The Daily Brief The new rules of paying for electricity
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Mar 18, 2026 Discussion of new time-of-day electricity pricing, smart meter delays, and how tariffs will push factories, malls and data centers toward automation, batteries and daytime usage. Examination of net metering reforms and storage mandates that shift costs and incentives. Coverage of a global helium supply shock, its impact on MRI machines and chip manufacturing, and why shortages may persist.
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Time Of Day Tariffs Will Reshape Consumption
- Time-of-day tariffs will create at least a 40% price spread between cheap solar hours and evening peak to shift consumption patterns.
- Akshara notes TOD was mandated in 2023 but delayed to 2027–28 because smart meters are not yet widely installed.
Prepare Now For TOD Incentives
- Prepare for TOD by investing in automated energy management or batteries within about a year for CNI consumers.
- Akshara warns a 20% daytime discount versus 20% evening premium makes storage or scheduling financially attractive.
Net Metering Stops Being A Free Grid Battery
- Net metering currently lets prosumers export cheap daytime solar and draw expensive evening power, making DISCOMs act as free batteries.
- The draft lets SERCs levy progressive charges above 5kW, pegged to equivalent battery costs to curb cross-subsidies.