Is electricity cheaper at night?

It can be cheaper at night, but it depends on the plan you’re on.

Some retailers still charge the same rate 24/7, while newer time-of-use plans give you lower rates overnight and at other off-peak times.

Here’s what that means in practice:

---

Off-peak vs peak pricing.

Power is cheaper to generate and supply when demand is low, which is usually overnight or mid-day. Time-of-use plans reflect that by charging more during peak times (like early evenings when everyone’s cooking dinner and running appliances) and less when demand drops. Some networks even offer night rates that are a fraction of peak rates.

Real-world savings.

On certain plans, power used late at night can cost about half as much as power used during busy evening hours. Run your dishwasher at 9pm instead of 6pm and you could be paying way less for the exact same load. At Electric Kiwi, our MoveMaster plan is built for this with half-price electricity overnight (11pm–7am) and cheaper off-peak rates across the day. Perfect if you’ve got an EV charging in the garage, or if you can shift appliances to later hours.

Flat-rate plans.

If you’re on a flat-rate plan, then your power costs the same no matter when you use it. Simple, yes, but you miss out on the savings you could get by shifting usage. With so many time-based options available now, it’s worth checking if moving to off-peak pricing suits your lifestyle.

How to check your plan.

Look over your latest bill or account details. If you see different rates listed for times of day, or terms like “off-peak” or “controlled,” you’re likely already on some form of time-based pricing. With smart meters in most NZ homes now, switching to a time-of-use plan is easy if you want to take advantage of cheaper hours.

The Electric Kiwi approach.

Even on our flat rate Everyday plan, every customer gets an Hour of Power – one free hour of off-peak power every day. And if you want to maximise night savings, MoveMaster gives you half-price rates overnight plus cheaper prices at other off-peak times. GO250 has really great peak and off-peak rates, plus free power on Sundays for the first year.

The bottom line.

Yes, electricity can be cheaper at night but only if you’re on a plan that gives you those benefits. If you’re a night owl or happy to run laundry while you sleep, you can save a chunk by shifting your usage. And bonus: using more power off-peak helps ease demand on the grid, so it’s a win for both you and New Zealand’s power system.

---