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Hourly Flex Pricing

The Hourly Flex Pricing (HFP) pilots allow customers to lower their energy costs and support grid reliability by responding to hourly electricity prices. Ava customers can participate in the following HFP pilot programs:

  • Hourly Flex Pricing Pilot
    • For qualifying residential and business customers
    • Three-year pilot that runs from November 1, 2024 to December 31, 2027
  • Hourly Flex Pricing for residential and business EV customers participating in the Vehicle to Everything Pilot
    • For qualifying residential and business EV customers
    • Pilot ends once funds are exhausted

Under HFP, electricity prices vary by hour based on market conditions. Price forecasts are published seven days in advance, and final prices are set one day in advance. By checking prices in advance, you can save money by shifting energy use to times when it’s more plentiful and cheaper. Automation technology can streamline your operations to help you save even more.

Participation in Hourly Flex Pricing is risk-free. Under HFP, you will continue to be billed on your current rate plan while receiving a monthly HFP statement that tracks your performance while on the pilot program. After 12 months, if you performed better in total on Hourly Flex Pricing than on your current rate plan, you will receive a credit for the difference.

Eligibility

Hourly Flex Pricing Pilot
  • Residential customers must be on or switch to the following rate plans:
    • Electric Home (E-ELEC) rate plan
    • Home Charging (EV2-A)
  • Business customers must be on or switch to the following rate plans:
    • Business Low Use Alternative (B6)
    • Business Medium Use (B10)
    • Business Medium-High Use (B19)
    • Business High Use (B20)
  • Agricultural customers taking service under Ava Community Energy will be eligible for the HFP pilot starting in 2026

 

Dual participation in Hourly Flex Pricing and the following Demand Response programs is allowed:

  • Smart Rate
  • Emergency Load Reduction Pilot Subgroup A1, A3, and A6

 

Dual participation in Hourly Flex Pricing and the following programs is prohibited:

  • Base Interruptible Program, Capacity Bidding Program, Demand Response Automation Mechanism Demand Response Resource Adequacy Contracts, Demand Side Grid Support
  • Flex Market Pilot
  • Emergency Load Reduction Program Subgroup A2, A4 and A5, Subgroup B
  • Optional Binding Mandatory Curtailment, Scheduled Load Reduction Program
  • Any supply-side Demand Response programs or event-based load-modifying programs, regardless of the Load Serving Entity
Hourly Flex Pricing for Residential and Business EV customers

How to Enroll

Hourly Flex Pricing Pilot

Customers can enroll directly with PG&E at www.pge.com/hfp 

Hourly Flex Pricing for Residential and Business EV customers

Customers can enroll directly with PG&E at www.pge.com/hourlyflexpricingbev 

Hourly Prices

Hourly prices can be found on PG&E’s Hourly Pricing website. You can view hourly prices for today and the coming week, as well as historical prices. Final prices are set one day in advance. Shift your energy use to cheaper hours to save money while participating in the HFP pilot.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does hourly pricing work?

Prices vary by hour, based on market conditions, and can be found on PG&E’s Hourly Pricing website. Trending prices are published seven days in advance. Final prices are set at 4 p.m. a day in advance. On Flex Alert Days, prices are updated again by 6 p.m. Monitor prices for the upcoming week and shift your energy usage to cheaper hours to save.

Prices are likely to be higher on extreme weather days or when grid conditions impact overall electricity demand. Seasonal prices also vary, with higher prices during the summer months (June through September) and lower during other times of the year.

What are the components of the hourly pricing rate?

This rate includes a dynamic hourly price for Generation and Distribution. Transmission prices will match your existing rate plan.

This rate includes a subscription that is based on your energy use for the same day and hour last year. If you use more energy than your subscription quantity for an hour, the additional energy use will be charged at the dynamic price. If you use less energy than your subscription quantity for an hour, you will be credited the difference at the dynamic hourly price.

How is Hourly Flex Pricing risk-free?

You will not pay more on Hourly Flex Pricing than you would have on your current rate plan.

While on the pilot program:

  • You continue to receive and pay your regular monthly PG&E energy statement which includes your Ava generation charges. The rate plan used to calculate your energy bill is unchanged.
  • You will also receive a monthly supplemental Hourly Flex Pricing statement that tracks your performance while on the pilot program
  • After 12 months, if you performed better in total on Hourly Flex Pricing than on your current rate plan, you will receive a credit for the difference. If your HFP performance does not result in a credit, you are not responsible for any additional charges.
What tools and technologies are available to assist me on Hourly Flex Pricing?

Working with an automation service provider or aggregator who can send direct price signals to your devices will help you manage your energy use based on hourly prices.

Technologies are also available to help you minimize energy use during the most expensive times of day. Examples include:

  • Smart thermostats to help you manage your HVAC
  • Electric vehicle charging technology for homes and businesses
  • Energy management systems that help schedule manufacturing operations
What are Automation Service Providers (ASPs) and which are participating?

Automation Service Providers (ASPs) provide automation technology and integration to manage and optimize equipment usage in response to changes in energy prices. A list of participating ASPs can be found on www.pge.com/hfp.

How does the program support the use of cleaner energy and a more reliable grid?

When demand for electricity increases dramatically, it can put a strain on the state’s electric grid. When you avoid using electricity during hours of peak demand, you help prevent supply-and-demand issues that can lead to rotating outages. Lower demand also helps ensure that cleaner forms of energy are being supplied by minimizing the need for fossil-fuel plants.

What if I decide participating in the pilot isn’t right for me?

We encourage customers to stay on for the duration of the pilot. This will help us assess the benefits of these rate plans for customers and grid reliability. Participation is risk-free, so you will not pay more on Hourly Flex Pricing than you would have on your current rate plan. However, you can end your participation if it doesn’t work for you.

What happens when the pilot ends?

The Hourly Flex Pricing rate plan pilot ends in December 2027. The Hour Flex Pricing pilot for EV customers ends once funds are exhausted. Customers will not need to make any changes at the end of the pilot. They will remain on their current rate plan.