ICC approves Commonwealth Edison rate pilot to encourage shift away from peak energy use

A proposed tariff for a Rate Residential Time of Use Pricing Pilot (RTOUPP) by the Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd) has been given the go-ahead by the Illinois Commerce Commission this week.

Initially filed in November last year, the incentivization scheme is meant to convince customers to shift energy use away from peak hours to times when energy and capacity costs are lower. The state is also taking the opportunity to remind customers that pilots like this can be beneficial for customers with high energy use that does not need to be done at a specific time — electric vehicles, for example, which can just as easily be charged during off-peak hours.

Under the new plan, ComEd can market Rate RTOUPP to customers, educate them about the benefits of time of use rates and spread overall awareness of the program. The marketing plan for it is still being tinkered together, but ComEd has announced plans to target electric vehicle owners specifically. The program will last four years, to gauge customers’ interest and, for the ICC, assess behavior, costs, and benefits.

“The Commission believes that residential customers will benefit from time of use pricing,” Commissioner Maria Bocanegra said.

Enrollment will begin in June 2020 and capped at 1,900 participants. It’s entirely voluntary and will offer three daily pricing periods for those interests: super peak, peak, and off-peak. Each will have different hourly prices determined by hourly energy prices.