Thermostat Thoughts
Let’s talk thermostats. Everyone has a comfort zone. In the winter, I like to set my thermostat to 68 degrees. To some, that may seem cool, but I’m perfectly comfortable with a blanket in my lap. My wife though, she’s in the 72- to 73-degree camp. When it’s really cold, she’ll fire up the gas logs in our fireplace in the living room — that way, we’re not putting so much demand on the electric system. Now, that’s anecdotal, but it’s the way we live.
Balancing Comfort With Cost
To many, thermostat settings are personal, and I get it. It’s often a balance between comfort and energy conservation, especially during those freezing winter mornings. Turning the temperature up is often a thoughtless act.
But we at Wiregrass Electric Cooperative (WEC) want you to start thinking about the impact not just on your own bill, but on the entire co-op’s power costs. We’re moving toward billing each household according to its precise energy demand during winter, ensuring everyone pays according to their contribution to excess demand during winter peak times.
If you find the concept of electrical demand complicated, think about your car. You might drive a fuel-efficient compact most days for work, but come Sunday, it’s a minivan packed to the brim for church. It’s about having the capacity when you need it. That monthly minivan payment is a fixed cost, it sticks around no matter how often you drive it. Similarly, WEC incurs a fixed cost to ensure enough capacity to meet our highest need — our peak demand — even if it only occurs once a year.
Contrary to what some may think, our energy system doesn’t peak during the dog days of summer — it’s the coldest days of winter that truly test our grid. This is because our membership leans heavily residential, rather than commercial. Particularly between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., every household is drawing power, pushing demand to spike during that window. And it’s during this season we experience our highest spike, or peak demand, that establishes the fixed cost we incur for demand throughout the rest of the year.
Take note — between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. winter months (November, December, January, and February) for WEC is when most homes experience their highest electricity demand. Being aware of this is half the battle, and collective action is the solution.
So What Can You Do?
1st, you can install a water heater timer. Set it to heat water at off-peak times, specifically in November through February. This may mean postponing your shower or running the dishwasher, but it lightens demand for both your household and the co-op. When the co-op saves money, you save money.
Second, you can tweak your thermostat a few degrees lower during the 6 a.m. through 9 a.m. window. Programmable thermostats help you get that done without having to think about it — just set it and forget it. Technology these days makes it easy. I have an app that allows me to adjust my smart thermostat from my phone.
The Bottom Line
Trust me, the small changes count toward lowering your demand. Demand currently makes up 60% of our wholesale power costs, so millions of dollars are at stake here. We’re a not-for-profit organization, so we’re an at-cost provider. So when you cut back, it benefits not only you but every fellow member of our co-op.
In the end, it’s all about being mindful — especially during those winter mornings. And let me tell you, folks, the savings are real. So let’s work together, and see those small changes making a difference.
Stay warm and take care.