TAKE A LOAD OFF
Did you know?
Six hours of each year
30 minutes of each month
causes 46% of GCEA's wholesale power bill
It’s called a demand charge and it occurs 75% of the time within 2 hours after sunset.
What are on-peak hours?
On-peak is defined as the hours during the day when electricity is most used and more expensive.
GCEA's on-peak hours occur from 5pm to 10pm Monday through Saturday.
- Occurs 1 hour after sunset on average
– Morning peak occurs 1:20 after sunrise on average
- Within 2 hours after sunset 85% of the time
- On or within 3 days of an observed holiday 23% of the time
How to cut down on energy use during
on-peak hours:
- Adjust your thermostat
- Consider investing in a programmable thermostat
- Program your thermostat to come on early enough to have your home warm by 5 pm
- Limit hot water use
- Consider placing a timer on your water heater that will help shift energy load
- Use high-wattage appliances before or after the on-peak hours
- Dryer
- Washer
- Oven
- Use a toaster oven instead
- Stove top
- use the delay on dishwasher
- use a crockpot to cook meals
- Consider doing laundry on Sunday when there is no peak time
What Drives Peak:
- Weather variations during the month/year
- Coincidental usage patterns
– Business hours
– Sleep cycles
– Programmable devices
- Special Events
- Tourism
- Presence/lack of incentives to influence consumer behavior
- Extent of consumer education/awareness
By reducing your demand during peak hours along with other GCEA members, you can help us keep your electricity rates down long-term and reduce pollution in our environment.