THE SHORT ANSWER
Charge between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. That window avoids Benton PUD's weekday peak hours, when your highest hour of use sets a demand charge of $1.54 per kW, and it matches the overnight schedules Richland and Benton REA require for their charger rebates. For a Benton PUD customer, one hour of 48-amp charging during a weekday peak can add about $18 to that month's bill.
Why does charging time matter in the Tri-Cities?
For Benton PUD customers, the price per kWh doesn't change by time of day. It's 7.22 cents all day. What changes is the demand charge.
Each month, Benton PUD finds the single hour during peak hours when your home used the most power, rounds it to the nearest whole kilowatt, and multiplies it by $1.54. A Level 2 charger is often the biggest load in the house, so one peak-hour charging session can set that number for the whole month.
Here are Benton PUD's residential peak hours. Weekends and major holidays are never peak.
| Season | Peak hours (weekdays) | Charge without a demand hit |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 1 – Apr 30 | 6–9 a.m. and 5–8 p.m. | 8 p.m.–6 a.m., 9 a.m.–5 p.m., and all weekend |
| May 1 – Sep 30 | 5–8 p.m. | Any time except 5–8 p.m. on weekdays |
What can one evening of charging cost?
The math is simple: the charger's power, rounded, times $1.54.
- A 48-amp charger draws about 11.5 kW. One weekday hour between 5 and 8 p.m. adds about 12 kW to your peak, or about $18 on that month's bill.
- A 32-amp charger draws about 7.7 kW. That's about 8 kW, or about $12.
- The same charge started at 10 p.m. adds nothing to the demand charge.
The energy itself costs the same either way. A 30 kWh charge is about $2.17 at 7.22 cents per kWh. And because the demand charge measures your whole house, the charger stacks on top of whatever else is running at dinnertime.
What about Richland and Benton REA customers?
Their charging windows come from the rebate rules.
- Richland Energy Services requires its $300 rebate chargers to be set to charge from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and any time on Sunday.
- Benton REA requires a charging delay set to a time Benton REA chooses, such as 10 p.m., to qualify for its $300 incentive.
- Pasco homes are on Franklin PUD. Check Franklin PUD's current rates and programs directly.
Charging from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. works for all three utilities, which keeps things simple if you move or the rules change.
How do I set a charging schedule?
You can set it in the car or in the charger's app. Use one, not both, so they don't fight each other.
- Set charging to start at 10 p.m.
- In winter (October through April), make sure it finishes by 6 a.m. Benton PUD's morning peak runs 6 to 9 a.m. on weekdays. Most cars have a "ready by" or departure-time setting that handles this.
- If you need a top-up during the day on a weekday, turn the charger down to a lower amperage. Fewer kilowatts means a smaller demand charge.
Most overnight sessions finish well before morning. A 32-amp charger adds about 7.7 kWh an hour, so eight hours is roughly 60 kWh.
How can I check what my peak was?
Benton PUD's SmartHub account shows your usage and when your peak demand happened. If your demand charge looks high, check whether it lines up with a weekday evening when the car was plugged in. Moving that one session to after 8 p.m. (or 10 p.m. to be safe) is usually the fix.
Quick questions
Sources, checked November 3, 2026
- Benton PUD: Rates & Policies (Residential Rate Schedule 11, effective April 1, 2026)
- Benton PUD: 2026 rate information
- Benton PUD: Residential demand charge
- Richland Energy Services: residential EV smart charger requirements
- Benton REA: electric vehicle offers
Programs and rules change, so confirm before you buy.