Energy experts and power producers say the change would encourage much-needed conservation, given the state's chronic shortage of electrons at times of peak demand.
Proponents remain undeterred by such qualms.
They say consumers, when made aware of the changing price of power, could realize savings, for example, by choosing to forgo running their dishwashers at the premium 9 a.m. time slot in favor of the bargain hour of 9 p.m. Utilities in other states are already experimenting with time-based metering. In many cases, existing meters have been fitted with communications modules, about the size of a thick business card, that transmit readings by radio signal every 15 minutes. Although Puget Sound customers are still charged a fixed retail rate, a chart gives them an estimate of how much above or below that rate the utility paid wholesale. The same customers have also been able to review their electricity consumption from the previous day via the Internet.