Peak hours are typically 4 PM – 9 PM or 5 PM – 8 PM depending on your plan.
Estimated Monthly Cost: $0.00
Average Rate:0 ¢/kWh
*This estimation includes the basic delivery charge and current SCE generation rates. Taxes and CA Climate Credits are not included.
Understanding Your Southern California Edison (SCE) Bill
Managing electricity costs in Southern California requires an understanding of how SCE structures their pricing. Unlike a flat rate, SCE uses Time-of-Use (TOU) and Tiered rates that change based on the time of day, the season, and how much total energy you consume.
Time-of-Use (TOU) Plans Explained
Most SCE customers are now transitioned to TOU plans. On these plans, the price you pay for electricity depends on when you use it. Prices are significantly higher during "Peak" hours when demand on the grid is highest.
Peak Hours: Usually 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM or 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Rates can be double the off-peak price.
Off-Peak Hours: All other times, including late nights and mornings. These are the best times to run heavy appliances like dishwashers and dryers.
Super Off-Peak: Available on certain plans (like TOU-D-PRIME) during winter mid-days, specifically designed for EV charging and electric heating.
Tiered (Domestic) Rate Plan
The traditional Tiered plan does not care about the time of day. Instead, it tracks your cumulative usage throughout the month. Once you exceed your "Baseline" allowance (set by your region), the price per kWh increases. This is often better for households that cannot shift their energy usage away from evening hours.
Example Calculation
Suppose you are on the TOU-D-4-9PM plan during the summer and use 600 kWh in a month. If 30% of your usage (180 kWh) occurs during peak hours (4 PM – 9 PM) and 70% (420 kWh) occurs off-peak:
Peak Cost: 180 kWh × $0.54 = $97.20
Off-Peak Cost: 420 kWh × $0.33 = $138.60
Daily Delivery Charge: Approx. $0.03/day × 30 days = $0.90
Estimated Total: $236.70
Tips to Lower Your SCE Bill
Shift Load: Move laundry, dishwashing, and EV charging to before 4:00 PM or after 9:00 PM.
Pre-Cool Your Home: On hot summer days, run your AC at 72°F in the morning and early afternoon, then set it to 78°F during peak hours.
Check for Rebates: SCE offers rebates for smart thermostats and heat pump appliances which can lower your long-term consumption.
function calculateSCERate() {
var plan = document.getElementById("ratePlan").value;
var season = document.getElementById("season").value;
var kwh = parseFloat(document.getElementById("monthlyKwh").value);
var peakPct = parseFloat(document.getElementById("peakPercentage").value);
if (isNaN(kwh) || kwh <= 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid amount of kWh usage.");
return;
}
var totalCost = 0;
var avgRate = 0;
var peakRate = 0;
var offPeakRate = 0;
var deliveryCharge = 0.90; // Standard monthly minimum/daily base estimate
if (plan === "TOU-D-4-9") {
if (season === "summer") {
peakRate = 0.54;
offPeakRate = 0.33;
} else {
peakRate = 0.45;
offPeakRate = 0.31;
}
} else if (plan === "TOU-D-5-8") {
if (season === "summer") {
peakRate = 0.58;
offPeakRate = 0.32;
} else {
peakRate = 0.48;
offPeakRate = 0.31;
}
} else if (plan === "TOU-D-PRIME") {
if (season === "summer") {
peakRate = 0.54;
offPeakRate = 0.23; // High off-peak savings for EV users
} else {
peakRate = 0.50;
offPeakRate = 0.21;
}
} else if (plan === "TIERED") {
// Simplified Tiered: Tier 1 up to 350kWh, Tier 2 above
var tier1Limit = 350;
var tier1Rate = 0.31;
var tier2Rate = 0.41;
if (kwh <= tier1Limit) {
totalCost = kwh * tier1Rate;
} else {
totalCost = (tier1Limit * tier1Rate) + ((kwh – tier1Limit) * tier2Rate);
}
totalCost += deliveryCharge;
avgRate = (totalCost / kwh) * 100;
displaySCEOutcome(totalCost, avgRate);
return;
}
// Calculation for TOU Plans
if (isNaN(peakPct)) peakPct = 30;
var peakKwh = kwh * (peakPct / 100);
var offPeakKwh = kwh * (1 – (peakPct / 100));
totalCost = (peakKwh * peakRate) + (offPeakKwh * offPeakRate) + deliveryCharge;
avgRate = (totalCost / kwh) * 100;
displaySCEOutcome(totalCost, avgRate);
}
function displaySCEOutcome(total, avg) {
document.getElementById("sceResults").style.display = "block";
document.getElementById("totalCostDisplay").innerText = "$" + total.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById("avgRateDisplay").innerText = avg.toFixed(1);
}
// Logic to hide/show peak percentage based on plan
document.getElementById("ratePlan").onchange = function() {
var section = document.getElementById("peakUsageSection");
if (this.value === "TIERED") {
section.style.display = "none";
} else {
section.style.display = "block";
}
};