What are PG&E E-TOU-C peak hours?
On PG&E E-TOU-C, peak hours are 4 p.m.–9 p.m. (summer peak 52¢/kWh). Electricity is cheapest overnight and midday at about 37¢/kWh, so shifting heavy use — EV charging, laundry, pre-cooling — out of the 4 p.m.–9 p.m. window is where the savings come from. Winter peak is lower at 40¢/kWh.
Peak window
4 p.m.–9 p.m.
Summer peak
52¢/kWh
Cheapest
37¢/kWh
Peak vs cheapest
15¢/kWh
The PG&E E-TOU-C day, hour by hour
Hover any hour for its exact price. Toggle season and day type.
Summer
June 1 – September 30
| Period | Hours | $/kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Off-Peak | midnight–4 p.m., 9 p.m.–midnight | $0.40 |
| Peak | 4 p.m.–9 p.m. | $0.52 |
Winter
October 1 – May 31
| Period | Hours | $/kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Off-Peak | midnight–4 p.m., 9 p.m.–midnight | $0.37 |
| Peak | 4 p.m.–9 p.m. | $0.40 |
What it costs to run things at peak vs off-peak
Summer rates. Modeled by Energy Advisor from the prices above — representative energy use, not a billed amount.
| Task | At peak | Off-peak | You save |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charge an EV (full, ~Level 2) | $31.20 | $22.20 | $9.00 |
| Run central AC (3 hours) | $4.68 | $3.33 | $1.35 |
| Electric clothes dryer (1 load) | $1.56 | $1.11 | $0.45 |
| Run the dishwasher (1 cycle) | $0.78 | $0.55 | $0.23 |
| Electric oven (1 hour) | $1.20 | $0.85 | $0.35 |
Frequently asked questions
What are PG&E E-TOU-C peak hours? +
On PG&E E-TOU-C, peak hours are 4 p.m.–9 p.m. (summer peak 52¢/kWh). Electricity is cheapest overnight and midday at about 37¢/kWh, so shifting heavy use — EV charging, laundry, pre-cooling — out of the 4 p.m.–9 p.m. window is where the savings come from. Winter peak is lower at 40¢/kWh.
What is the cheapest time to use electricity on PG&E E-TOU-C? +
The cheapest time is the Off-Peak window (midnight–4 p.m., 9 p.m.–midnight), at about 37¢/kWh. Running your EV charger, dishwasher, laundry, and pre-cooling during these hours costs the least.
How much can I save by shifting usage off-peak on PG&E E-TOU-C? +
The gap between peak and the cheapest period is about 15¢/kWh in summer. For example, charging an EV (≈60 kWh) off-peak instead of during peak saves roughly $9.00 per full charge.
Who can sign up for PG&E E-TOU-C? +
Any PG&E residential customer. The default time-of-use plan.
About this data
Compiled and computed by Energy Advisor from Pacific Gas & Electric's published residential tariff (effective 2026-03-01). Peak/off-peak windows mirror the same billing engine that powers our free bill analysis. Free to reuse with attribution.
Other PG&E plans
Are you actually on the cheapest plan?
Ask the free Energy Advisor, or upload a bill right here to check your real usage against every PG&E plan.
Drop your bill to upload
More free energy tools
Data last updated June 18, 2026. Compiled by Energy Advisor from published utility tariffs.