With the latest Sense app updates, setting your electricity rate is more flexible and easier to find. If you have not yet added a rate, Sense will show your energy usage in kWh only (A kWh kilowatt-hour is a unit of energy. It measures the total amount of electricity you use over time. until a rate is set). Once you add rate information, the app can begin showing estimated cost insights alongside your usage data.
Where to set your electricity rate
You can set your electricity rate in two places in the Sense app:
- From the prompt on the Usage screen
- By going to Settings > Electricity Info
This updated experience is intended to make rate setup more visible for new users while keeping it easy to access later from Settings.
Ways to add your electricity rate
When you set your rate, you may see up to three options:
1. Calculate from bill
Use information from your utility bill to calculate your rate. This is a helpful option if you want your Sense cost estimate to reflect your actual bill details more closely.
2. Custom rate input
Enter your electricity rate manually if you already know your cost per kWh. This option is useful for customers on a simple flat-rate plan or for anyone who prefers to enter their own value directly.
3. Average rate
Choose a location-based average rate provided by the app. This option can help you get started quickly if you do not have your bill available or do not know your exact electricity rate.
A note about cost estimates
Sense cost information is designed to help you better understand your usage, but it may not match your utility bill exactly. Some utility billing structures, including demand charges, fixed fees, and tiered or baseline rates, are not currently supported in the app.
Adding a Billing Cycle Dates
You can set your Billing Cycle Start Day to see estimates of your full billing cycle throughout the Sense app. To set the start day, go to Settings > Electricity Info. Keep in mind that your billing cycle may not follow a calendar month exactly; in many cases the start and end of your billing cycle may shift a couple of days based on your electricity provider’s meter reading schedule. The estimates you see in the Sense app will give you an idea of your total for a one month period starting on the day you set, but may not match your bill exactly.
Setting Time of Use periods
If you’re enrolled in a Time of Use plan where your cost per kWh varies depending on the time of day or day of the week, those settings are still managed in Settings > Electricity Info. You can = create Time of Use periods to match pricing by time of day, day of week, or season.
To add Time of Use periods, go to Settings > Electricity Info > Time Of Use Periods > Add New. From there, you can name each period, set the cost per kWh, choose applicable days, and define start and end times. If your utility uses seasonal pricing, you can create separate periods for each season.
For the best experience, use clear names for Time of Use periods, add a default electricity cost for times that are not covered by a TOU schedule, and review whether your utility uses different pricing on weekends or across seasons. You can also enable alerts if you want to be notified when a new TOU period begins.