3 – 7 p.m. rate. With this new rate, the price you pay for electricity better reflects the cost to generate that electricity. During off-peak hours, you pay less for the energy you use, giving you the chance to save by changing some of your habits.
Making these changes can be simple. With off-peak hours available 20 hours a day during the week and all day on the weekend, there are plenty of opportunities to adjust your energy use. You can start your dishwasher before going to bed, set your thermostat to pre-cool your home before 3 p.m. or do your laundry on the weekend to take advantage of the lower rate.
The peak rates will vary seasonally, with the lower rate October through May when electricity use is lower. You’ll have the greatest opportunity to save by adjusting your energy use away from the peak hours from June through September, when electricity demand is at its highest.
While there are changes you can make, there are some things that need electricity all day long. Appliances like fridges and freezers need power 24/7 – and that’s OK. You can make the biggest impact on your bill by changing habits for large appliances that use more power like your dishwasher, washer and dryer, furnace and air conditioner. And you don’t need to make any adjustments if it doesn’t work for your household. This rate was designed to be revenue neutral for DTE and is not a rate increase, so your family can continue to use energy just as you have before.
With the new Time of Day rate, you have more say in your energy costs than ever before. With 20 hours a weekday and a weekend’s worth of low, off-peak rates, your household can decide when to use power and how much you pay for it. With this new rate, you’ll have more choice and more control – empowering you to make the best decision for your household and your budget.
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