ConEd Residential Voluntary TOU (SC3/EL1-TOD) — Field Guide

⚠️ Disclaimer: This guide was generated by an LLM (Claude Opus 4.5) based on the tariff JSON plus the model's background knowledge of utility rate structures. The content looks reasonable but has not been verified by domain experts. Please verify any claims before relying on them for business or regulatory purposes.

Data Source: This guide covers tariff data from the Arcadia Signal API (formerly Genability). The JSON structure, field names, and lookup mechanisms described here are specific to Arcadia's tariff data model. The full JSON output is included below for reference.

Master Tariff ID: 3220724 Tariff Code: EL1 Tariff Name: Residential and Religious, Voluntary Time of Day Customer Class: Residential Tariff Type: ALTERNATIVE (opt-in)

Overview

SC3 is ConEd's voluntary time-of-use (TOU) rate for residential customers. Unlike the default SC1 tariff, SC3 charges different rates depending on when you use electricity:

On-Peak (8am–midnight): Higher rates
Off-Peak (midnight–8am): Significantly lower rates

This structure rewards customers who can shift consumption to overnight hours—charging EVs at night, running dishwashers after midnight, pre-cooling homes before the afternoon peak. The summer on-peak rate is ~14x more expensive than off-peak, creating strong incentive to shift load.

Key Differences from SC1 (Default Rate)

Aspect	SC1 (Default)	SC3 (Voluntary TOU)
TOU	No	Yes (On-Peak/Off-Peak)
Tiering	Yes (≤250 kWh / >250 kWh)	No
Tariff Type	DEFAULT	ALTERNATIVE
Best for	Average usage patterns	Flexible schedules, EV owners, night owls

Who This Rate Is For

SC3 makes sense for customers who can shift significant consumption to off-peak hours:

EV owners who can charge overnight
Homes with battery storage that can time-shift
Night-shift workers with naturally offset schedules
Customers with smart thermostats that can pre-cool/pre-heat

If most of your usage is during daytime/evening hours, SC1 may be cheaper.

TOU Schedule

SC3 uses the same TOU periods year-round for both summer and winter:

Hour:     0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
          |←────── OFF-PEAK ──────→|←──────────────── ON-PEAK ────────────────→|
          midnight          8am    8am                                     midnight

Period	Hours	Days	Description
Off-Peak	12:00 AM – 8:00 AM	All days	Cheapest rates
On-Peak	8:00 AM – 12:00 AM	All days	Higher rates

Key details:

Same schedule applies all 7 days of the week (no weekday/weekend distinction)
Same schedule applies year-round (no seasonal schedule change)
However, rates differ by season (Summer vs Winter on-peak rates are different)

Quick Reference: All Charges

Fixed Charges

Rate Name	Charge Type	Rate Value
Customer Charge	FIXED_PRICE	$20.00/mo
Billing and Payment Processing	FIXED_PRICE	$1.28/mo

Delivery Energy Charges (TOU)

Delivery rates vary by zone, season, and TOU period. No tiering.

Zone	Season	TOU Period	Rate
H	Summer	On-Peak	$0.3523/kWh
H	Summer	Off-Peak	$0.0249/kWh
H	Winter	On-Peak	$0.1305/kWh
H	Winter	Off-Peak	$0.0249/kWh
I	Summer	On-Peak	$0.3523/kWh
I	Summer	Off-Peak	$0.0249/kWh
I	Winter	On-Peak	$0.1305/kWh
I	Winter	Off-Peak	$0.0249/kWh
J	Summer	On-Peak	$0.3523/kWh
J	Summer	Off-Peak	$0.0249/kWh
J	Winter	On-Peak	$0.1305/kWh
J	Winter	Off-Peak	$0.0249/kWh

Key observations:

Off-peak rates are identical across all zones and seasons ($0.0249/kWh)
Summer on-peak is the most expensive at $0.3523/kWh (~14x off-peak)
Winter on-peak is moderate at $0.1305/kWh (~5x off-peak)
Zone doesn't affect TOU delivery rates (same rates for H, I, J)

Delivery Adjustments

Same variable-rate adjustments as SC1. These apply to all kWh regardless of TOU period.

Rate Name	Charge Type	Rate Value
Delivery Revenue Surcharge	CONSUMPTION_BASED	Lookup
Reconciliation Rate	CONSUMPTION_BASED	Lookup
Transition Adjustment	CONSUMPTION_BASED	Lookup
Uncollectible Bill Expense	CONSUMPTION_BASED	Lookup
Monthly Adjustment Clause	CONSUMPTION_BASED	Lookup
Revenue Decoupling Mechanism	CONSUMPTION_BASED	Lookup
Clean Energy Standard (Delivery)	CONSUMPTION_BASED	Lookup

📘 Deep Dive: For a complete explanation of delivery adjustments, see Delivery Adjustments Guide.

Supply Charges

Same as SC1—zone-specific MSC rates, adjustments, and CES supply surcharge.

Rate Name	Zone	Rate Value
MSC Rate	H/I/J	Lookup
MSC I Adjustment	H/I/J	Lookup
MSC II Adjustment	All	Lookup
Clean Energy Standard (Supply)	All	Lookup
Merchant Function Charge	All	Lookup

📘 Deep Dive: For a complete explanation of supply charges, see Supply Charges Guide.

Rider Charges

Same riders as SC1:

Rider	Charge Type	Rate Value
Tax Sur-Credit	CONSUMPTION_BASED	Lookup
Dynamic Load Management	CONSUMPTION_BASED	Lookup
Customer Benefit Contribution	QUANTITY	$1.84/kW
EV Make Ready Surcharge	CONSUMPTION_BASED	$0.0008/kWh
Arrears Management Recovery	CONSUMPTION_BASED	$0.0012/kWh
GRT Distribution	QUANTITY	3.33–5.51% (by zone)
GRT Supply	QUANTITY	1.01–3.09% (by zone)
VDER Cost Recovery	CONSUMPTION_BASED	$0.0011/kWh

📘 Deep Dive: For a complete explanation of riders, see Riders Guide.

Charge-by-Charge Breakdown

Basic Service Charges

Customer Charge — $20.00/month

A flat monthly fee that covers the cost of having an account: metering, billing systems, customer service. Everyone pays this regardless of usage. Same as SC1.

Billing and Payment Processing Charge — $1.28/month

Covers the cost of generating and mailing bills, processing payments. Same as SC1.

Delivery Energy Charges (TOU)

These are the core delivery charges for using ConEd's distribution network. Unlike SC1's tiered rates, SC3 uses time-of-use rates—the price per kWh depends on when you consume, not how much you consume.

On-Peak Rate — $0.3523/kWh (Summer) / $0.1305/kWh (Winter)

Applies to electricity consumed during on-peak hours (8am–midnight). The summer on-peak rate is particularly high because this is when the grid is most stressed—air conditioning drives demand, and ConEd must maintain infrastructure to handle these peaks.

Off-Peak Rate — $0.0249/kWh (All Seasons)

Applies to electricity consumed during off-peak hours (midnight–8am). This rate is dramatically lower because:

Grid demand is low overnight
Excess generation capacity is available
ConEd wants to encourage load shifting to reduce peak strain

The value proposition: If you can shift consumption to off-peak hours, you pay ~14x less per kWh in summer.

Delivery Adjustments

Same variable-rate adjustments as SC1, applied to total consumption (not split by TOU period):

📘 Deep Dive: For regulatory background and calculation details, see Delivery Adjustments Guide.

Monthly Adjustment Clause (MAC) — Variable Umbrella adjustment for property taxes, storm costs, pension expenses.

Revenue Decoupling Mechanism (RDM) Adjustment — Variable True-up for actual vs. expected sales volume.

Delivery Revenue Surcharge — Variable Supplemental revenue adjustment.

Clean Energy Standard Delivery Surcharge — Variable Grid infrastructure costs for clean energy compliance.

Reconciliation Rate — Variable Legacy deferred costs from 1990s restructuring.

Transition Adjustment — Variable Legacy deregulation costs.

Uncollectible Bill Expense — Variable Bad debt recovery.

Supply Charges

Same as SC1—charges for the electricity commodity itself. Only apply if using ConEd as supplier.

📘 Deep Dive: For NYISO settlement, load-weighted averaging, and reconciliation details, see Supply Charges Guide.

MSC Rate (Market Supply Charge) — Variable, by zone Base cost of electricity, forecasted monthly from wholesale prices.

MSC I Adjustment — Variable, by zone Reconciles actual energy costs vs. forecast.

MSC II Adjustment — Variable Reconciles capacity costs and ancillary services.

Clean Energy Standard Supply Surcharge — Variable RECs, ZECs, and other clean energy compliance costs.

Merchant Function Charge — Variable ConEd's costs to administer supply service.

System Benefits Charge

System Benefits Charge (SBC) — Variable

Funds NY's clean energy programs administered by NYSERDA.

NY State Surcharge

New York State Surcharge — Variable

Temporary surcharge for policy initiatives or one-time cost recovery.

Minimum Charge

Minimum Charge — $20.00/month

If your total bill is less than $20, you pay $20 anyway. Same as SC1.

Rider Charges

Same riders as SC1. See Riders Guide for full details.

Tax Sur-Credit — Variable

Tax cost true-ups. Can be positive or negative.

Dynamic Load Management (DLM) Surcharge — Variable

Demand response program costs.

Customer Benefit Contribution (CBC) — $1.84/kW

Only for customers with solar. Monthly fee based on solar system size.

Electric Vehicle Make Ready Surcharge — $0.0008/kWh

EV charging infrastructure costs.

Arrears Management Program Recovery Surcharge — $0.0012/kWh

COVID-era arrears recovery.

Gross Receipts Tax (GRT) — Varies by zone

Municipal taxes on utilities:

Zone	GRT Distribution	GRT Supply
H (Upper Westchester)	3.3322%	1.0101%
I (Lower Westchester)	5.5127%	3.0928%
J (NYC)	4.7940%	2.4066%

VDER Cost Recovery — $0.0011/kWh

Costs ConEd pays to solar generators under Value Stack.

Example Bill Calculation

A Zone J customer in July (Summer) using:

200 kWh On-Peak
100 kWh Off-Peak

Delivery Charges

Charge	Calculation	Amount
Customer Charge	$20.00	$20.00
Billing & Payment	$1.28	$1.28
Summer On-Peak	200 kWh × $0.3523	$70.46
Summer Off-Peak	100 kWh × $0.0249	$2.49
Delivery Adjustments	300 kWh × ~$0.02 (varies)	~$6.00
Subtotal Delivery		~$100.23

Supply Charges

Charge	Calculation	Amount
MSC Rate (Zone J)	300 kWh × ~$0.08 (varies)	~$24.00
MSC I/II Adjustments	300 kWh × ~$0.005	~$1.50
CES Supply	300 kWh × ~$0.003	~$0.90
Subtotal Supply		~$26.40

Riders & Taxes

Charge	Calculation	Amount
Various Riders	300 kWh × ~$0.004	~$1.20
GRT	~$127 × ~7%	~$8.89
Subtotal Riders		~$10.09

Total

~$136.72 for 300 kWh (200 on-peak + 100 off-peak)

Compare to SC1 (no TOU): ~$127 for same 300 kWh total

SC3 is more expensive when usage is mostly on-peak
SC3 would be cheaper if ratio were reversed (100 on-peak + 200 off-peak)

Full Tariff JSON

The complete tariff JSON response from the Arcadia Signal API is included below for reference. For an introduction to the tariff JSON structure (hierarchy, properties, rates, rate bands), see Understanding Arcadia Tariff JSON. For complete field definitions, see the Arcadia Tariff API Reference.

Click to expand full JSON (~1500 lines)

{
  "tariffId": 3491856,
  "masterTariffId": 3220724,
  "tariffCode": "EL1",
  "tariffName": "Residential and Religious, Voluntary Time of Day",
  "tariffBookName": "Residential and Religious, Voluntary Time of Day",
  "lseId": 2252,
  "lseName": "Consolidated Edison Co-NY Inc",
  "lseCode": "ConEd",
  "serviceType": "ELECTRICITY",
  "tariffType": "ALTERNATIVE",
  "customerClass": "RESIDENTIAL",
  "hasTimeOfUseRates": true,
  "hasTieredRates": false,
  "hasContractedRates": true,
  "hasTariffApplicability": true,
  "hasRateApplicability": true,
  "hasNetMetering": true,
  "properties": [
    {
      "keyName": "isTODCustomerBeforeMarch12014",
      "displayName": "Is TOD Customer before March 1, 2014",
      "dataType": "BOOLEAN",
      "propertyTypes": "APPLICABILITY",
      "propertyValue": "false"
    },
    {
      "keyName": "consumption",
      "period": "ON_PEAK",
      "displayName": "Consumption (kWh)",
      "dataType": "DECIMAL",
      "propertyTypes": "RATE_CRITERIA"
    },
    {
      "keyName": "consumption",
      "period": "OFF_PEAK",
      "displayName": "Consumption (kWh)",
      "dataType": "DECIMAL",
      "propertyTypes": "RATE_CRITERIA"
    },
    {
      "keyName": "electricVehiclePresent",
      "displayName": "Has Electric Vehicle",
      "dataType": "BOOLEAN",
      "propertyTypes": "RATE_CRITERIA",
      "propertyValue": "false"
    },
    {
      "keyName": "systemSize",
      "displayName": "System Size",
      "dataType": "DECIMAL",
      "propertyTypes": "RATE_CRITERIA",
      "propertyValue": "0",
      "quantityUnit": "kW"
    },
    {
      "keyName": "territoryId",
      "displayName": "Territory",
      "dataType": "CHOICE",
      "propertyTypes": "RATE_CRITERIA",
      "choices": [
        { "displayValue": "Zone H", "value": "3632" },
        { "displayValue": "Zone I", "value": "3633" },
        { "displayValue": "Zone J", "value": "3634" }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "rates": [
    {
      "rateName": "Customer Charge",
      "chargeType": "FIXED_PRICE",
      "chargeClass": "DISTRIBUTION",
      "applicabilityKey": "electricVehiclePresent",
      "rateBands": [
        { "applicabilityValue": "false", "rateAmount": 20.0 },
        { "applicabilityValue": "true", "rateAmount": 20.0 }
      ]
    },
    {
      "rateName": "Billing and Payment Processing Charge",
      "chargeType": "FIXED_PRICE",
      "chargeClass": "DISTRIBUTION",
      "rateBands": [{ "rateAmount": 1.28 }]
    },
    {
      "rateName": "Summer On-Peak Rate",
      "territory": { "territoryName": "Zone J" },
      "timeOfUse": {
        "touName": "Summer On-Peak",
        "season": { "seasonName": "Summer" },
        "touType": "ON_PEAK",
        "touPeriods": [{ "fromHour": 8, "toHour": 0 }]
      },
      "chargeType": "CONSUMPTION_BASED",
      "chargeClass": "DISTRIBUTION",
      "rateBands": [{ "rateAmount": 0.3523 }]
    },
    {
      "rateName": "Summer Off-Peak Rate",
      "territory": { "territoryName": "Zone J" },
      "timeOfUse": {
        "touName": "Summer Off-Peak",
        "season": { "seasonName": "Summer" },
        "touType": "OFF_PEAK",
        "touPeriods": [{ "fromHour": 0, "toHour": 8 }]
      },
      "chargeType": "CONSUMPTION_BASED",
      "chargeClass": "DISTRIBUTION",
      "rateBands": [{ "rateAmount": 0.0249 }]
    },
    {
      "rateName": "Winter On-Peak Rate",
      "territory": { "territoryName": "Zone J" },
      "timeOfUse": {
        "touName": "Winter On-Peak",
        "season": { "seasonName": "Winter" },
        "touType": "ON_PEAK"
      },
      "chargeType": "CONSUMPTION_BASED",
      "chargeClass": "DISTRIBUTION",
      "rateBands": [{ "rateAmount": 0.1305 }]
    },
    {
      "rateName": "Winter Off-Peak Rate",
      "territory": { "territoryName": "Zone J" },
      "timeOfUse": {
        "touName": "Winter Off-Peak",
        "season": { "seasonName": "Winter" },
        "touType": "OFF_PEAK"
      },
      "chargeType": "CONSUMPTION_BASED",
      "chargeClass": "DISTRIBUTION",
      "rateBands": [{ "rateAmount": 0.0249 }]
    }
  ]
}

*Note: The JSON above is a representative excerpt showing key rate structures. Some rates have been omitted for brevity. The actual tariff contains entries for all zones (H, I, J), delivery adjustments, supply charges, and riders.*

Understanding the JSON

TOU-Specific Fields

SC3 rates include a timeOfUse object that defines when the rate applies:

{
  "rateName": "Summer On-Peak Rate",
  "timeOfUse": {
    "touId": 5324,
    "touName": "Summer On-Peak",
    "touType": "ON_PEAK",
    "season": {
      "seasonName": "Summer",
      "seasonFromMonth": 6,
      "seasonFromDay": 1,
      "seasonToMonth": 9,
      "seasonToDay": 30
    },
    "touPeriods": [
      {
        "fromDayOfWeek": 0,
        "fromHour": 8,
        "fromMinute": 0,
        "toDayOfWeek": 6,
        "toHour": 0,
        "toMinute": 0
      }
    ]
  }
}

Field	Description
`touType`	`ON_PEAK` or `OFF_PEAK`
`season`	When this TOU period applies (month range)
`touPeriods`	Hour/day ranges for this period
`fromDayOfWeek` / `toDayOfWeek`	0 = Sunday, 6 = Saturday
`fromHour` / `toHour`	24-hour format (8 = 8am, 0 = midnight)

Applicability Keys

SC3 uses applicabilityKey and applicabilityValue for conditional rates:

{
  "rateName": "Customer Charge",
  "applicabilityKey": "electricVehiclePresent",
  "rateBands": [
    { "applicabilityValue": "false", "rateAmount": 20.0 },
    { "applicabilityValue": "true", "rateAmount": 20.0 }
  ]
}

The rate that applies depends on whether electricVehiclePresent matches the applicabilityValue. This structure allows different charges for EV vs. non-EV customers (even though they're currently the same).

Tariff Properties

The properties array tells you what inputs are needed to calculate bills. SC3 has more properties than SC1 due to TOU metering and applicability rules.

Property	Type	Period	Description	Default	Used For
`isTODCustomerBeforeMarch12014`	BOOLEAN	—	Grandfathering flag	false	Applicability
`consumption`	DECIMAL	ON_PEAK	Energy usage during on-peak hours	—	TOU delivery charges
`consumption`	DECIMAL	OFF_PEAK	Energy usage during off-peak hours	—	TOU delivery charges
`electricVehiclePresent`	BOOLEAN	—	Has electric vehicle	false	Customer charge applicability
`systemSize`	DECIMAL	—	Solar system capacity in kW	0	CBC rider
`territoryId`	CHOICE	—	Service zone (H, I, or J)	—	Zone-specific rates
`chargeClass`	CHOICE	—	Charge categories	DISTRIBUTION,SUPPLY,CONTRACTED	Filtering

Below we walk through the properties specific to SC3. For standard properties like territoryId and systemSize, see the SC1 documentation.

`isTODCustomerBeforeMarch12014`

{
  "keyName": "isTODCustomerBeforeMarch12014",
  "displayName": "Is TOD Customer before March 1, 2014",
  "dataType": "BOOLEAN",
  "propertyTypes": "APPLICABILITY",
  "propertyValue": "false"
}

A grandfathering flag for customers who enrolled in TOU rates before March 1, 2014. These customers may have different terms or rate structures. The APPLICABILITY property type means this affects whether certain rates apply, not the rate values themselves.

`consumption[ON_PEAK]` and `consumption[OFF_PEAK]`

{
  "keyName": "consumption",
  "period": "ON_PEAK",
  "displayName": "Consumption (kWh)",
  "dataType": "DECIMAL",
  "propertyTypes": "RATE_CRITERIA"
}

Unlike SC1's single consumption property, SC3 requires two separate consumption values:

consumption[ON_PEAK]: kWh consumed during 8am–midnight
consumption[OFF_PEAK]: kWh consumed during midnight–8am

This split is necessary because different rates apply to each period. If you're using the Calculate API, you must provide both values. If you only have total consumption, you'll need to allocate it across periods based on assumed or actual load profiles.

`electricVehiclePresent`

{
  "keyName": "electricVehiclePresent",
  "displayName": "Has Electric Vehicle",
  "dataType": "BOOLEAN",
  "propertyTypes": "RATE_CRITERIA",
  "propertyValue": "false"
}

Indicates whether the customer has an electric vehicle. This affects which rateBand applies for the Customer Charge (though currently both EV and non-EV customers pay $20/month, the structure allows for differentiation).

How to Get Variable Rate Values

Same approach as SC1. See Variable Rates API Guide for detailed examples.

Key difference: When using the Calculate API, you must provide:

consumption[ON_PEAK] — kWh during on-peak hours
consumption[OFF_PEAK] — kWh during off-peak hours

Summary: What Makes SC3 Different

TOU rates: Charges vary by time of day (on-peak vs. off-peak)
No tiering: Unlike SC1, no consumption tiers—same rate for all kWh within a TOU period
Split consumption input: Must provide ON_PEAK and OFF_PEAK usage separately
Strong off-peak incentive: Off-peak is ~14x cheaper than summer on-peak
Same schedule all week: No weekday/weekend distinction
Opt-in: Customers must actively choose this rate (ALTERNATIVE tariff type)
Best for load shifters: EV owners, battery storage, flexible schedules

ConEd Residential Voluntary TOU (SC3/EL1-TOD) — Field Guide

Overview

Key Differences from SC1 (Default Rate)

Who This Rate Is For

TOU Schedule

Quick Reference: All Charges

Fixed Charges

Delivery Energy Charges (TOU)

Delivery Adjustments

Supply Charges

Rider Charges

Charge-by-Charge Breakdown

Basic Service Charges

Customer Charge — $20.00/month

Billing and Payment Processing Charge — $1.28/month

Delivery Energy Charges (TOU)

On-Peak Rate — $0.3523/kWh (Summer) / $0.1305/kWh (Winter)

Off-Peak Rate — $0.0249/kWh (All Seasons)

Delivery Adjustments

Supply Charges

System Benefits Charge

System Benefits Charge (SBC) — Variable

NY State Surcharge

New York State Surcharge — Variable

Minimum Charge

Minimum Charge — $20.00/month

Rider Charges

Tax Sur-Credit — Variable

Dynamic Load Management (DLM) Surcharge — Variable

Customer Benefit Contribution (CBC) — $1.84/kW

Electric Vehicle Make Ready Surcharge — $0.0008/kWh

Arrears Management Program Recovery Surcharge — $0.0012/kWh

Gross Receipts Tax (GRT) — Varies by zone

VDER Cost Recovery — $0.0011/kWh

Example Bill Calculation

Delivery Charges

Supply Charges

Riders & Taxes

Total

Full Tariff JSON

Understanding the JSON

TOU-Specific Fields

Applicability Keys

Tariff Properties

isTODCustomerBeforeMarch12014

consumption[ON_PEAK] and consumption[OFF_PEAK]

electricVehiclePresent

How to Get Variable Rate Values

Summary: What Makes SC3 Different

`isTODCustomerBeforeMarch12014`

`consumption[ON_PEAK]` and `consumption[OFF_PEAK]`

`electricVehiclePresent`