ED3 vs APS Rates 2026: How Maricopa's Small Utility Compares to Arizona's Biggest
If you live in Maricopa, AZ, you're on ED3 — Electrical District No. 3 of Pinal County. Your neighbor 30 miles north in Chandler is on APS. Your rates, solar rules, and rebate programs are completely different, but almost every "Arizona electricity" guide online only covers APS and SRP.
This is the side-by-side comparison that doesn't exist anywhere else. We cover rates, solar, batteries, EV charging, and the structural differences that matter for your wallet.
The Basics: Who Are These Utilities?
| ED3 (Maricopa) | APS (Phoenix Metro) | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Political subdivision (special district) | Investor-owned utility (Pinnacle West) |
| Regulated by | 7-member elected board | Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) |
| Customers | ~36,000 meters | ~1.3 million meters |
| Service area | City of Maricopa + surrounding Pinal County | Most of Phoenix metro + northern AZ |
| Own generation? | No — buys from APA, WAPA, SRP, others | Yes — Palo Verde Nuclear, gas, solar, wind |
Why this matters: Because ED3 isn't ACC-regulated, everything you read about "Arizona net billing," "Arizona solar incentives," or "Arizona utility rebates" on national sites like Solar.com, SolarReviews, or EnergySage describes APS rules — not yours. ED3 has its own rate book, its own solar interconnection process, and its own export credit formula.
Rate Comparison: Standard Residential (No Solar, No TOU)
| ED3 Rate 01 | APS Saver Choice Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Rate structure | Flat tiered (no TOU) | 3-tier TOU |
| Service charge | $20/month | ~$15/month |
| First 500 kWh | $0.1007/kWh | $0.09-0.34/kWh (depends on time) |
| Additional kWh | $0.1177/kWh (overhead) | Same TOU rates (no tier penalty) |
| Cheapest rate | $0.1007/kWh (flat, anytime) | $0.0935/kWh (super off-peak 10am-3pm) |
| Most expensive rate | $0.1217/kWh (underground, above 500 kWh) | $0.3439/kWh (peak 4-7pm summer) |
Winner for most homeowners: ED3, if you're not on TOU. A 1,500 kWh/month home on ED3's flat rate pays roughly $170-180/month in energy charges. The same home on APS pays $150-250/month depending on how much falls in peak vs off-peak. ED3's flat rate protects you from peak-hour surges — you never pay $0.34/kWh.
Winner for energy-savvy homeowners: APS, if you aggressively shift usage. APS super off-peak ($0.0935) beats ED3's floor ($0.1007). If you run pool pumps, EV charging, and laundry during 10am-3pm, APS can be cheaper overall. Use our APS bill calculator to model your specific usage pattern.
TOU Rate Comparison
Both utilities offer TOU plans, but they work very differently.
| ED3 TOU 2-9 | APS Saver Choice Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Peak hours | 2-9pm weekdays (7 hours) | 4-7pm weekdays (3 hours) |
| Peak rate (hottest months) | $0.2482/kWh (Jul-Aug) | $0.3439/kWh (May-Oct) |
| Off-peak rate | $0.0602/kWh (flat, all year) | $0.1235/kWh (summer) |
| Super off-peak | None | $0.0935/kWh (10am-3pm) |
| Peak/off-peak spread | 4.1× (Jul-Aug) | 3.7× (peak vs super off-peak) |
| Seasons | 3 (Summer, Super Summer, Winter) | 2 (Summer May-Oct, Winter Nov-Apr) |
| Commitment | 12 months | None |
Key difference: ED3's off-peak is remarkably cheap at $0.0602/kWh — 35% cheaper than APS off-peak ($0.0935). But ED3's peak window is 7 hours (2-9pm) vs APS's 3 hours (4-7pm). You need to avoid peak for a much longer stretch on ED3.
For detailed ED3 rate analysis, see our ED3 Peak Hours & TOU Rates 2026 guide.
Solar Comparison: The Rules Are Completely Different
| ED3 (Rider 8B) | APS (Net Billing) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program | Rider 8B (replaced Rider 8 in Dec 2025) | Resource Comparison Proxy (RCP) |
| Export credit | Unpublished (set by ED3 board) | $0.076/kWh (locked 10 years) |
| Solar + TOU? | Not allowed (yet) | Yes — Saver Choice Plus |
| DG service charge | $25/month + DGFCR per kW | ~$15/month (standard) |
| Interconnection | 11-step process through dg@ed-3.org | Online portal |
The big ED3 limitation: Solar customers on ED3 cannot use the TOU plan. You're stuck on the flat DG rate. APS solar customers can choose TOU — and the combination of solar + TOU + battery is where the biggest savings live. ED3 has a DG TOU rate in their rate book marked "Coming Soon," but as of April 2026 it's not available.
For the full ED3 solar breakdown, see our ED3 Rider 8B guide.
EV Charging Comparison
| ED3 EV TOU A2 | APS Saver Choice Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Overnight rate | $0.0560/kWh (midnight-5am) | $0.0935/kWh (super off-peak) |
| Tesla Model 3 full charge cost | ~$4.20 (75 kWh × $0.056) | ~$7.01 (75 kWh × $0.0935) |
| Cost per mile | ~1.4¢/mile | ~2.3¢/mile |
| EV-specific plan? | Yes (pilot program) | No (use standard TOU) |
ED3 wins on EV charging — decisively. The overnight super-off-peak rate of $0.056/kWh is one of the cheapest EV charging rates in Arizona. A Tesla Model 3 costs ~$4.20 for a full charge on ED3 vs ~$7.00 on APS. Over 12,000 miles/year, ED3 EV owners save roughly $120-180/year vs APS.
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Battery/VPP Comparison
APS has a massive advantage here. The APS Cool Reward program offers a $3,750 battery rebate plus $150-500/year in VPP earnings. ED3 has no battery rebate program and no VPP program as of April 2026.
If you're an ED3 customer considering a home battery, the federal 30% ITC still applies (it's a federal credit, not utility-specific), but your net cost will be $3,750 higher than an APS customer installing the same battery.
That said, ED3's TOU spread (4.1× in Super Summer) makes battery arbitrage math strong — especially at the $0.0602/kWh off-peak charge rate. See our APS battery ROI guide for how the arbitrage math works (the concept applies to ED3 too, with different numbers).
Rebates and Incentives
| Incentive | ED3 | APS |
|---|---|---|
| Solar rebate | Closed (oversubscribed) | None |
| Battery rebate | None | $3,750 Cool Reward |
| VPP earnings | None | $150-500/year |
| HVAC rebate | None (check Peak Rewards) | Cool Cash up to $2,000 |
| Federal 30% battery ITC | Yes (federal, not utility) | Yes |
| AZ 25% state credit | Yes (state, not utility) | Yes |
APS offers significantly more incentives for batteries and energy efficiency. ED3's smaller size means fewer program dollars. The federal and state incentives apply equally regardless of utility — see our Arizona solar incentives guide for full details.
Bottom Line: Which Utility Is "Better"?
You don't get to choose — your address determines your utility. But here's how they stack up by category:
- Cheapest standard rate: ED3 (flat $0.10-0.12/kWh beats APS's blended average)
- Best for aggressive usage shifting: APS (super off-peak $0.09/kWh is rock-bottom)
- Best for solar: APS (TOU + solar, better export credit, more flexibility)
- Best for batteries: APS (Cool Reward rebate + VPP earnings)
- Best for EV charging: ED3 ($0.056/kWh overnight is hard to beat)
- Best for "set and forget" homeowners: ED3 (flat rate, no peak anxiety)
If you're a new Maricopa homeowner trying to understand your ED3 bills, start with our ED3 peak hours guide. If you're comparing solar proposals, read our ED3 Rider 8B solar guide before signing anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ED3 cheaper than APS?
For most homeowners who don't aggressively shift usage, yes. ED3's flat $0.10-0.12/kWh rate protects you from APS's $0.34/kWh summer peak. But APS customers who shift usage to off-peak and super off-peak windows can achieve lower overall costs.
Why doesn't ED3 follow the same rules as APS?
ED3 is a political subdivision of Arizona (like a special district), not a private utility. ED3 is NOT regulated by the Arizona Corporation Commission. Its rates and programs are set by a 7-member elected board. This means national solar guides describing "Arizona net billing" are describing APS rules — not ED3's.
Can I switch from ED3 to APS?
No. Your utility is determined by your physical address. If your home is in ED3's service territory, you're an ED3 customer. You cannot choose between utilities at the same address.
Should I go solar on ED3?
Solar can still make sense on ED3, but the math is different from APS. ED3's export credit (set by their board, not published publicly) and the $25/month DG service charge + DGFCR per-kW fee eat into savings more than APS's structure. The key is maximizing self-consumption — use your solar power directly instead of exporting it. A battery helps enormously. Read our ED3 Rider 8B guide for the full analysis.