Real Time Pricing

With Real Time Pricing….When you use electricity is just as important as how much electricity you use.

NineStar electric members are on a Real Time Pricing electric rate structure.

WHAT IS REAL TIME PRICING?

Real Time Pricing is the new time-based rate for Residential and General Service electric rates.  A time-based rate defines On-peak and Off-peak hours.  The charge for electricity is higher during On-peak hours than it is during Off-peak hours. 

  • You will receive lower rates during “off-peak” hours when overall energy demand is lower (before 4:00 p.m. and after 8:00 p.m.).
  • Electricity prices will be higher between 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday excluding holidays, when demand for energy and the cost of meeting that demand is greater.

HOW DO I SAVE MONEY ON REAL TIME PRICING?

Members are not required to change any of their habits on the real time pricing rate structure. However, further shifting your energy use to before 4:00 p.m. and after 8:00 p.m., when the cost of energy is lower, can help reduce your energy bill even more.

Use less energy during peak periods by:

  • Turning off all non-essential lighting and other electrical devices.
  • Pre-heating and cooling your home outside of peak hours.
  • Maintaining a conservative thermostat setting for heating and cooling.
  • Using timers to run appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines, electric water heaters, pool pumps, and ovens during off-peak hours
  • Charging electronics, Electric Vehicles (EV’s), tools or other devices during the off-peak hours.

Savings Tips

Here are some easy tips to get the most out of your Real Time Pricing rate plan.

With this kind of plan, when you use electricity is as important as how much you use.

learn more

Frequently Asked Questions

Real Time Pricing is the new time-based rate for Residential Service. A time-based rate defines On-peak and Off-peak hours.  The charge for electricity is higher during On-peak hours than it is during Off-peak hours.  NineStar On-peak hours are 4pm-8pm Monday – Friday.

NineStar is a distribution utility.  NineStar purchases power from a generation and transmission provider.  The charge for energy during the On-peak hours is higher than it is during the Off-peak hours.  A time-based rate passes those higher costs on to those members that use energy during the On-peak hours.

On-peak $0.15885

Off-peak $0.10885

Households that choose not to decrease energy usage during the On-peak hours will see an increase in their monthly bill.  Households that can decrease energy usage during the On-peak hours can minimize the impact the rate change will have on their electric bill.

The rate change will be applied to electric bills beginning in November 2022.

Yes.  Members can choose the newly named Peak Time Savings rate.  This was formerly known as Time of Use.  The Peak Time Savings rate allows members the opportunity for greater savings on their electric bill if they minimize electric usage during the On-peak hours.

Yes! You can still stay on Budget billing.

Yes.  Members can log in to SmartHub and see graphs of their usage broken down by the hour and grouped by On-peak and Off-peak usage.

Members do not have to change their household electricity usage.  Members can still use appliances, lighting, electronics, etc. at any time.  The cost of using those electric devices will just be more from 4pm-8pm Monday-Friday.

All residential members on the current flat rate will automatically be moved to the Real Time Pricing rate.  All residential members on the current Time of Use rate will automatically be moved to the Peak Time Savings rate.  Members that want to choose to switch options must contact NineStar’s office.

The Co-op Difference

NineStar Connect is a nonprofit electric and communications cooperative, so we don’t sell to customers or work for shareholders. Instead, we have members who are actually our owners.

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The Co-op Difference

NineStar Connect is a nonprofit electric and communications cooperative, so we don’t sell to customers or work for shareholders. Instead, we have members who are actually our owners.