Pricing is a matter of timing in Ontario

If you throw in a load of laundry at five o'clock on a weekday afternoon, it will cost you 73 cents. But if you delay that chore until late in the evening, you'll pay just 34 cents.

Ontario is the first province in Canada to introduce time-of-use pricing designed to encourage electricity consumers to reduce consumption and run appliances during periods of lower demand, when power tends to come from cheaper, cleaner sources.

Residential electricity consumers are charged a premium when they consume power during weekday peak periods — from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the winter months. They get a discount when they run the dishwasher after hours.

In Toronto, about 500,000 households were on time-of-use rates by the end of 2009. Toronto Hydro plans to hook up its remaining 188,000 customers by the end of March.

Ontario has introduced time-of-use pricing, charging more for electricity used at peak hours.

WEEKDAY PRICING:

SUMMER (May 1 to October 31)

Off-peak / 9. p.m. to 7 a.m.

Mid-peak / 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. / 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

On-peak / 11 a.m to 5 p.m.

WINTER (Nov. 1 to April 30)

Off-peak / 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Mid-peak / 11 a.m to 5 p.m.

On-peak / 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. / 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

WEEKENDS AND STATUTORY HOLIDAYS: all hours are off peak

APPLIANCE / Off-peak 4.4¢ per kWh / Mid-peak, 8¢ per kWh / On-peak. 9.3¢ per kWh

Clothes dryer (one load) / 10¢ / 18¢ / 20¢

Clothes washer (one load/hot wash*) / 34¢ / 62¢ / 73¢

Clothes washer (one load/cold wash) / 5¢ / 9¢ / 10¢

Electric stove (one family meal) / 22¢ / 40¢ / 47¢

Dishwasher (one load)* / 16¢ / 29¢ / 33¢

AC central 25°C (one hour) / 12¢ / 22¢ / 26¢

AC central 20°C (one hour) / 14¢ / 26¢ /30¢

*Cost of electrical water heating included