Beginning November 1, all BWL electric customers will be transferred to a time of use rate. We're here to help you through this transition and allow you to study up before we get there, understanding the benefits and cost savings your household could see.
Why is BWL changing to Time of Use rates?
Energy is at its most expensive in peak demand, like on a hot summer day, and if not managed, can put a strain on the grid. It’s also when the cost to generate electricity is at its highest.
Time of use rates allow you to better manage your costs and consumption, while also having a positive impact on the environment.
Our time of use rates will see "on-peak" from 1pm-8pm and "off-peak" from 8pm-1pm. This means you’ll see a discount in costs in the evening hours, allowing you to save money.
Together, BWL and our customers can use time of use rates to save money and lessen the impact on the environment and grid.
Beginning in September, customers saw a small static $0.88 “Low-Income Energy Assist Fund (LIEAF)" surcharge for electricity on their monthly BWL bills, which goes into a statewide fund to help eligible customers with more financial assistance if they’re struggling. This LIEAF money will be important as BWL has opted into PA95 ending the winter heating season shut-off moratorium, meaning electric shut-offs due to non-pay will continue year-round. BWL customers at risk of shut-off are eligible for Federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Michigan Energy Assistance Program (MEAP) funding assistance, and may also qualify for a winter protection payment plan. Additionally, seniors 65 and older and active military and their families are protected from electric shutoffs during the heating season. Contact 211 for payment assistance information, or the BWL to inquire about a payment plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please take a look at our FAQ section below, which answers our most commonly asked questions about time of use.
Time of use is about shifting your energy use to off-peak times when the cost to use and produce energy is cheaper. Our on-peak times are from 1pm-8pm. During this time, try to avoid using household items like your dishwasher, dryer, washing machine and other large appliances for the most cost savings. Shift your large appliance needs to 8pm-1pm.
The RES1 rate will be discontinued for everyone and all BWL customers will be transferred to the time of use rates on November 1, 2023.
Your rate will be transferred automatically on November 1 and no further action is needed by you. We suggest you check out our time of use rate and what it entails. You can also check out the electric rate calculator to see the cost savings you could achieve in the "off-peak" hours from 8-1pm compared to your normal RES1 rate that you are currently on through October 31.
The weekends, Saturday and Sunday, are always "off-peak" meaning you will be charged the off-peak rate at all hours of the day.
There are six NERC/MISO Off-Peak Holidays applicable to time of use, those include: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. If any of these holidays fall on a Sunday, the following Monday will be considered Off-Peak. Otherwise, the remaining holidays that fall on weekdays are treated as normal with "on-peak" hours that fall 1-8pm and "off-peak" hours that fall 8-1pm.
Customers can track their service consumption after signing up and logging into their Customer Self Service Portal. Once logged in, click the “Services & usage” tab found on the left side of the screen. On this page, customers are able to choose one of their services (electric or water) from the drop-down menu. Consumption history can be seen for a full year on the “Usage” tab or broken down by daily and hourly consumption under the “Daily Usage” tab. Customers are able to track kilowatt hour (kWh) for electric service and cubic feet (CF) for water service on these graphs for services provided by BWL.