Beat the Peak
By Mike Malandro, President & CEO, Choptank Electric Cooperative
If you look around your home, you likely have more devices and equipment that require electricity than ever before. Our connected lives are increasingly dependent on more electricity to function. At the same time, as demand for electricity rises, Choptank Electric Cooperative must deliver an uninterrupted 24/7 power supply – regardless of market conditions or other circumstances.
As you would expect from your family’s habits, electricity use fluctuates throughout the day based on consumer demand. Choptank Electric Cooperative must be able to provide enough electricity to meet the energy needs of all members during times of highest energy use, or what we like to call “peak” hours. These peak times are typically in the morning as people start their day and in the evening as people return to their homes.
What you may not know is that electric utilities, including Choptank Electric, typically pay more for electricity – either from a power plant or from another utility with excess power – during those morning and evening peaks. In addition, the demand for electricity is even higher when it's especially cold outside, when heating systems must run longer to warm our homes.
If the peak times concept is a bit puzzling, here’s an easy way to think about it: like a major concert. We know costs go up when there is strong demand for tickets (or electricity), and both are subject to the basic economic laws of supply and demand. When a lot of people want the same thing, it’s more expensive. When they don’t, it’s cheaper – like a bargain matinee or an “early bird” special at a restaurant.
During peak periods when the cost to produce and purchase power is higher, we encourage you to take simple steps to save energy. Choptank Electric Cooperative’s voluntary Beat The Peak program notifies members via email or text when it is urgent to change their thermostat setting and curtail the use of major appliances and unnecessary lights in an effort to reduce the peak demand on our system.
You can also save energy by plugging electronics and equipment such as computers, printers and TVs into a power strip, then turn it off at the switch during peak hours. If you have a programmable thermostat, adjust the settings to sync up with off-peak periods. When we all work together to reduce energy use during periods of high electricity demand, we can relieve pressure on the grid and save a little money along the way.
Another benefit of this time-of-use approach to electricity use allows greater control over your monthly bill. Reducing the peak impacts the power-supply cost to every co-op member. This is particularly noticeable as energy costs have risen across the country. Collectively, everyone conserving energy and making small changes can truly make a difference.
Remember, taking simple steps to save energy throughout the day and shifting energy intensive chores to off-peak hours is a smart choice for you and our community. Visit choptankelectric.coop/beat-peak to learn more about peak energy times and to sign up for our Beat The Peak member notifications.