PG&E peak hours: what you need to know in 2026

If you're a PG&E customer, the time of day you use electricity matters just as much as how much you use. PG&E's residential rate plans are built around time-of-use (TOU) pricing—a structure where what you pay for your electricity changes based on when you use it. During on-peak hours, rates are significantly higher. During off-peak hours, you pay less.

Understanding when PG&E's peak hours are—and which rate plan you're on—is one of the most straightforward ways to lower your monthly bill. This guide covers PG&E's current rate plans, with current pricing and a plain-language breakdown of which plan suits which kind of household.

For a broader look at peak and off-peak hours by utility across the U.S., see our guide to when electricity is cheapest.

For most PG&E residential customers, on-peak hours run from 4 pm to 9 pm. During these hours, the grid is under the most demand—people are home from work, running appliances, cooking dinner, and cooling or heating their homes—and PG&E charges its highest rates to reflect that.

Outside of peak hours, PG&E charges lower off-peak rates. On the E-ELEC plan, there's also a partial-peak window from 3 to 4 pm at an intermediate price.

One important distinction: peak hours apply to E-TOU-C and E-ELEC every day, including weekends and holidays. On E-TOU-D, peak hours apply only on non-holiday weekdays—making weekends fully off-peak.

Here's how PG&E's current residential TOU plans compare, using rates from PG&E's official rate plan pricing page, effective March 2026:

Rates sourced from PG&E's official rate plan pricing page, effective March 2026. Always confirm current pricing at pge.com before switching plans.

E-TOU-C: peak pricing 4–9 pm every day

E-TOU-C is PG&E's standard TOU plan for most residential customers. On-peak hours run from 4 to 9 pm every day—including weekends and holidays—when summer on-peak rates reach 44–52 cents per kWh depending on whether you're above or below your baseline allowance. Off-peak hours cost 32–40 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in summer.

The plan includes a baseline allowance—an allotment of electricity priced at the lowest rate, based on where you live and the season. Electricity used above your baseline costs more.

Summer weekday rate breakdown:

• Off-peak (midnight to 4 pm): 32¢/kWh (below baseline) / 40¢/kWh (above baseline)

• On-peak (4-9 pm): 44¢/kWh (below baseline) / 52¢/kWh (above baseline)

• Off-peak (9 pm to midnight): 32¢/kWh (below baseline) / 40¢/kWh (above baseline)

E-TOU-D: peak pricing 5-8 pm weekdays

E-TOU-D narrows the on-peak window to just three hours—5 to 8 pm on non-holiday weekdays—and charges 48 cents per kWh during summer on-peak hours. Weekends and holidays are fully off-peak at 34 cents per kWh in summer, making this plan attractive for households that use significant electricity on weekends or whose schedules make weekday evenings easier to manage.

The tradeoff: if you can't reliably avoid the 5–8 pm window on weekdays, you'll pay a higher peak rate than on E-TOU-C. If your schedule allows it, the shorter window and weekend flexibility can work in your favor.

Summer weekday rate breakdown:

• Off-peak (midnight to 5 pm): 34¢/kWh

• On-peak (5–8 pm): 48¢/kWh

• Off-peak (8 pm to midnight): 34¢/kWh

E-ELEC: the electric home rate plan

E-ELEC is designed for all-electric homes—households that have replaced gas appliances with electric alternatives like heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, and electric stoves. It includes a fixed Base Services Charge, implemented in March 2026, in exchange for lower per-kWh rates overall.

The plan shares the same 4–9 pm on-peak window as E-TOU-C but adds a partial-peak period from 3 to 4 pm at 55 cents per kWh in summer—the highest rate of any PG&E residential plan. Off-peak rates are 33 cents per kWh in summer.

Summer weekday rate breakdown:

• Off-peak (midnight to 3 pm): 33¢/kWh

• Partial peak (3–4 pm): 55¢/kWh

• On-peak (4–9 pm): 39¢/kWh

• Off-peak (9 pm to midnight): 33¢/kWh

EV rate plans

PG&E offers dedicated EV rate plans for customers who charge electric vehicles at home. The two primary options are EV2-A and EV-B, each with different peak windows and pricing structures designed to reward overnight or off-peak charging.

On EV2-A, summer on-peak rates reach 54 cents per kWh, but off-peak rates drop to 23 cents—the lowest of any PG&E residential plan. EV-B has a different structure with on-peak rates reaching 62 cents per kWh in summer. Both plans are designed to make off-peak EV charging significantly cheaper than peak-hour charging.

Given the complexity of EV rate structures, we recommend using PG&E's Rate Plan Comparison Tool to determine which EV plan makes sense for your actual usage and charging habits.

E-TOU-C is likely the right fit if:

• You're on a standard residential plan without an EV, home battery, or all-electric appliances

• You can shift laundry, dishwasher, and other heavy appliance use to before 4 pm or after 9 pm

• Your household uses electricity on weekends and you want consistent pricing all week

To make the most of this plan, shift energy use out of the 4–9 pm window wherever you can. Run your dishwasher and laundry after 9 pm—most modern appliances have delay-start features that make this easy. Pre-cool your home before 4 pm, then raise your thermostat during on-peak hours. 

E-TOU-D might suit you better if:

• You can reliably avoid the 5–8 pm window on weekdays

• You use significant electricity on weekends and want them fully off-peak

• You work from home and can run heavy loads during the day

The math only works if you can actually avoid that 5–8 pm window most weekdays. If weekday evenings are consistently busy for your household, E-TOU-C's broader but more predictable structure may be the safer choice.

E-ELEC is worth considering if:

• Your home is fully electric or you're in the process of electrifying

• You can avoid the partial-peak window (3–4 pm) as well as the on-peak window (4–9 pm)

• You're comfortable with a fixed Base Services Charge in exchange for lower per-kWh rates

An EV rate plan is right if:

• You own an EV and can shift the bulk of your charging to off-peak hours

• You want the lowest possible off-peak rate to minimize charging costs

Not sure which plan fits your usage? PG&E's Rate Plan Comparison Tool analyzes your actual usage history and shows you how your bill would change under each option.

For solar customers, your rate plan determines how much you're credited for electricity your panels export to the grid.

If you applied for solar after PG&E's NEM 2.0 program closed, you're on PG&E's Solar Billing Plan. That means your export credits are based on the avoided cost rate rather than the full retail rate. Because residential solar systems often produce the most electricity between 10 am and 2 pm—squarely in the off-peak window—some of that energy may be exported to the grid when rates are lower than during on-peak hours.

Pairing solar with a home battery can help you earn more incentive back this. By storing midday production and discharging it during the 4–9 pm on-peak window instead of exporting it at off-peak rates, you capture more value from every kWh your system generates.

Understanding your PG&E rate plan and peak hours is the first step. Whether you're thinking about solar, a home battery, or just want to lower your monthly bill, EnergySage can help.

Compare solar quotes from vetted local installers or explore home battery options to start reducing your on-peak energy costs.