TECO Energy Saver Program (Tampa Bay area)

[doehringm93]

Anyone here sign up for TECO's Energy Saver program? Looks like I'm currently .10/kWh and it looks like Energy Saver brackets usage times, so they're lower at night, which is when the cars charge and the AC runs (after 6PM when we get home).

Has anyone signed up yet? I'm curious to see what it saved everyone, if anything at all.

 

[suwaneedad]

FWIW, I've used the equivalent program in Georgia and it was a push when we just owned the LEAF. Now that we own LEAF+Model 3, I expect it to tilt in my favor. Here you have to commit to a year, which is fine because it's what enabled me to compare bills on the regular tariff vs the TOU tariff. Roughly a push. BUT, I have humans around 24x7 in my house since I work from home as does my wife. If you don't run your AC in the daytime, should be a no-brainer in Tampa to go to the TOU tariff.

 

[ewoodrick]

You look at the rate based on your car, look at it based on household usage. The car will be a pretty small part of your usage.
I think that you may find that it's not a huge savings, and on a hot summer, can be an expensive choice.

 

[doehringm93]

You look at the rate based on your car, look at it based on household usage. The car will be a pretty small part of your usage.
I think that you may find that it's not a huge savings, and on a hot summer, can be an expensive choice.

Comparing this year to last, looks like the cars (we have two Model 3s) are costing us about $70/month in electricity at 10c/kWh. I drive about 250 miles a week, my roommate maybe 20% less. The AC is the biggest contributor to the power bill, but the cars are certainly in 2nd place now.

 

[doehringm93]

FWIW, I've used the equivalent program in Georgia and it was a push when we just owned the LEAF. Now that we own LEAF+Model 3, I expect it to tilt in my favor. Here you have to commit to a year, which is fine because it's what enabled me to compare bills on the regular tariff vs the TOU tariff. Roughly a push. BUT, I have humans around 24x7 in my house since I work from home as does my wife. If you don't run your AC in the daytime, should be a no-brainer in Tampa to go to the TOU tariff.

Opposite for me. Two people in my household and we're both out of the house from 730AM - 5PM. The AC is set to shut off at 7AM and come back on at 415PM, so it's off most of the day.

My only concern with the TOU rates are that TECO can change the rates at any time they desire, which is explicitly stated in their terms. The 'critical' rate is almost 45c/kWh, which is crazy. The lowest will be around 5c/kWh between midnight and 6AM, which would be perfect for the car (and is also when we have the AC set to the lowest).

I'll have to read into it and see if there's a contracted term, like GA's 1 year you were referencing.

My other issue with it is they require you use their provided thermostat, which appears inferior to the NEST I currently have.

 

[suwaneedad]

Opposite for me. Two people in my household and we're both out of the house from 730AM - 5PM. The AC is set to shut off at 7AM and come back on at 415PM, so it's off most of the day.

My only concern with the TOU rates are that TECO can change the rates at any time they desire, which is explicitly stated in their terms. The 'critical' rate is almost 45c/kWh, which is crazy. The lowest will be around 5c/kWh between midnight and 6AM, which would be perfect for the car (and is also when we have the AC set to the lowest).

I'll have to read into it and see if there's a contracted term, like GA's 1 year you were referencing.

My other issue with it is they require you use their provided thermostat, which appears inferior to the NEST I currently have.

Georgia Power's TOU is 5 cents overnight (11p-7a), 15 cents normally, and 25 cents during summer weekday afternoons (2-7p). These rates are pre-tax and pre-fixed fees like nuke construction, which overall adds about a nickel to each of these rates.