APS Off-Peak Hours & Holidays 2026: The Complete Schedule
APS off-peak hours are when electricity is cheapest: $0.1235/kWh in summer compared to $0.3439/kWh during peak. Knowing the full schedule, including which holidays count as off-peak, can save you $50 to $150 per month on your energy bill. To see how much you could save with a battery on top of these rate shifts, run the numbers in our Powerwall Payback Calculator.
APS off-peak hours: quick reference
APS Saver Choice Plus — Weekday Summer Rate Schedule
Colored bars show which rate applies each hour of the day. Weekends and APS holidays bill at off-peak rates for all 24 hours.
Off-Peak: 7:00 PM - 10:00 AM (Weekdays)
Plus all day on weekends and APS-recognized holidays.
Super Off-Peak: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM (Weekdays)
The cheapest rate at $0.0935/kWh, when peak solar production hits the grid.
These times apply to the Saver Choice Plus plan, which is the most popular APS time-of-use plan and the default for most solar and battery customers. If you are comparing APS against SRP, see our APS vs SRP solar rates comparison.
Complete APS rate schedule (Saver Choice Plus, 2026)
| Time Period | Hours | Days | Summer (May-Oct) | Winter (Nov-Apr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peak | 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Weekdays only | $0.3439/kWh | $0.2145/kWh |
| Super Off-Peak | 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM | Weekdays only | $0.0935/kWh | $0.0935/kWh |
| Off-Peak | 7:00 PM - 10:00 AM | Weekdays | $0.1235/kWh | $0.1035/kWh |
| Off-Peak | All day (24 hrs) | Weekends & Holidays | $0.1235/kWh | $0.1035/kWh |
Note: On weekdays, the 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM hour falls under off-peak rates (the gap between super off-peak ending and peak starting). For a deeper explanation of the full rate structure, see our APS TOU rates guide.
APS recognized holidays for 2026
APS treats all recognized holidays the same as weekends. All hours are billed at the off-peak rate. There are no peak or super off-peak periods on holidays. The complete list:
| Holiday | 2026 Date | Day of Week | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | January 1 | Thursday | Winter |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | January 19 | Monday | Winter |
| Presidents' Day | February 16 | Monday | Winter |
| Memorial Day | May 25 | Monday | Summer |
| Independence Day | July 4 | Saturday | Summer |
| Labor Day | September 7 | Monday | Summer |
| Veterans Day | November 11 | Wednesday | Winter |
| Thanksgiving Day | November 26 | Thursday | Winter |
| Day After Thanksgiving | November 27 | Friday | Winter |
| Christmas Day | December 25 | Friday | Winter |
How much do off-peak hours actually save?
The difference between peak and off-peak rates is substantial. Per kWh shifted to a different time period:
| Shift From Peak To | Summer Savings/kWh | Winter Savings/kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Super Off-Peak (10 AM - 3 PM) | $0.2504 | $0.1210 |
| Off-Peak (7 PM - 10 AM / weekends) | $0.2204 | $0.1110 |
For a typical Arizona home using 30 kWh during peak hours daily in summer, shifting just half of that to off-peak saves roughly $100/month. Shifting to super off-peak saves even more. Solar customers see even bigger gains because exports during the day are credited under APS net billing. Don't have a full rooftop system yet? A DIY solar kit can start capturing those super off-peak production hours at a fraction of the cost.
Super off-peak hours: the cheapest window most people miss
APS super off-peak hours (10:00 AM to 3:00 PM weekdays) offer the lowest rate at $0.0935/kWh year-round. That is 73% cheaper than summer peak rates. Midday is when Arizona's utility-scale solar farms flood the grid with cheap energy, pushing wholesale prices down.
How to use super off-peak:
- Pre-cool the house to 72-74 degrees before peak starts at 4 PM
- Run the pool pump from 10 AM to 2 PM instead of early morning
- Charge home batteries to discharge during peak (a $0.25/kWh spread in summer)
- Run the dishwasher and laundry during midday hours
- Charge EVs if you are home during the day, otherwise charge after 10 PM
Tips for maximizing off-peak savings
1. Treat holidays like weekends
Most people do not realize APS holidays are all off-peak. On holidays like Memorial Day or the Fourth of July, run your dryer, charge your EV, and catch up on energy-intensive tasks without worrying about peak charges. Even though it is a summer weekday, holidays get the off-peak rate of $0.1235/kWh instead of $0.3439/kWh during 4-7 PM.
2. Program appliances with timers
Most modern dishwashers, washing machines, and pool pumps have delay-start timers. Program them to run during super off-peak (10 AM - 3 PM) or after 7 PM. Your pool pump alone can account for $20-$40/month in savings just by running at the right time.
3. Use a smart thermostat for TOU scheduling
A smart thermostat with TOU scheduling automates the pre-cool strategy: it drops your home to 73°F during super off-peak, then coasts through the 4-7 PM peak window. This alone can save $50-100/month in summer without any effort after the initial setup. If your HVAC system needs replacing, you can stack up to $4,500 in Arizona heat pump rebates from federal and APS programs right now.
4. Add a home battery
A battery is the strongest off-peak strategy. It charges during super off-peak at $0.0935/kWh and discharges during peak at $0.3439/kWh. A 13.5 kWh Tesla Powerwall 3 saves about $60/month in summer from rate arbitrage alone. Add APS VPP earnings and the value climbs to $70-$100/month. See your exact payback with our Powerwall Payback Calculator, or compare every option in our roundup of the best home batteries for Arizona in 2026. Don't have solar? A standalone battery still pays for itself on APS TOU — see our APS battery ROI without solar guide for the full math.
5. Watch the 3-4 PM gap
Many homeowners do not realize that 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM on weekdays is an off-peak hour. It falls in the gap between super off-peak ending and peak starting. This is your last chance to run high-draw appliances before peak rates kick in at 4:00 PM. Finish your laundry, start the dishwasher, or top off your battery by 3:59 PM.
6. Check your APS bill for rate accuracy
Log into your APS account and review the usage breakdown by time period. Make sure your meter is correctly registering peak, off-peak, and super off-peak usage. Errors do happen, and catching them can save you hundreds. For a full understanding of how APS TOU billing works, read our APS peak hours guide.
Tools that help you save on APS TOU rates
You do not need a $12,000 battery to start saving on APS time-of-use rates. These tools shift usage away from peak hours automatically:
Smart thermostat: automate pre-cooling
The single biggest saver. Program your AC to pre-cool before 4 PM peak, then coast through peak hours. Saves $50-100/month in summer.
ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium
~$220 — built-in Alexa, SmartSensor, TOU scheduling. Our #1 pick for APS customers.
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Smart plugs: schedule heavy appliances
Set your pool pump, dehumidifier, or space heater to run only during off-peak or super off-peak hours, automatically.
Smart Plugs with Energy Monitoring
~$25 for a 4-pack — WiFi-connected, schedule from your phone, track energy usage per device.
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Kill A Watt meter: find your energy hogs
Plug any appliance into this meter to see exactly how much it costs per hour. Identifies which devices to shift to off-peak.
P3 Kill A Watt Electricity Usage Monitor
~$28 — plug in any appliance and see real-time watts, kWh, and cost. Essential for finding peak-hour energy wasters.
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The bottom line
APS off-peak hours and holidays are the biggest opportunity to lower an electricity bill without spending money on equipment. Shift heavy usage to 10 AM to 3 PM weekdays (super off-peak), 7 PM to 10 AM (off-peak), or any time on weekends and the 10 recognized holidays. For larger savings, pair smart usage habits with a home battery that automates peak avoidance every day.