One way to save money is to use a nightly electricity tariff. If you install a multi-tariff meter and use powerful household appliances mainly at night, you can significantly reduce costs.
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The essence of multi-tariff electricity metering
Throughout the day, electricity is consumed by the population unevenly. If during the day the stations operate at full capacity, then in the evenings the load on them is minimal. As a result, during the daytime, which is the peak of consumption, all generators work, while at night some of them stop.
The uneven operation of equipment that consumes a lot of fuel becomes the cause of resource overruns. As a result, the cost of electricity production is rising sharply.To reduce costs, suppliers have introduced a tariff differentiated by day zones. At night, electricity is cheaper, which encourages people to use it more actively at night, thereby shifting the maximum consumption. You can take advantage of the advantageous offer by installing a three-tariff or two-tariff meter.
What time does the nightly electricity tariff start?
There are 3 options for billing the consumption of electrical energy:
- single;
- two-zone;
- three-zone.
The coefficient of payment is single and constant, the time of day does not affect it.
If a single tariff is set, a traditional meter without differentiation is used to calculate costs. It is used only by those consumers who do not want to change equipment.
To use the dual-zone tariff, a dual-tariff meter must be installed. The equipment will read the consumption level in different time zones: from 7:00 to 23:00 there is a daily, more expensive, rate. AT 23:00 the device starts counting the costs at the night rate. When calculating payments for services, it is necessary to multiply the data from the meter by the tariff established in the region. In the utility receipt, the data is entered in 2 lines (for day and night rates).
The three-zone tariff works on a principle similar to the two-zone tariff, but the time frame here is somewhat different:
- night rate valid from 23:00 to 07:00;
- to semi-peak zones include intervals from 10:00 to 17:00 and from 21:00 to 23:00 hours;
- peak time - from 7:00 to 10:00 and from 17:00 to 21:00.
Each time period in the three-zone tariff has its own coefficient.But such a system has not been widely adopted due to the insignificant difference in the benefits of the peak and semi-peak periods.
Tariff duration
With the two-tariff method of calculation, the nightly tariff for electricity is applied, the time of its use is from 23:00 to 07:00. It is worth calculating how much you can save when using it.
For example, in 2018, the simple electricity tariff for the Moscow region is 4.04 rubles/kWh. If we consider a two-tariff system, then during daylight hours users pay 4.65 rubles/kWh, and in the dark, a tariff with a coefficient of 1.26 rubles/kWh is applied. Despite the fact that the difference between the single and daily two-rate system is 61 kopecks. in favor of the first, the savings are obvious. Electricity consumption at night will be more than 3 times cheaper.
Savings are possible only if a person is not at home during the daytime, but can do some household chores at night. Experts have calculated that switching to a differentiated tariff is beneficial if the consumer consumes at least 500 kWh per month.
Temporary peak zones
By following the daily dynamics, you can identify several temporary peak zones, or peak hours.
- The morning peak falls on the interval from 7:00 to 10:00.
- The morning peak is followed by the first half peak. This day zone includes the time from 10:00 to 17:00. There is a load on the network, but it is not too great.
- The evening peak starts at 17:00 and ends at 21:00.
- The duration of the second semi-peak zone is from 21:00 to 23:00.
The night zone does not belong to the peak, since from 23:00 to 07:00 the costs are minimal.To save on utility bills, you should install a special meter and try to use powerful appliances at night. On a two-tariff meter, day and night (evening) are indicated as T1 and T2. The first period starts at 7:00, the second - at 23:00. Peak hours are taken into account when using three-tariff meters.
Day-night rate
The two-phase method of calculating electricity is otherwise called the day-night tariff. It operates in many regions of our country, but the tariffs for the population vary. The differentiated regime is especially popular in the capital. It is beneficial for people who:
- actively use powerful electrical appliances, such as bread makers, boilers, dishwashers;
- equipped their apartments with underfloor heating or a convection heating system;
- have large country houses with an extensive lighting system, a well or sewer pump, etc.
The service is available only to those people who do not have debts for electricity, have paid a special fee for tariff identification and have signed an agreement with the supplier.
Benefits of night electricity tariff
The advantages of the feed-in tariff are obvious:
- Electricity consumers can achieve good money savings. To do this, you need to adjust your regimen by reducing daytime, but increasing nighttime electricity consumption.
- Suppliers are able to reduce the load on equipment, resulting in less wear and tear and fewer breakdowns. This allows you to save budget funds.
- An evenly distributed load on electrical networks is a good way to save fuel needed for power generation.
- Due to the absence of overloads, the amount of emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere is reduced.
- Modern metering devices are equipped with built-in memory modules. They allow you to save meter readings even if there is a power outage.
However, users should be aware that different cities have different preferential rates. Before switching to a differential system, experts recommend making calculations and finding out how profitable such a solution is. If only a refrigerator works in the house at night, the consumer should think about the need for a two-tariff system. Before the transition, you should calculate how long it will take to pay off the costs of new equipment and electrician services.
Disadvantages of the night rate
Differential tariff has not only advantages. The multi-tariff system also has several disadvantages:
- With an increase in nighttime power consumption, users have to monitor the operation of home appliances at night. As a result, a person is disturbed daily sleep and wakefulness, which is fraught with health problems.
- If the devices are left running unattended, there is a high risk of fire or flooding.
- Noisy appliances, such as a washing machine, can prevent neighbors or family members from getting a good night's sleep.
Another disadvantage is the initial cost of installing a new meter. However, when using a two-tariff meter, the savings are so great that they will pay off in the first year.
How to change the accounting system?
Those wishing to connect a more economical tariff should follow a few steps:
- Contact a company that is a service provider in the area.
- Visit the branch that deals with the execution of contracts for the supply of electricity to the population. The specialist will tell you if it is possible to switch to a differentiated system.
- Write an application for the installation of a two-tariff meter. It will be possible to switch to a new tariff only if there is no debt for electricity.
- Pay for the removal of the old electricity meter, as well as pay for new equipment, its installation, connection and configuration.
It is not at all necessary to purchase new two-tariff equipment from a company that supplies electricity. You can buy it yourself at any specialized store, but in this case, before installing the meter, you will need to check it out.
You can install meters of both domestic and foreign production, however, experts recommend opting for the Russian version. Such devices are adapted to power surges and have state certification. In addition, the cost of devices is lower, since the price is not affected by the exchange rate.
You can install and connect the meter yourself, but it is better to entrust this work to a qualified master. The specialist must have the appropriate electrical safety permit. As a result of the procedure, the consumer receives a special act, a copy of which is transferred to the sales company. In most regions of Russia, the power supply organization provides a full range of services for the transition to a differentiated tariff.
Modern two-tariff meters allow you to record not only the amount of electrical energy consumed, but also other network parameters. To find out the amount of electricity spent for the period of interest, you need to switch to identification mode by pressing a few buttons on the meter. This section provides data on energy consumption during the dark and daylight hours. Having learned how many kilowatts are spent day and night, you can calculate the costs for the month. The fixed difference is multiplied by the coefficients established in the region.
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