Powering Up Opportunities for 2026
Beginning a new year can bring excitement and new energy to our lives. The same is true here at SDCEA. In 2026, we will be rolling out new programs to the membership that open opportunities for you to have greater control over your energy usage. We will continue to explore a new rate structure that would bring opportunities for savings to you. And we are exploring new opportunities that we can implement at SDCEA that would bring greater transparency and savings to the membership, such as utility-scale batteries, renewable energy opportunities, and new communication initiatives.
Our exploration and research into a new rate structure is centered around demand. Why is demand — kilowatts — important to you and to SDCEA? We, as a cooperative, are billed demand every month from our power supplier, Tri-State Generation and Transmission. This demand charge is approximately 58% of our total monthly power bill. The good news: We as a cooperative, together with the membership, can take steps to manage demand.
To give an analogy, demand is like the speedometer of a car, measuring the speed at which energy flows. The demand charge is your highest recorded “miles-per-hour” speed that month in a given time period. Energy — measured in kilowatt-hours — is like the distance traveled or how much power you have used that month.
When demand increases, the cost of wholesale electricity rises. This happens because the supplier must either produce additional power or purchase power from others. In addition, Tri-State and SDCEA must have the infrastructure in place to serve the peak demand of the membership even when it only occurs once a month or once a year.
All of us can reduce the impact on the electric grid when demands are high on the system. Shifting your use of electricity from SDCEA’s high demand times, weekdays from 5 to 9 p.m., to less active times; and staggering your use of appliances (i.e. using only one appliance at a time) helps reduce demand and create a more stable and reliable grid for everyone.
We will continue to prioritize efforts to reduce system demand by educating our members on this topic by introducing programs designed to achieve demand reduction goals. Together, we can embrace a new era of energy solutions that are both efficient and cost-effective. We are excited to collaborate with you on these initiatives, as they empower us all to manage costs effectively while providing greater flexibility and options on your bills.
Bill Pay Assistance
If you are having trouble keeping up with your electric bill, please do not hesitate to contact our office. We are here to listen and work with you to find options that can help you get back on track.
You can also visit our website to learn more about organizations that may also offer programs for help.
