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Nighttime is the Right Time to Charge Your EV

Upstate NY customers can reduce your costs with the voluntary time-of-use rate (SC-1 VTOU) by charging your electric vehicle during the off-peak hours of 11pm to 7am. Most EVs can be easily programmed to charge during these hours using an onboard timer, mobile app, outlet timer, or EV charging station.

Boy Watching Woman Plug In Electric Vehicle

This rate has three key features for EV drivers:

  1. Upstate NY customers can reduce their energy costs by shifting their EV charging – and other appliance use – to the off-peak hours of 11 pm to 7 am.
  2. After the first year on this rate, National Grid will reconcile the total amount paid with what you would have paid on the standard, non-time-of-use SC-1 rate. If you would have paid less on the SC-1 rate, then we will provide you with a one-time bill credit for the difference. This reconcilement will only occur at the end of the first year and not in subsequent years. Please see below for more information regarding eligibility for this reconcilement.
  3. Every year, on an annual basis, you have the option to stay on the SC-1 VTOU rate or return to the SC-1 rate.

To sign up, email us to express interest in the VTOU rate or call 1-800-664-6729, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Differences between VTOU and TOU

The following FAQS explain some of the differences between VTOU and TOU.  

Both rates are designed for customers who can shift their electric use to off-peak time periods.

  • TOU:  eg. Religious Establishments, Farms, Larger use premises
  • VTOU: e.g. Residential customers, Electric Vehicle (EV) owners
Details TOU VTOU
A charge to cover costs for meter reading, billing, equipment and maintenance. This charge is the same regardless of how much energy is used during the billing period. Yes
$30.62		 Yes
$17.33
Incremental Customer Charge n/a $3.11 fee will be waived for VTOU customers that have proof of an electric vehicle at the residence as of 4/1/19
Time Frames Dec - Feb June - August Sept - Nov March - May Delivery Rate Period Commodity (Supply) Rate Period
On Peak 5pm-8pm weekdays 11am-5pm weekdays All hours All hours 7am-11pm 7am-11pm
$0.07863 *See Note
Off Peak 8pm-9am weekdays

All hours on weekends

including: 12/25 & 1/1		 8pm-8am weekdays

All hours on weekends

including: 7/4		 All hours All hours 11pm-7am 11pm-7am
$0.01092 *See Note
Shoulder Peak 9am-5pm weekdays 8am-11am, 5pm-8pm
weekdays		 n/a n/a n/a n/a
Super Peak n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 2pm-6pm (June-August)
excluding weekends and holidays

*Note VTOU Rates shown are effective April 1, 2021

Supply rates are located here: 

TOU 
Customers are billed for electricity based on kWh usage in the periods outlined in the above question - rates change monthly

VTOU
SC1-VTOU customers are billed for electricity based on kWh usage in the periods outlined in the above question. Customers will be charged the lowest delivery and commodity rates during the off-peak period, higher deliver and commodity rates during the on-peak period, and the highest commodity rate during the super-peak period.

Savings are contingent on the customer's ability to shift their use to off-peak time periods.

TOU       
The Time of Use meter records the consumption as well as the time of day and season of the year in which it is used. The Time of Use rate will likely provide you with a savings if you use at least 2500 kwh/ month and can shift 80% of your electric usage to off peak/off season periods.

VTOU

  • Each customer’s savings will vary based on factors such as the number of EV miles driven, percent of EV home charging, time the vehicle charges (e.g. on-peak, off-peak, super-peak) and the ability to shift other equipment in the home to off peak.
  • For example, a household using 650 kWh per month and 360 kWh per month for off-peak EV charging (approximately 12,000 miles per year) is estimated to save approximately $175 per year.

TOU: Yes

VTOU: Yes. Customers will be charged the applicable on-peak and off-peak delivery rates and supply will continue to be billed in accordance with the terms of your ESCo agreement. However, you cannot be enrolled with an ESCo if you want/have the comparison rate.

TOU:  N/A

VTOU 

  • Available for 1st time customers enrolling in rate. You must provide National Grid with a copy of the EV vehicle registration at your residence.Commodity supply is provided by National Grid, not an ESCo.. If 12 month contract is broken the comparison rate is terminated and no credit will be awarded, if applicable.
  • Customers have the option of receiving a one-time comparison of one year of charges on the SC-1 VTOU services versus the SC-1 standard tariff. The comparison is based on the 12-month period beginning with the bill period following the Company’s receipt of vehicle registration. If you would have paid less on the SC-1 standard rate, excluding the balance of ESRM charge, then the Company will provide you with a one-time bill credit for the difference.

TOU:  N/A

VTOU

  • Copy of NYS vehicle registration required for Comparison rate
  • Registration and CSS address must match. If company vehicle, Registration name and customer name must match. (Comparison rate can only be added to one account if customer has multiple VTOU accounts)

TOU

  • Yes. Customers are required to stay on the rate for one year. At the end of the year customers can opt to move back to an SC-1 Standard tariff rate
  • Verbal agreement required (paper is accepted still)  

VTOU

  • Yes. Customers are required to stay on the rate for one year. At the end of the year customers can opt to move back to an SC-1 Standard tariff rate.
  • Paper application required.

TOU:  Yes

 VTOU: Yes

TOU

VTOU  National Grid at this time does not have an EV charging rate for MA customers.

FAQs

The SC-1 VTOU rate includes three rate periods: on-peak, off-peak and super-peak. The hour breakdown is as follows:

Delivery Rate Period Commodity(Supply) Rate Period
On-Peak 7am-11pm 7am-11pm
Off-Peak 11pm-7am 11pm-7am
Super-Peak N/A 2pm-6pm (June-August)*

*Excluding weekends and holidays

SC1-VTOU customers are billed for electricity based on kWh usage in the periods outlined in the above question. Customers will be charged the lowest delivery and commodity rates during the off-peak period, higher deliver and commodity rates during the on-peak period, and the highest commodity rate during the super-peak period.

Each customer’s savings will vary based on factors such as the number of EV miles driven, percent of EV home charging, time the vehicle charges (e.g. on-peak, off-peak, super-peak) and the ability to shift other equipment in the home to off-peak.

For example, a household using 650 kWh per month and 360 kWh per month for off-peak EV charging (approximately 12,000 miles per year) is estimated to save approximately $175 per year.

EV drivers on the SC-1 VTOU rate receiving commodity through National Grid have the option of receiving a one-time comparison of one year of charges on the SC-1 VTOU services versus the SC-1 standard tariff (excluding incremental customer charge of $3.11/month for a new meter and the hedge adjustment component of the Electric Supply Reconciliation Mechanism.) The comparison is based on the 12-month period beginning with the bill period following the Company’s receipt of vehicle registration. If the comparison indicates you would have paid less on the SC-1 standard tariff rate then the Company will provide you with a one-time bill credit for the difference. At that time, and on an annual basis, you may choose to stay on the SC-1 VTOU or leave it.

Please note: eligibility for the one-time reconcilement requires that:

  • You provide National Grid with a copy of the EV vehicle registration at your residence when enrolling in the SC-1 VTOU rate.
  • Commodity supply is provided by National Grid, not an ESCo.

Yes. Customers are required to stay on the rate for one year. At the end of the year customers can opt to move back to SC-1 Standard tariff rate or to the SC-1C Optional Large Time of Use rate.

Yes. SC-1 VTOU customers require a time-of-use meter. SC-1 VTOU customers are charged a monthly $3.11 fee to cover the cost of the enhanced metering necessary to record the usage in the three time periods.

If you are ready to enroll, simply download the enrollment form, fill it out, and return to:

National Grid
300 Erie Blvd. West
Syracuse, NY 13202
Attn: AMO - C&I

For more details, please email us anytime or call us at 1-800-664-6729, Monday through Friday,  from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

National Grid at this time does not have an EV charging rate for MA. Please check back periodically for updates.