Beat the Peak

A Few Changes Can Cut Household Electricity Demand

For Wiregrass Electric Cooperative (WEC) members, January and February typically bring some of the coldest temperatures of the year. As people stay indoors, thermostats go up and electric blankets come out, households — and the cooperative — hit peak demand for electricity.

Why is this important? For WEC, peak demand times are from 6-9 a.m. during winter. The coldest day usually sets the system’s peak demand for power, which is purchased wholesale from our generation and transmission partner, PowerSouth Energy Cooperative. This peak determines the fixed price WEC pays for electricity for the next year.

Part of this fixed power cost is passed on to you as a monthly residential demand charge based on your household’s contribution to the peak.

But you can reduce demand during peak hours, benefiting you, your neighbors, and your cooperative.

  • Keep an eye on your usage through the WEC mobile app’s “My Usage” tool. There, you can find a chart that displays usage for the last 30 days, 6 months, or year — or you can pick custom date ranges to look back at your days and moments of high energy use with temperature data. When you understand your energy habits, it can be easier to lower your contribution during peak times.
  • Delay running your dishwasher or doing the laundry, especially the dryer, during peak hours.
  • Use a programmable thermostat to turn down the temperature during peak hours or when the house is empty. If you can’t get a smart thermostat, you can manually lower the heat setting before leaving the house.
  • Keep the heat inside your home by sealing gaps around windows and doors. Consider investing in better insulation and weatherstripping.
  • Set your water heater’s thermostat to 120 degrees to get a comfortable temperature for most uses. Heating water is the second-largest energy expense in most homes — the first being heating and cooling.

WEC is working with PowerSouth to alert members when potential peak demand days are expected this winter. Developing energy-conserving habits now will save you money during and after the peak.