Last reviewed: 2026-06-09 (UTC)
Off-peak electricity hours are the times when your utility charges less for electricity on a time-based rate, such as a time-of-use (TOU), EV, or electric-home plan. In many places, that means overnight. On some utilities, weekends and holidays are cheaper too.
But there is no single national off-peak schedule. Unitil uses weekday off-peak hours from 8 p.m. - 6 a.m. and treats weekends and holidays as off-peak. Con Edison uses midnight - 8 a.m. as the residential summer off-peak window. PG&E says its residential E-TOU-C plan treats 4 p.m. - 9 p.m. as peak every day, which means all other hours are off-peak.
A better question is not just What are off-peak hours? It is What does my utility call off-peak on my specific rate plan?
Also, off-peak hours do not matter on every electric bill. If your home is still on a standard flat rate, your utility may charge the same price all day. Lower-cost off-peak windows only change what you pay when your rate plan actually varies by time of day.
This guide is for planning, not utility, tax, or financial advice.
Quick answer
| Question | Practical answer |
|---|---|
| What are off-peak electricity hours? | The lower-priced hours on a time-based electric rate. |
| When is electricity usually cheapest? | Often overnight, and sometimes on weekends or holidays, but the exact answer depends on the utility and the plan. |
| Are weekends always off-peak? | Often, but not always. Some plans make weekends cheaper, while others still use a daily peak block. |
| Do off-peak hours matter on every electric bill? | No. They only change your price if your utility rate varies by time of day. |
| What should you run off-peak first? | EV charging, dishwashers, laundry, and some water heating are usually the easiest big loads to move. |
| How do you find your own off-peak hours? | Check your actual rate plan on your bill or utility account, then look up the weekday, weekend, holiday, and seasonal schedule for that plan. |
What off-peak electricity hours are
On a standard flat residential rate, every kilowatt-hour costs the same no matter when you use it. Unitil explains that this is how its standard rate works.
On a time-based rate, the price changes by hour or time block. Utilities usually break the day into some combination of:
- Off-peak: the cheaper hours
- Peak or on-peak: the expensive hours
- Mid-peak or partial-peak: a middle-priced block
- Super-off-peak or super-peak: an extra-low or extra-high period on some plans
Utilities do this because the grid costs less to serve at some times than others, and more when demand is higher. The DOE's FEMP guidance says simple TOU programs often use an afternoon peak period, overnight off-peak hours, and shoulder periods in between.
So off-peak does not mean the same hours everywhere. It means the lower-priced hours on that specific plan.
When electricity is usually cheapest
There is a reason off-peak windows so often land at night.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration says electricity demand is generally lower overnight and lower on weekends and holidays than on weekdays. Summer afternoons are usually the higher-demand part of the day. That pattern is why utilities often make overnight power cheaper and afternoon or evening power more expensive.
A few broad rules are helpful:
- Overnight is commonly off-peak.
- Weekends and holidays are often cheaper than weekdays.
- Summer can be the most important season to check because peak demand is often highest then.
- Some plans add a special
super off-peakovernight window instead of only using basic peak and off-peak periods.
Those are useful rules of thumb, but they are still only rules of thumb.
Why off-peak hours vary by utility and season
The quickest way to understand off-peak hours is to compare a few official utility examples side by side.
| Utility example | Lower-cost window example | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Unitil | Off-peak 8 p.m. - 6 a.m. on weekdays; all weekends and holidays off-peak | Some plans make nights cheaper and treat the full weekend as off-peak. |
PG&E E-TOU-C | 4 p.m. - 9 p.m. is peak every day; all other hours are off-peak | Some plans define off-peak as every hour outside one daily peak block. |
| Con Edison | Summer off-peak midnight - 8 a.m.; summer super-peak 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. weekdays | Seasonal windows can change the answer, and some plans add a super-peak layer. |
| Dominion Energy | Super off-peak 12 a.m. - 5 a.m. | Some utilities create an extra-cheap overnight block inside a broader off-peak design. |
That table is why generic advice like electricity is always cheapest after 9 p.m. is unreliable. It may be close for one utility and completely wrong for another.
It also explains why weekend advice can be confusing. SCE says electricity prices are typically lower early in the day, overnight, and on weekends. But PG&E also shows that some plans still use the same daily 4 p.m. - 9 p.m. peak block every day. So weekends are off-peak is common, but it is not universal.
How to find your own utility's off-peak hours
If you want the answer for your house, use this checklist instead of copying another utility's schedule.
1. Check whether your rate actually changes by time of day
Start with your bill or online account. Look for wording like time-of-use, time-of-day, TOU, EV rate, or electric home rate.
If you are still on a flat standard rate, off-peak hours may not change what you pay at all.
2. Find the exact plan name
Do not stop at the utility name. One utility can offer multiple plans with different peak and off-peak periods.
Many utilities offer more than one option, including:
- a whole-home TOU plan,
- an EV-specific plan,
- a solar-related plan,
- or an electric-home plan.
3. Check the weekday, weekend, holiday, and seasonal schedule
These details matter more than most people expect.
For example:
- Unitil makes weekends and holidays off-peak,
- PG&E can use a daily peak block every day,
- Con Edison changes the answer in summer,
- and Dominion adds a
super off-peakovernight tier.
4. Compare the plan against your actual usage
PG&E tells households to compare rate plans based on actual usage, not generic assumptions.
That matters because the right schedule for a work-from-home household, an evening-heavy household, and an EV household may be very different even on the same utility.
5. Check the special cases before you switch
Before you change rate plans, look for:
- solar or net-metering rules,
- EV-only or electric-home alternatives,
- special battery or heat-pump options,
- commitment periods,
- and any restrictions on switching back.
Those rules can matter more than the raw off-peak hours.
What to run during off-peak hours first
The best off-peak strategy is not trying to move every tiny load. It is moving the biggest flexible loads first.
EV charging
EV charging is usually the clearest off-peak win.
It is a large load, it is easy to automate, and it often does not need to happen right away. Con Edison's EV billing page ties lower-cost charging to off-peak rates from midnight - 8 a.m.. Rocky Mountain Power also pushes customers to shift charging overnight.
Dishwashers and laundry
These are usually the next easiest loads to move.
Rocky Mountain Power recommends running the dishwasher in the morning or at bedtime and doing laundry on weekends or earlier or later on weekdays. Many households can do the same thing with delay-start settings.
Water heating
Water heating is often more shiftable than space heating because it does not always have to run the second demand appears.
The DOE Energy Saver guidance says smart appliances and home energy systems can shift water-heater cycles into lower-cost periods. If you are planning a bigger water-heating upgrade, Watt Wallet's heat pump water heater tax credit guide is the best companion piece for the equipment-cost side.
Thermostats, air conditioning, and heat pumps
These loads are real opportunities, but they are trickier.
Smart thermostats can help shift some heating and cooling demand, but comfort still comes first. DOE Energy Saver says smart thermostats can help manage new or existing HVAC systems. Rocky Mountain Power also warns that electric heating, heat pumps, air conditioning, and electric water heaters are the kinds of loads to watch during on-peak hours.
For most homes, that means starting with EV charging, laundry, dishwashing, and water heating before expecting major savings from HVAC timing alone.
If your off-peak strategy is part of a larger electrification project that could raise whole-home demand, Watt Wallet's electric panel tax credit guide is the right next read.
When off-peak advice can mislead you
The most common problem with off-peak advice is assuming that a cheaper window always translates into savings.
If you are on a flat rate, the schedule may not matter
This is the first thing to verify. Some homeowners search for off-peak hours before they have switched to any time-based rate.
If you cannot shift much real usage, the math may not work
Unitil says households that cannot shift most usage away from the more expensive window may be better off staying on the standard rate. It also says customers who do not reduce on-peak usage may see no savings.
So off-peak does not automatically mean lower bill.
Some specialized plans may fit better than the default whole-home TOU option
PG&E separates TOU, solar, EV, and electric-home paths. SCE publishes EV, battery, and heat-pump-related TOU options and gives eligible heat-pump water-heater customers extra baseline allocation on some rates.
So the best answer for an EV household or an all-electric home may not be the same answer as the best plan for a standard household.
Solar and plan rules can change the answer
Unitil says whole-house TOU cannot be combined with net metering. PG&E says some qualifying solar customers can keep legacy TOU hours and seasons during a delayed transition period.
Enrollment rules matter too
Con Edison's EV and TOU guidance includes one-year commitments on some TOU paths and can limit how quickly a customer rejoins after switching back.
That is another reason to check the full plan details before treating off-peak hours as an easy win.
FAQ
What time of day is electricity usually cheapest?
Usually overnight, and often on weekends or holidays too. But the exact answer depends on the utility and the rate plan.
Are weekends always off-peak for electricity?
No. Many plans treat weekends as cheaper, but not all of them do. Some still use a daily peak block, even on weekends.
Do off-peak hours matter if I am not on a TOU plan?
Usually no. Off-peak hours matter when your utility charges different prices at different times of day.
What appliances are best to use during off-peak hours?
EV charging, dishwashers, laundry, and some water heating are usually the easiest big loads to move.
Are off-peak hours good for EV charging?
Usually yes. EV charging is one of the easiest large loads to automate overnight, which is why many utility examples tie EV savings to off-peak periods.
How do I find off-peak electricity hours in my area?
Check your actual rate plan on your bill or online utility account, then look up the weekday, weekend, holiday, and seasonal schedule for that plan. If you want the broader rate-plan context, Watt Wallet's guide to time-of-use electricity plans is the best companion explainer. If you are comparing multiple upgrade costs at once, Watt Wallet's guide to comparing rebates, tax credits, and installer quotes is a helpful planning companion.
Bottom line
Off-peak electricity hours are usually the cheaper hours on a time-based rate. They are often overnight, and many utilities also make weekends or holidays cheaper. But there is no single national off-peak schedule.
The safest way to save is to check your exact plan, compare it against your real usage, and move the largest flexible loads first: EV charging, dishwashers, laundry, and some water heating.
If off-peak timing is part of a bigger home-electrification plan, Watt Wallet's incentives library and heat pump rebates by state guide are the best next steps.