As our colder winter months continue, electricity use naturally rises. We spend more time indoors where we rely on our home’s heating system and use more lighting and household appliances. When a majority of our members are using electricity at the same time, typically early mornings and evenings between 5-9 p.m., the result is significant pressure on our electric grid and high demand charges from our wholesale power provider Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association.
Lowering demand charges is something we can all play a part in. To help understand demand, here is an example using a light bulb. Light bulbs have varying power ratings and for this example we will use a 10-watt LED bulb. If this lightbulb stays on for 10 hours, it consumes 100 watt-hours – but only demands 10 watts. Now, if you turn on ten 10W light bulbs in your home for one hour, you are still consuming the same 100 watt-hours. However, your demand is 100 watts — 10 times higher than using one bulb.
Managing demand is an important driver in the cost of providing electric service to SDCEA members. The peak demand at your service dictates the size of wire and equipment necessary to serve you, and it drives SDCEA’s costs from Tri-State.
For now, you have the voluntary opportunity to help lower costs for the cooperative by shifting your use of electricity, using less electricity during peak times — Monday to Saturday from 5-9 p.m. — and by staggering your appliance use — running one at a time instead of multiple simultaneously. While this is currently a choice you can make to reduce costs, our goal is to eventually introduce rates that financially reward you for shifting your energy usage and practicing these habits. It is a step toward giving you more control over your bill and savings in the future.
For example, when you get home in the evening, cook dinner first, then run appliances such as the clothes washing machine afterwards if you have laundry to do — not at the same time. Better yet, if you have appliances with a ‘delay’ feature, set them to run after 9 p.m. These small changes reduce stress on the grid, lower costs, and make electricity more reliable for everyone.
By March, we will launch two optional pilot programs designed to give residential members a chance to save money while reducing demand costs on our system.
Water Heater Pilot Program
If you have an electric water heater, you may apply to be part of a pilot program where we’ll install a Wi-Fi-enabled device to manage your heater’s activity, preventing it from running during the peak hours of 5-9 p.m., Monday-Saturday. In return, you’ll receive a bill credit for participating.
EV Charging Pilot Program
For members with a Level II electric vehicle charger, this opt-in program offers a financial incentive to avoid charging your vehicle during the peak hours of 5-9 p.m., Monday-Saturday.
If you are interested in either of these programs, call SDCEA Energy Use Advisor Tom Linza or visit our website at https://myelectric.coop
for more information. Both programs will be offered to a limited number of participants, and are subject to terms and conditions, including needing Wi-Fi at your home.
Next month’s column will include information about a new pilot residential battery program which is currently under development.
Together, we can control electricity costs and create a more efficient energy system in the future.
