SRP Peak Hours Guide: Time-of-Use Plans, Rates, and How to Save
SRP's peak hours change by plan and season, so the cheapest time to run an appliance isn't always the same throughout the year. If you are on an older, grandfathered plan like the standard E-26 plan, summer peaks run from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., while winter uses morning and evening windows. However, because SRP closed the E-26 plan to new sign-ups, newer residential customers are typically on current standard plans like E-28 (which features a 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. summer peak window) or E-16. Here's how the different schedules work and what you can do to use less power during the most expensive hours.
Current SRP time-of-use plans (E-28 and E-16)
SRP’s peak hours depend on your specific time-of-use plan, with current options featuring Super Off-Peak discount windows and fixed evening peak hours year-round. Here is how current SRP pricing schedules work and how you can shift power usage to lower your monthly electric bill.
For new customers, SRP’s current time-of-use options center on E-28 (Conserve) and E-16 (Manage Demand). Both plans use year-round evening On-Peak periods and offer an 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Super Off-Peak window, giving customers a defined period to schedule flexible electricity use. The main difference is the evening peak schedule, with E-28 using a shorter 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. window and E-16 using a 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. window.
E-28 time-of-use hours (Conserve)
On-Peak: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding observed holidays.
Super Off-Peak: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Off-Peak: All remaining hours.
E-16 time-of-use hours (Manage Demand)
On-Peak: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding observed holidays.
Super Off-Peak: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Off-Peak: All remaining hours.
The 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Super Off-Peak period can be a useful time to schedule electricity-intensive activities such as running water heaters, dishwashers, pool pumps, and electric vehicle chargers, or pre-cooling your home before peak rates begin.
The EZ-3 Super Peak Plan
SRP’s EZ-3 plan is a legacy plan that is no longer open to new enrollment. Existing customers may have either the E-21 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. or E-22 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. weekday peak schedule, depending on their plan version. These legacy schedules should not be presented as current options for new customers.
Simple changes can also help reduce peak-hour usage. These ways to cut an electric bill can apply to SRP households on different time-of-use plans. For more control, stored power can be charged during lower-cost hours and used during applicable peak periods, which brings us to EcoFlow's home and portable power options.
Shifting usage away from SRP's peak hours
One way to avoid higher SRP rates is to charge a battery during off-peak hours and use that stored power during the 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. summer peak window. This can be especially useful in Arizona, where heavy AC use often coincides with SRP's peak hours. For households looking to shift more of their electricity use away from peak pricing, the EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra X provides a whole-home storage option. It delivers 12–36kW of output and 12–180kWh of capacity, giving you more flexibility to store power when rates are lower and use it when demand is higher.
If you don't need whole-home power, a portable option can give you more flexibility. The EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra is designed for essential appliances and devices while still providing enough output for higher-demand equipment.
Using stored power can help shift electricity use away from peak hours, but understanding why SRP sets these higher-rate periods makes the savings strategy clearer.
Why SRP Prices Electricity This Way
Time-of-use pricing is meant to change when customers use electricity. SRP has explained that its pricing structure encourages conservation during periods when demand is high. In Arizona, summer afternoons are a major part of that picture because air conditioners can run hard for hours at a time. Picture a typical July afternoon in Phoenix. It's hot outside, the AC is running, people are getting home from work, and electricity demand is climbing. That's the kind of period where shifting flexible loads can make a difference.
Air conditioning changes the equation
For most Arizona households, air conditioning is the big one. You can't move your entire cooling load to midnight. But you can make smaller adjustments during peak hours. Try raising the thermostat a few degrees during the afternoon if your household is comfortable doing so. Close blinds on sunny windows. Run ceiling fans where they help. Make sure your HVAC system isn't working harder than it needs to.
A smart thermostat can also help automate some of those adjustments. SRP and APS don't operate under exactly the same structure, either. SRP is a community-based public utility that serves much of the Phoenix area, while APS is an investor-owned utility. Their rate plans and peak schedules aren't interchangeable, so don't assume that an APS schedule applies to your SRP account.
Practical ways to lower an SRP bill
You don't have to change everything about how you use electricity to lower an SRP bill. Focusing on a few high-use activities during peak hours can make the biggest difference.
Shift appliance use
Run the laundry, dishwasher, and pool equipment before 2 p.m. or after 8 p.m. during summer. These are flexible loads that can usually be scheduled around SRP's peak window. Moving them to off-peak hours can help reduce the amount of higher-rate electricity your household uses without changing the way you use these appliances.
Adjust the thermostat
Raise the thermostat a few degrees during the 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. peak period instead of keeping it higher all day. This can reduce AC demand when SRP rates are higher while keeping your home comfortable during the rest of the day. Once the peak period ends, you can return the thermostat to your usual setting.
Consider solar power
Solar can also help reduce how much electricity you need to buy from the grid, which can be especially useful in a sunny state like Arizona. Before making a decision, see how much solar panels can save on an electricity bill and compare the potential savings with your household's actual energy use.
Conclusion
SRP peak hours depend on the plan and season. On E-26, summer peaks run from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., while winter has morning and evening peak periods. EZ-3 uses a fixed 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. window but is being phased out. Shifting laundry, pool equipment, and other flexible loads outside peak hours can help limit higher-rate usage. A battery system can also store electricity during off-peak periods and provide power when SRP rates are higher.
FAQs
What are SRP's peak hours in the summer?
For the E-26 plan, SRP's summer peak hours are 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday, from May 1 through October 31. Weekends and observed holidays are off-peak, giving you more flexibility to run appliances and other high-use equipment.
Do SRP peak hours change in the winter?
Yes. From November through April, E-26 has two weekday peak periods: 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The remaining hours, weekends, and observed holidays are off-peak, so flexible electricity use can be moved outside these windows.
What is the SRP EZ-3 plan?
SRP’s EZ-3 plan, also known as E-21, is a legacy plan with a 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekday peak period and is no longer open to new enrollments. New customers should review SRP’s current E-28 and E-16 plans, including their Super Off-Peak discount windows, while existing EZ-3 customers can remain on their current plan.
Are SRP rates the same on weekends?
Under E-26, weekends and observed holidays are off-peak throughout the year. This means you can schedule laundry, dishwashers, pool equipment, and other energy-intensive tasks on those days without falling into the weekday peak window.
Which SRP time-of-use plans can be used with home battery storage?
E-28 and E-16 both have a Super Off-Peak period from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Depending on your electricity usage and battery system, you can charge during lower-priced periods and use stored energy during applicable peak hours.
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