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Xcel Energy Peak Hours: 5–9 PM Weekdays (Colorado)
Xcel Energy's on-peak hours in Colorado are 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on non-holiday weekdays, all year. Every other hour, including weekends and holidays, is off-peak. Time-of-use is the default rate for Xcel's Colorado homes. At the widest gap (summer), power costs 21.28¢ per kWh in on-peak hours and 7.88¢ in off-peak hours.
Checked by hand against Colorado PUC: Xcel Energy time-of-use rates on . Prices effective November 1, 2025. Utilities change these rates, so check your bill or Xcel Energy before you plan around them.
Xcel Energy peak hours, hour by hour
Plan: Residential Time of Use. The default rate for Xcel Energy homes in Colorado. You can call Xcel to switch to a seasonal flat rate.
On-peakOff-peak
| Hour | Weekdays All year | Weekends and holidays All year |
|---|---|---|
| midnight–1 a.m. | Off-peak | Off-peak |
| 1 a.m.–2 a.m. | Off-peak | Off-peak |
| 2 a.m.–3 a.m. | Off-peak | Off-peak |
| 3 a.m.–4 a.m. | Off-peak | Off-peak |
| 4 a.m.–5 a.m. | Off-peak | Off-peak |
| 5 a.m.–6 a.m. | Off-peak | Off-peak |
| 6 a.m.–7 a.m. | Off-peak | Off-peak |
| 7 a.m.–8 a.m. | Off-peak | Off-peak |
| 8 a.m.–9 a.m. | Off-peak | Off-peak |
| 9 a.m.–10 a.m. | Off-peak | Off-peak |
| 10 a.m.–11 a.m. | Off-peak | Off-peak |
| 11 a.m.–noon | Off-peak | Off-peak |
| noon–1 p.m. | Off-peak | Off-peak |
| 1 p.m.–2 p.m. | Off-peak | Off-peak |
| 2 p.m.–3 p.m. | Off-peak | Off-peak |
| 3 p.m.–4 p.m. | Off-peak | Off-peak |
| 4 p.m.–5 p.m. | Off-peak | Off-peak |
| 5 p.m.–6 p.m. | On-peak | Off-peak |
| 6 p.m.–7 p.m. | On-peak | Off-peak |
| 7 p.m.–8 p.m. | On-peak | Off-peak |
| 8 p.m.–9 p.m. | On-peak | Off-peak |
| 9 p.m.–10 p.m. | Off-peak | Off-peak |
| 10 p.m.–11 p.m. | Off-peak | Off-peak |
| 11 p.m.–midnight | Off-peak | Off-peak |
Xcel Energy time-of-use prices
| Season | Period | Weekday hours | Weekends and holidays | Price per kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer June–September | On-peak | 5 p.m.–9 p.m. | — | 21.28¢ |
| Summer June–September | Off-peak | 9 p.m.–5 p.m. | all day | 7.88¢ |
| Non-summer October–May | On-peak | 5 p.m.–9 p.m. | — | 18.33¢ |
| Non-summer October–May | Off-peak | 9 p.m.–5 p.m. | all day | 6.79¢ |
Base energy rate per kWh as published by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. Riders, fuel and other charges are added on the bill.
Since November 1, 2025, Xcel's Colorado plan has just two periods, on-peak and off-peak. The earlier mid-peak period was dropped.
The seasonal flat rate you can switch to costs more than the off-peak price and less than the on-peak price.
What an hour of use costs: on-peak vs off-peak
One hour of each appliance at Xcel Energy's summer prices (21.28¢ vs 7.88¢ per kWh), using the typical wattage from our appliance usage pages.
| Appliance | kWh per hour | On-peak | Off-peak | You save |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central AC | 3.5 | $0.74 | $0.28 | $0.47 |
| Clothes Dryer | 3.0 | $0.64 | $0.24 | $0.40 |
| Dishwasher | 1.5 | $0.32 | $0.12 | $0.20 |
| Electric Vehicle Charger | 7.2 | $1.53 | $0.57 | $0.96 |
Other Xcel Energy plans
- Seasonal flat rate (opt-out): No peak hours. Call Xcel at 1-800-895-4999 to switch.
How Xcel Energy prices compare with the Colorado average
The average home in Colorado paid 17.17¢ per kWh in the latest month of EIA data, all charges included and averaged over every hour of the day. See Colorado's month-by-month price history.
EIA data for , updated · Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration
Xcel Energy (Colorado) rates and average bill · All Colorado utilities · Average electric bill in Colorado
Questions about Xcel Energy peak hours
What are Xcel Energy peak hours?
Xcel Energy's on-peak hours in Colorado are 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on non-holiday weekdays, all year. Every other hour, including weekends and holidays, is off-peak. Time-of-use is the default rate for Xcel's Colorado homes.
Are weekends off-peak with Xcel Energy?
Yes. On Xcel Energy's Time of Use rate, weekends and holidays have no peak hours.
What is the cheapest time to use electricity with Xcel Energy?
The off-peak hours: 9 p.m.–5 p.m. on weekdays, and all day on weekends and holidays in summer (June–September), at 7.88¢ per kWh, against 21.28¢ in the on-peak hours. The lowest price all year is 6.79¢, in the off-peak hours (9 p.m.–5 p.m. weekdays and all day on weekends and holidays) in non-summer (October–May).
How much more does electricity cost during Xcel Energy peak hours?
21.28¢ per kWh in peak hours in summer (June–September), 2.7 times the off-peak price of 7.88¢. Base energy rate per kWh as published by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. Riders, fuel and other charges are added on the bill.
Do Xcel Energy peak hours change with the seasons?
No. The peak hours are 5 p.m.–9 p.m. weekdays, all year; only the prices change between summer (June–September) and non-summer (October–May).
Sources
We read Xcel Energy's own rate pages and tariffs on Nov 11, 2026 and copied the hours and prices by hand. These are the published prices for one plan, not a quote; your bill also depends on taxes, riders and how much you use. How we work.