TNB Peak and Off-Peak Hours: ToU Times, Rates and Tips

TNB peak and off-peak hours are simple once you see them on a clock. Peak hours run from 2:00pm to 10:00pm, Monday to Friday. Everything else is off-peak: 10:00pm to 2:00pm on weekdays, all day Saturday and Sunday, and 15 public holidays listed by TNB (Tenaga Nasional Berhad).

That means only 40 of the 168 hours in a normal week are peak. The other 128 hours, about 76% of the week, are off-peak.

These hours only change your bill if your account is on the ToU (Time of Use) tariff. On the normal tariff, which TNB calls General, every kWh costs the same at any hour.

TNB peak and off-peak hours at a glance

The same hours apply to every ToU account under the RP4 tariff (in force since 1 July 2025), for homes and businesses alike (myTNB).

One detail people miss: weekday off-peak runs from 10pm right through to 2pm the next day. So the whole morning, from midnight to lunchtime, is already off-peak.

Which public holidays count as off-peak?

TNB lists 15 public holidays as off-peak all day: New Year's Day, the first and second days of Chinese New Year, the first and second days of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Labour Day, Wesak Day, the Agong's Birthday, Hari Raya Aidiladha, Awal Muharram, National Day, Malaysia Day, Maulidur Rasul, Deepavali and Christmas.

State holidays and extra one-off holidays are not on the list. If one falls on a weekday, treat 2pm to 10pm as peak unless TNB says otherwise.

TNB ToU rates: how much do peak and off-peak cost?

Under ToU, peak energy costs 4.09 sen/kWh more than off-peak in every category. The rates below are for Peninsular Malaysia, valid from 1 July 2025 to 31 December 2027 (TNB tariff page).

The other per-kWh items on a home bill, such as the capacity and network charges and the AFA (Automatic Fuel Adjustment), are the same at every hour. They do not change the ToU comparison. How AFA works is explained in our AFA guide.

ToU vs normal tariff: which is cheaper?

ToU is cheaper when less than about 64% of your kWh falls in peak hours. Above that, the normal tariff wins.

The 64% comes straight from the rate gaps. The normal rate sits 2.60 sen above off-peak, and peak sits 4.09 sen above off-peak:

$$\text{Break-even peak share} = \frac{27.03 - 24.43}{28.52 - 24.43} = \frac{2.60}{4.09} \approx 64\%$$

The same ratio holds for every row in the table above, so the 64% rule works for homes and businesses.

Two homes, same 600 kWh, different habits

These figures are illustrative and cover the energy charge only.

Home A uses 30% of its power in peak hours (180 kWh). Most of its use is at night and on weekends.

• ToU: (180 × 28.52 sen) + (420 × 24.43 sen) = RM51.34 + RM102.61 = RM153.95
• Normal tariff: 600 × 27.03 sen = RM162.18
• ToU saves about RM8.23 a month, or roughly RM99 a year.

Home B uses 70% of its power in peak hours (420 kWh). Everyone comes home at 6pm, and the air-conditioners run until bedtime.

• ToU: (420 × 28.52 sen) + (180 × 24.43 sen) = RM119.78 + RM43.97 = RM163.75
• Normal tariff: RM162.18
• ToU costs about RM1.57 more a month.

For most homes the difference is a few ringgit to around RM20 a month. That is a real saving, but it will not cut a bill in half. Look at your habits first, then decide.

How to use off-peak hours at home

Each kWh moved from peak to off-peak saves 4.09 sen on ToU. The loads worth moving are the ones you can set on a timer:

1. Electric vehicle charging. Start it after 10pm. A car taking 200 kWh a month costs RM48.86 at off-peak rates, against RM57.04 if charged in the evening peak.
2. Washing machine and dryer. Run them in the morning, at night, or on weekends.
3. Water heater and pumps. Heat and fill tanks outside 2pm to 10pm.
4. Pre-cool on weekend afternoons. Weekends are off-peak all day, so there is no penalty for running the air-conditioner then.

The evening air-conditioner is the hard one. In most homes it runs in peak hours whatever the tariff, which is why Home B above is the common case.

How to switch to ToU (and back)

Any registered TNB account holder can apply through the myTNB app, at a Kedai Tenaga, or by email. The application costs RM10 in stamp duty. With a compatible meter, such as a smart meter, it takes about 5 working days. If TNB needs to change your meter, it can take up to 2 months. There is no lock-in: switching back to the normal tariff costs another RM10 (application details).

TNB suggests staying on ToU for at least one full bill before you judge it. Your first bill may include part of a month on the old tariff.

For businesses, peak hours also set the demand charge

For a home or a Low Voltage shop, ToU only changes the energy rate. For Medium Voltage factories and buildings, the peak window matters far more.

On Medium Voltage ToU, the capacity and network charges (RM97.06 per kW combined) are billed only on the maximum demand recorded in peak hours. Maximum demand (MD) is the highest 30-minute average power drawn in the month. A 1,000 kW peak at 9am or on a Saturday is not charged at all. The same peak at 3pm on a Wednesday costs RM97,060 that month. On the General tariff, MD is charged at RM89.27/kW whenever it happens.

That rule can be worth far more than the 4.09 sen energy discount. We walk through the full decision, with Medium Voltage numbers, in TNB ToU tariff: should you switch?. For ways to keep the peak down, see how to cut TNB maximum demand charges, or test your own figures in the maximum demand calculator.

See your peak share before you switch

A TNB bill only gives monthly totals, so it cannot tell you which hours drive your use. For a business, that is the number the whole ToU decision rests on.

CobiNeural shows a site's energy use hour by hour, splits it into peak and off-peak, and sends a WhatsApp or email alert when demand climbs during peak hours. Your team can then act before the 30-minute window closes.

Send us a recent TNB bill and, if you have it, a month of 30-minute meter data through request a demo. We will show you what share of your use lands in peak hours and whether ToU pays for your site.