08/28/2026
⚡️ EL PASO — LET’S LOWER THAT ELECTRIC BILL! 🏠☀️
I’ve been digging into El Paso Electric’s current rates because our summer electric bills have gotten expensive.
And I learned something important:
There are TWO very different EPE residential rate strategies.
🏠 STANDARD RESIDENTIAL:
Most customers are on this type of plan.
During May–October, the current energy charge is:
⚡ First 600 kWh: 12.897¢/kWh
⚡ Over 600 kWh: 13.897¢/kWh
The important part:
👉 It does NOT cost more just because you use electricity at 4 PM instead of 8 PM.
Your biggest goal is simply:
USE FEWER TOTAL kWh.
⏰ TIME-OF-DAY OPTION:
This is an optional EPE rate plan.
During June–September:
🟢 OFF-PEAK: 8.638¢/kWh
🔴 WEEKDAY 2–7 PM PEAK: 31.826¢/kWh
That peak energy charge is about 3.68 TIMES the off-peak rate!
So TOD customers have a different goal:
👉 MOVE AS MUCH ELECTRICITY AS PRACTICAL OUTSIDE 2–7 PM.
🏡 OUR 915HOMES PRACTICAL THERMOSTAT STRATEGY:
❤️ HOME: 75°F
😴 SLEEPING: 72°F
💼 AWAY: Up to 80°F
The idea is simple:
Why pay to keep an empty house at 75°?
Let it get warmer while everyone is gone and use your thermostat to have the house comfortable when you need it.
If you’re on TOD, consider pre-cooling BEFORE 2 PM and letting the house coast through the expensive 2–7 PM period.
Then after 7 PM, bring it back to your comfort setting and eventually your 72° sleeping temperature.
💡 **OTHER WAYS TO FIGHT THE EL PASO HEAT-HELPFUL HINTS: **
☀️ Close blinds and curtains on WEST-facing windows before the afternoon sun hits.
🪟 Consider solar screens or appropriate heat-rejecting window film tinting.
🌀 Run ceiling fans ONLY when people are in the room. Fans cool people—not empty rooms.
🚪 Check doors and windows for air gaps. If you can see sunlight through a closed exterior door or window gap, investigate and seal the leak.
🏠 Check your attic insulation.
🌬️ Check ductwork for leaks.
🧹 Keep your A/C filter clean.
🎨 When repainting or replacing a roof, consider lighter/high-reflectance surfaces that absorb less solar heat.
🧺 TOD CUSTOMERS: Try to run the washer, dryer and dishwasher BEFORE 2 PM or AFTER 7 PM instead of during peak hours.
🚪 Be careful about closing HVAC vents in unused rooms. Closing too many vents can interfere with airflow, so ask an HVAC professional what your system is designed to handle.
📊 HERE’S A REALISTIC EXAMPLE
EPE says an average household typically uses around 1,000 kWh/month during summer.
Using 1,000 kWh as our sample:
STANDARD customer + energy charges ≈ $146.68
If a TOD household managed to use only about 10% of its electricity during peak hours:
TOD customer + energy charges ≈ $123.28
That’s roughly $23 less in this example.
BUT…
If too much electricity is used from 2–7 PM, TOD can actually cost MORE than Standard.
Our math puts the approximate break-even point around 20% peak usage for this 1,000-kWh example.
🟢 BELOW ~20% peak usage → TOD may save money
⚖️ AROUND ~20% → approximately even
🔴 ABOVE ~20% → Standard may be cheaper
Actual bills include other EPE charges, riders and adjustments, so these numbers are examples—not a promise of savings.
⭐ THE BIG IDEA
Don’t make yourself miserable.
SAVE ENERGY WHEN YOU’RE GONE SO YOU CAN BE COMFORTABLE WHEN YOU’RE HOME.
Comfort when you’re home. ❤️
Savings when you’re away. 💰
Smart energy every day. ⚡️
— J.R. Fletcher
915Homes.com
📱 915-329-6015
📧 [email protected]
Helping El Paso Families Since 2004!
