SCE Time of Use rates: What Southern California Edison customers need to know in 2026

August can be one of the most expensive months for SCE customers. Summer rates are in effect from June through September, and hot weather can significantly increase air-conditioning use. If you’re an SCE customer on a time-of-use (TOU) rate plan, understanding how it works can make a real difference on your bill.

SCE has been moving residential customers to TOU pricing—a structure where what you pay for your electricity changes based on the time of day and season. Cheaper overnight, more expensive during weekday evenings when demand peaks. SCE also offers a tiered rate plan for customers who prefer a fixed structure. This guide focuses on SCE’s current TOU plans, with current pricing and a plain-language guide to 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.

Under a TOU rate plan, what you pay per kilowatt-hour changes based on the time of day and the season. During peak demand hours—when a lot of households are using energy at once—SCE charges more. During off-peak hours, you pay less.

SCE currently offers three residential TOU plans, plus a tiered rate plan for customers who prefer a fixed per-kWh structure. All three TOU plans share the same basic structure: cheaper overnight power, more expensive weekday evening power. The differences come down to how wide the peak window is, how much you pay during it, and whether you receive a baseline credit.

There’s also a fixed $0.79 per day Base Services Charge on all three TOU plans—a charge that applies regardless of how much electricity you use.

Here's how the three plans compare using current 2026 rates from SCE's official rate page:

Rates sourced from SCE's official rate page, effective 2026. Always confirm current pricing before switching plans.

TOU-D-4-9pm: the default plan for most customers

TOU-D-4-9pm is a common option for non-solar customers. Peak hours run 4 to 9 pm on weekdays—a five-hour window when summer rates hit 58 cents per kWh. Off-peak hours cost 34 cents per kWh in summer.

The plan includes a 10-cent-per-kWh baseline credit on your monthly allocation, which can soften your bill if your household stays close to its allotted usage.

Summer weekday rate breakdown:

• Off-peak (midnight to 4 pm): 34¢/kWh (24¢ after baseline credit)

• On-peak (4-9 pm): 58¢/kWh (48¢ after baseline credit)

• Off-peak (9 pm to midnight): 34¢/kWh (24¢ after baseline credit)

TOU-D-5-8pm: shorter window, higher peak rate

This plan narrows the peak window to just three hours—5-8 pm on weekdays—but charges significantly more during those hours: 74 cents per kWh in summer. That's the highest peak rate of any SCE residential plan.

The tradeoff is straightforward: if you can genuinely avoid using major appliances between 5-8 pm, the shorter window gives you more flexibility. If dinner, laundry, and AC use regularly overlap with that window, TOU-D-4-9 pm is usually the safer bet.

Summer weekday rate breakdown:

• Off-peak (midnight to 5 pm): 34¢/kWh (24¢ after baseline credit)

• On-peak (5-8 pm): 74¢/kWh (64¢ after baseline credit)

• Off-peak (8 pm to midnight): 34¢/kWh (24¢ after baseline credit)

TOU-D-PRIME: for EVs, batteries, heat pumps, and solar

TOU-D-PRIME has the same 4-9 pm weekday peak window as TOU-D-4-9pm, but with lower off-peak rates (26 cents per kWh in summer vs. 34 cents), no baseline credit, and eligibility restricted to customers with an EV, plug-in hybrid, home battery, or electric heat pump. It is also the required plan for all new solar customers on SCE's Solar Billing Plan.

The lower off-peak rate makes this plan particularly valuable for EV owners who charge during off-peak hours or households with a battery that can store cheap off-peak power for use during the 4-9 pm peak window.

Summer weekday rate breakdown:

• Off-peak (midnight to 4 pm): 26¢/kWh

• On-peak (4-9 pm): 59¢/kWh

• Off-peak (9 pm to midnight): 26¢/kWh

TOU-D-4-9pm is likely the right fit if:

• You're a typical household without an EV, battery, or solar

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

• Your household uses significant electricity in the evening and avoiding a 4-9 pm peak window would be difficult 

To make the most of this plan, shift energy use out of the peak 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 peak hours and let your home stay comfortable on stored cool air. A smart thermostat can automate this entirely.

TOU-D-5-8pm might suit you better if:

• You can reliably finish dinner, laundry, and most appliance use before 5 pm

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

• Your household is small and evening energy use is genuinely minimal

The math only works if you can actually avoid that 5-8 pm window most days. If you can't, you'll pay 74 cents per kWh during peak—the highest rate on any SCE residential plan.

You should be on TOU-D-PRIME if:

• You applied for solar after NEM 2.0 closed in April 2023 (Solar Billing Plan customers are required to be on TOU-D-PRIME)

• You own an EV and charge overnight

• You have a home battery that can store cheap off-peak power and discharge during the 4-9 pm peak

• You have a heat pump water heater or heat pump HVAC

Not sure which plan you're on or which would cost you less? SCE'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 TOU plan determines how much you’re credited for the electricity your panels export to the grid. SCE’s Solar Billing Plan replaced NEM 2.0 for new solar customers in April 2023. If you applied for solar after NEM 2.0 closed, you’re generally on the Solar Billing Plan and required to be on TOU-D-PRIME. Your export credits are based on the value of energy exported to the grid rather than the full retail rate.

Because residential solar systems often produce much of their electricity during the middle of the day, some of that energy may be exported to the grid when SCE’s export-credit values are lower than the value of electricity during on-peak hours. Pairing solar with a battery can help address this—by storing midday production and discharging it during the 4-9 pm on-peak window, you capture more value from every kWh your system generates.

Understanding your SCE rate plan is the first step. The next is making sure your home is set up to take advantage of it. Whether you’re thinking about solar, a home battery, or just want to lower your electric bill, EnergySage can help. Compare solar quotes from vetted local installers or explore home battery options to start reducing your peak-hour energy use.