Starting May 4, Seattle residents can opt into a new "Time of Use" rate plan from the municipal utility Seattle City Light. Unlike private utilities, Seattle City Light was founded in 1902 as a city-owned utility operating for the public good rather than for shareholders. All revenues go toward maintaining infrastructure and lowering prices, and rates are approved by the city council following public hearings. Discount programs are available for low-income residents, and as a result electricity prices in Seattle are on average 15–20% lower than those of private companies in neighboring counties in Washington state.
The new plan charges different rates depending on the time of day. The peak period (5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.) will cost twice as much as the cheapest nighttime rate, and the mid-peak period (6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. to midnight) will be 1.75 times as expensive. On Sundays and holidays the mid-peak rate applies all day.
A "smart" meter is required to enroll — you can identify it by the seven-digit number that begins with a two. Participants will be able to track their usage through the online Energy Insights platform, which compares bills under the standard and the new rate. The utility hopes people will shift appliance use to off-peak hours, reducing strain on the grid and avoiding costly infrastructure upgrades.
The reason for the change is growing demand for electricity. More residents are heating and cooling homes, cooking on electric stoves and charging electric vehicles, and the state's hydroelectric plants are already operating near capacity. At the same time, clean-energy mandates are taking effect — namely the 2019 Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA), which requires that by 2045 100% of the state's electricity come from carbon-free sources. For Seattle City Light, which already gets roughly 90% of its power from hydroelectric sources (including its own dams on the Skagit River and the Boundary Dam), this means phasing out the remaining 10% — mainly purchased power from coal and gas plants. The utility must develop plans to replace those contracts with solar, wind or battery projects, which could temporarily raise rates by 4–6% because of investments in new infrastructure. Hydropower remains the backbone of the system, and the utility is working on dam upgrades to minimize environmental impacts on fish populations. "Meeting demand is getting harder and more expensive, especially on the coldest days," says Seattle City Light spokesperson Julie Moore.
So far 900 households have signed up for the rate. In the pilot program (2020–2023), 200 participants saved an average of $12 per month, or $144 per year. The utility has already released recommendations: for example, run washers and dishwashers at night, unplug unused devices and use timers. The key is to understand how your schedule can save you money without undue inconvenience.
Based on: Seattle City Light launches new ‘Time of Use’ electricity rate