Is Time of Use (ToU) Billing Worth Switching To?

Time of Use (ToU) billing can be worth switching to if a meaningful share of your electricity use already happens or can be moved outside the weekday peak period of 2pm to 10pm.

Under TNB's Domestic ToU tariff in Peninsular Malaysia, electricity has a lower Energy Charge during off-peak hours and a higher Energy Charge during peak hours. So the potential saving comes from when you use electricity, not simply how much you use.

Is ToU likely to suit my household?

ToU is most useful when your household naturally uses more electricity during off-peak periods or can shift some high-use activities there.

Your electricity pattern	Is ToU worth considering?
You charge an EV overnight	Yes, potentially. Big savings opportunity.
You do most laundry on weekends	Yes, potentially. Weekends are all Off-Peak.
Much of your electricity use happens before 2pm	Yes, potentially. Mornings are Off-Peak.
You can move flexible appliances to after 10pm	Yes, potentially
Your home is busiest from 2pm–10pm on weekdays	Less likely
Heavy air-conditioning use happens every weekday afternoon and evening	Savings may be limited, unless you can pre-cool
You cannot realistically change when you use electricity	General Tariff may be simpler

TNB itself advises customers to check their usage pattern and ability to shift consumption before opting for ToU.

What are the ToU peak and off-peak hours?

Peak hours are 2pm to 10pm from Monday to Friday. 

• Monday to Friday: Off-peak before 2pm and after 10pm
• Monday to Friday: Peak from 2pm to 10pm
• Saturday and Sunday: Off-peak all day
• 15 designated public holidays: Off-peak all day

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This gives households a relatively long off-peak window, particularly overnight and throughout weekends.

How much cheaper is electricity during ToU off-peak hours?

For Domestic customers using 1,500 kWh or less per month, the current off-peak Energy Charge is 24.43 sen/kWh, compared with 28.52 sen/kWh during peak hours.

The General Tariff Energy Charge for the same consumption category is 27.03 sen/kWh.

Tariff	Energy Charge
Domestic General, 1,500 kWh and below	27.03 sen/kWh
Domestic ToU peak	28.52 sen/kWh
Domestic ToU off-peak	24.43 sen/kWh

For consumption above 1,500 kWh, the current General Energy Charge is 37.03 sen/kWh, while ToU charges 38.52 sen/kWh at peak and 34.43 sen/kWh off-peak.

So ToU is a trade-off:

use more electricity off-peak → more opportunity to save

use more electricity during peak hours → less opportunity to save

How much off-peak usage makes ToU worthwhile?

As a simple rule of thumb, ToU starts to become cheaper on the Energy Charge when about 36% of your electricity use is off-peak.

For households using 1,500 kWh or less per month:

• General Tariff: 27.03 sen/kWh
• ToU peak: 28.52 sen/kWh
• ToU off-peak: 24.43 sen/kWh

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At around 36.4% off-peak usage, the average ToU Energy Charge is roughly the same as the General Tariff. If more of your electricity use happens off-peak, ToU becomes more favourable on the Energy Charge. The same break-even percentage also applies to the higher usage category under the current published rates.

This is only a quick comparison of the Energy Charge, not a guarantee that your total monthly bill will be lower.

What appliances are worth moving to off-peak hours?

Focus on higher-use appliances that can be scheduled without disrupting your routine.

Good candidates include:

• EV charging;
• washing machines and dryers;
• dishwashers;
• some water-heating systems; and
• other programmable appliances.

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For example, EV charging moved from 8pm to after 10pm shifts that consumption from peak to off-peak pricing. Weekend laundry also falls entirely within off-peak hours.

You do not need to rearrange your entire routine. Shift the flexible, higher-use loads first.

How can I check whether ToU suits me before switching?

If you have an activated smart meter and usage data is available in myTNB, review your actual electricity pattern before applying.

Look at several weeks rather than one unusually hot or busy day.

Compare:

How much electricity do I use between 2pm and 10pm on weekdays?

with:

How much do I use before 2pm, after 10pm, and on weekends?

TNB's smart-meter customers can use myTNB's Daily Usage View to monitor more detailed electricity-use patterns.

You can then identify whether major loads such as air-conditioning, EV charging, or laundry are happening during peak or off-peak hours.

How do I switch to TNB ToU?

The simplest current route is through the myTNB Portal. 

TNB's tariff guidance also lists the myTNB App, email, and Kedai Tenaga as application channels; check the latest TNB instructions before applying. Applications submitted by email or at Kedai Tenaga require the relevant tariff contract change documents listed by TNB.

Do I need a smart meter for ToU?

Yes. An activated smart meter is required because ToU needs to record when electricity is consumed.

A normal monthly meter total only shows how many kWh you used.

ToU needs to distinguish: Peak consumption + Off-peak consumption

TNB states that if an activated smart meter is already available, the tariff contract change can be processed within five working days. If a smart meter is not installed or has not yet been activated, installation and activation may take up to two months, subject to telecommunications-network availability at the premises.

Is there a fee to switch to ToU?

TNB states that a RM10 Stamp Duty applies to the new tariff contract and is reflected in the following month's bill.

A tariff change can also create a shorter billing period during the transition. TNB notes that applicable Service Tax rules for billing periods below 28 days may therefore affect that transition bill.

Can I switch back if ToU does not suit me?

Yes. Customers can switch back to the General Tariff if ToU does not suit their electricity pattern.

It makes sense to assess at least one complete billing cycle first so that you can compare your real peak and off-peak consumption.

TNB's current material also states that switching back involves another tariff-contract change and the applicable RM10 Stamp Duty.

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FAQ

Does ToU guarantee a lower TNB bill?

No. ToU has a lower off-peak Energy Charge but a higher peak Energy Charge. Whether you save depends mainly on when you use electricity.

Is electricity off-peak all weekend?

Yes. Saturday and Sunday are off-peak for the entire day under the current Domestic ToU schedule. The same applies to 15 designated public holidays.

Is ToU worth it for EV owners?

It can be particularly useful for EV owners because charging can often be scheduled after 10pm, when the lower off-peak Energy Charge applies.

Can I change back to the General Tariff?

Yes. If ToU does not suit your usage pattern, you can apply to return to the General Tariff.

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Last updated: 6 October 2026

This article is sponsored by Tenaga Nasional Berhad.