The cost to run a NAS in Ontario
By Devin Chua · Data checked by Owen Nakamura · Updated Running a typical 4-bay NAS 24/7 in Ontario costs about CA$46 a year at the current time-of-use blend (~13¢/kWh across a full day). Ontario is unusual because the rate depends on when power is used — and a NAS uses it around the clock, so it pays every price period, not just the cheap overnight one.
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Calculator pre-set to Ontario (rate ~13¢/kWh, as of 2026-01, OEB Regulated Price Plan (TOU)) — editable.
156 kWh/year · 18 W average at the wall
The same NAS costs about CA$8.09/year more here than in Quebec (7.8¢/kWh) — the cheapest place in Canada to run it.
A UPS adds a few percent loss but protects against the far costlier unclean shutdown. Annual figures use your current rate, drive count and active hours.
Why time-of-use matters for an always-on NAS
Ontario's Regulated Price Plan charges time-of-use rates: roughly 8.7¢/kWh off-peak (nights and weekends), 12.2¢ mid-peak, and 18.2¢ on-peak on weekday afternoons. A dishwasher you can run at night dodges the expensive window — but a NAS runs 24/7, so it draws power in every period. Averaged across a full day, that lands near 13¢/kWh, which is the figure the calculator uses by default (edit it to match your plan).
So a ~40 W NAS using ~350 kWh a year costs about CA$46 at the TOU blend. There is no way to fully dodge on-peak with a device that never turns off — which is exactly why the honest Ontario number is the blended rate, not the tempting off-peak one.
The ULO angle — genuinely interesting, with a caveat
Ontario also offers Ultra-Low Overnight (ULO): about 2.8¢/kWh from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., in exchange for a high ~28.6¢ on-peak. For a NAS specifically, ULO is a mixed bag — the box gets eight cheap overnight hours but pays the steep on-peak the rest of weekday evenings. Whether ULO beats standard TOU for you depends on your whole household's shiftable load, not the NAS alone; the NAS's own 24/7 draw comes out roughly similar either way. If most of your big loads (EV, laundry) already run overnight, ULO can win — run both rates through the calculator with your real numbers.
The November 2025 context, and how to cut the bill
Ontario electricity pricing shifted around late 2025 as rebate structures changed, effectively raising what many households pay per kWh (-- VERIFY the exact figure against your bill and the OEB's current rates). Whatever the headline, the levers are the same: fewer, larger drives (each spinning drive is ~CA$5–7/year here), enabling drive spin-down only if the NAS genuinely idles, and choosing an efficient box. Size your exact figure in the calculator above with your plan's rate.
Compare with other provinces
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run a NAS 24/7 in Ontario?
About CA$46 a year for a typical 4-bay NAS drawing ~40 W (~350 kWh) at the time-of-use blended rate of ~13¢/kWh. A smaller two-bay box costs less; a six-bay array with more drives costs more. Enter your model and drive count in the calculator for your exact figure.
Should I put my NAS on Ontario's ULO rate?
It depends on your whole household, not the NAS. ULO's 2.8¢ overnight is great, but its ~28.6¢ on-peak is steep, and a 24/7 NAS pays both. ULO usually wins only if your other big loads (EV charging, laundry) already run overnight. Compare both rates in the calculator with your real usage.
Does running a NAS at night save money in Ontario?
For the NAS itself, not really — it runs continuously, so it can't shift its load to cheap hours the way a dishwasher can. Time-of-use savings come from moving discretionary loads; a NAS just pays the blended average, about 13¢/kWh.
Did Ontario electricity rates go up in late 2025?
Ontario's pricing and rebate structure changed around that time, effectively raising the per-kWh cost for many households — check your latest bill and the OEB's current Regulated Price Plan for the exact rate, then enter it in the calculator (the rate field is editable for this reason).
Devin Chua works out which drives, RAM and NVMe cache fit which NAS model at nasdrives.ca, and what the RAID choice means for usable capacity, checked against what is in stock on Amazon.ca.
Data checked by Owen Nakamura, Technical editor (data checking)