Time-of-Day (TOD) Pricing

A person loads a laundry machine from a gray clothes bin.

With TOD pricing, the cost of electricity depends on when you use it. Prices are lower most of the time, and higher during short, on-peak periods when demand is highest.

Off-peak prices are about 70% less than on-peak prices. Most households already use about 80% of their electricity during off-peak times. Save money by shifting your electric use to the lower-priced, off-peak hours or by reducing your overall use.

TOD Hours

On-peak hours (weekdays only)

Months On-peak times (more $) 
May-September (summer)  2-7 p.m.
 October-April (non-summer)  5-9 p.m.

Off-peak hours

Each weekday includes 19-20 off-peak hours, varying by season, with all weekend and holiday hours also considered off-peak.

  • Holidays: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas (as observed)

View TOD Rates and Pricing Details

Why TOD?

TOD pricing reflects the true cost of producing electricity. Power is more expensive when demand is high. Shifting energy use to off-peak times helps keep costs lower for everyone and supports a more reliable, sustainable grid.

  • TOD is not a rate increase; it was designed to collect the same annual revenue as the old, tiered structure.
  • As a community-owned utility, we do not profit from rates. We only recover the cost of providing electricity (purchased power, infrastructure, and operations).

Ways to Save

You have more control over your bill with TOD. Try shifting big energy users (like heating, cooling, laundry, and dishwashing) outside of on-peak hours.

  • Run the dishwasher before bed or in the morning.
  • Do laundry on weekends or later in the evening.
  • Pre-cool your home before 2 p.m. in summer; pre-heat before 5 p.m. in winter.
  • Unplug unused electronics or use power strips to avoid “vampire” power waste.
  • Adjust your thermostat a few degrees to reduce demand.

How much does it cost to use appliances for one hour?

  • Electric oven
    • On-peak: $0.52/kWh
    • Off-peak: $0.15/kWh
  • Central AC
    • On-peak: $0.87/kWh
    • Off-peak: $0.25/kWh
  • Electric clothes dryer
    • On-peak: $0.81/kWh
    • Off-peak: $0.24/ kWh

Track Your Energy Use

Use MyEnergy to see when you use the most electricity, find new ways to save, and even earn rewards for your efforts.

Access MyEnergy

FAQ

Why does Fort Collins Utilities use TOD pricing?

TOD pricing reflects the true cost of producing electricity. Power costs more when demand is high, like weekday evenings in winter or afternoons in summer. By shifting use to off-peak hours, customers can lower bills and help reduce overall system costs, which benefits the whole community.

How were on-peak hours chosen?

Utilities studied 10 years of local electricity use to identify when demand was highest. On-peak windows were kept as short as possible so customers would have flexibility to shift their use and take advantage of lower off-peak prices.

Does Utilities make more money with TOD?

No. As a community-owned, cost-of-service utility, we are not allowed to profit. TOD was designed to collect the same annual revenue as the old system. In fact, many customers paid less after switching to TOD.

What does “cost-of-service” mean?

Cost-of-service is simply what it takes to generate and deliver reliable electricity. That includes power purchases, transmission, infrastructure (like cables, transformers, and substations), and daily operations. Utilities only recovers these costs, no profit is added.