Peak Demand

Throughout the hot summer months, REC experiences days when electric use is in peak demand.Those days are typically Monday through Friday between 4 and 6 p.m. Use these tips to help you find ways that you can reduce your energy use during these peak days. This effort helps REC manage the rising costs of electricity.

SMART RESPONSE AC SWITCH

While REC is no longer soliciting participants for enrollment in the A/C Switch Program, we will install a switch upon a member's request.

If you previously enrolled in the Smart Response AC Switch program you will still receive a $6 credit on your electric bill each month from June through September. That monthly seasonal credit will continue as long as you remain an active participant and the AC Switch remains in place and operational.

The AC Switch Program helps reduce electricity demand during the hottest days of the year. This helps avoid having to import expensive electricity into our electrical system, reduces the strain on the system, and may even help delay the need for new power generation. These are still important goals, and REC is now evaluating other, more cost effective ways of reducing demand during peak periods.

How the program works
The Smart Response AC Switch program allows us to send a signal to participating members’ AC units during times when electricity is in the highest demand. The signal will cycle the AC unit on and off a few minutes each hour. The fan will continue to run, keeping your home comfortable. Most participants never notice a difference.

Additional things you can do to stay more comfortable during a peak event:

• Turn off unnecessary indoor lights, and replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent or LED bulbs.
• Delay the use of heat-producing appliances, such as the oven or clothes dryer.
• Use your ceiling fans; make sure they are turning in the forward direction (counter-clockwise). This will force the room air down on you giving you the wind chill effect that makes you feel cooler.
• Close window curtains and blinds to shade your living space.
• Turn off electronics that are not being used, such as computers, TVs and DVD players.

Enrolled in the Program? Contact us with any questions by calling 1-800-552-3904 or emailing us at office@myrec.coop

WATER HEATER CONTROL

When you participate in REC's FREE Water Heater Control program, you'll help your Cooperative save money and these savings get passed onto members. REC buys electricity for our members and the price of electricity varies according to when it is purchased and how much demand there is for electricity at that time. When demand is high, the cost of electricity is also high. Pariticipants in the Free Water Heater Control program allow REC to manage the energy use of their electric water heaters so that demand is reduced during peak times. The impact of 28,000 members water heaters using less energy during high peak times saves money for REC and our members. In exchange, your Cooperative provides free repairs to the electrical components of the water heater.

Controlling Your Water Heater
It starts when a trained REC technician comes to your home and installs a special switch on your water heater. This switch detects signals sent from your Cooperative either by radio or through the power lines. These signals tell the switch when to turn off the flow of electricity to the water heater and when to return it normal operations.

The switch does not impact the performance or life expectancy of your water heater.

Storing Energy
You will rarely, if ever, notice any difference in water temperature. Since water heaters store energy in the form of hot water, Cooperative members seldom notice any changes. In addition, most water heaters have tanks that hold 40 or 50 gallons of water, which usually provide enough hot water for use during the control period.