Foreword: On July 29, 2021, the National Development and Reform Commission released a new time-of-use electricity price mechanism, requiring all localities to implement time-of-use electricity prices based on local conditions.
What is time-of-use electricity price? Will the price of electricity for farmers’ households increase?
The explanation of time-of-use electricity price in Toutiao Encyclopedia is: According to the system operating conditions, 24 hours a day is divided into several periods, and each period is charged according to the average marginal cost of system operation. Time-of-use electricity prices can stimulate and encourage power users to shift peaks and valleys and optimize power consumption patterns.
Such an explanation may not be easy for farmers to understand. I will explain it in an easy-to-understand way with an example:
Take the electricity demand of rural households in Weibei, Shaanxi as an example: For a farmer, within 24 hours a day, There are different electricity demands. For example, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. is the peak period for breakfast, 14 p.m. to 15 p.m. is the peak period for lunch, and the hot summer nights from 20 p.m. to 3 a.m. are for air conditioning. During the peak period, there are low periods of electricity consumption due to low electricity demand in other time periods.
To put it bluntly, household electricity has different electricity demand in different time periods. In some time periods, the electricity demand is high, and in other time periods, the electricity demand is low. The time-of-use electricity price is based on the electricity consumption in different time periods. Demand is priced in segments, which means that a family's electricity demand varies by time period throughout the day, and the electricity bill will be adjusted accordingly according to the level of electricity demand.
The explanation given by experts is: during the peak hours of concentrated power consumption, it is necessary to strengthen the construction of the power grid and mobilize high-cost generating units to generate peak power, so the cost of power supply is relatively high; during the valley hours when there is less power consumption, the cost of power supply is low. The power generated by the unit can guarantee the supply, and the cost of power supply is relatively low. Time-of-use electricity prices are designed based on the time value of electric energy to guide power users to cut peaks and fill valleys, ensuring the safe, stable and economic operation of the power system.
It can be seen from this that regarding the time-of-use electricity price billing method, the electricity price will definitely be higher during periods of high electricity demand, while the electricity price will definitely be lower during periods of low electricity demand. Of course, time-of-use electricity prices are not just divided into two periods: high and low. Experts have pointed out that there are multiple periods such as peaks, peaks, flat periods, troughs, deep valleys, etc. In other words, 24 hours will be subdivided into multiple different periods. The electricity demand range is different, and the electricity price in each period is different.
In the explanation given by experts, there is a sentence called "guiding power users to cut peak hours and fill valleys." What does this term mean? The term
is explained in Toutiao Encyclopedia as: rationally and plannedly arranging and organizing the power consumption time of various users according to the power consumption patterns of different users. To reduce load peaks and fill load troughs. Reduce the peak and valley load of the power grid to balance power generation and electricity consumption.
translated into the vernacular is: For example, for users in a region, a certain period of time is the peak period of electricity demand. The public's electricity demand during this period is too high, resulting in higher power supply load and cost; if it can Guide some users to stagger the peak period of electricity demand and choose to meet their electricity demand during the low period of electricity demand. In this way, the pressure on the entire region during the peak period of electricity demand will be greatly reduced, and the pressure on the entire region during the low period of electricity demand can also be achieved. By filling part of the electricity demand, the peak and valley values of the grid load will be reduced, which means that there will be no large difference in land load, and both power generation and electricity consumption can be in a balanced and reasonable range. within.
To put it bluntly, it is based on the fact that a certain period of time belongs to the peak period of electricity consumption. The load of power generation on the power grid is too high, and the cost of power generation and electricity consumption will increase accordingly. If you stagger the peak period and use electricity during the low period of electricity consumption, the cost of power generation and electricity consumption will increase accordingly. This can not only stagger the excessive load during the peak period, but also increase the excessively low load during the trough period, making the difference between high and low smaller and more balanced.
So, based on the time-of-use electricity price, will the price of electricity for farmers’ households increase?
Take the rural areas of Weibei, Shaanxi Province as an example. At present, household electricity charges are tiered, which means that the less electricity is used, the lower the electricity price. If the electricity consumption exceeds a certain range, the electricity price will rise (the electricity price increases). According to different electricity consumption ranges Delineate different electricity price billing standards.
If time-of-use electricity prices are adopted, from the perspective of farmers’ household electricity consumption, some people will definitely choose to stagger the peak hours of electricity consumption and use electricity during the low electricity consumption periods, that is, use electricity during periods of low electricity prices; but for large-scale electricity consumption, For some people, it is difficult to stagger the peak periods of electricity consumption in terms of certain electricity demands. For example, in today’s hot weather (July 31, 2021), the temperature reached 39 degrees Celsius. There must be a large amount of electricity during the hottest period at noon. Some families choose to use air conditioners. If this period happens to be the peak period or even the peak period of time-of-use electricity prices, it will naturally bear higher electricity prices. For most farmers' households, there will be a price increase. So how to arrange the use of electricity? The time period of electricity is related to the billing standard for household electricity.
