"Beat the Peak" is a voluntary program where members are encouraged to conserve or limit energy usage during peak times. "Peak" times are those when the Cooperative is purchasing wholesale power at the highest prices. By cutting back on the amount of wholesale power purchased during these peak, high-priced periods, the Cooperative can reduce its total wholesale power costs. Reductions in wholesale power costs are passed through directly to the members in our power cost adjustment (PCA).
Peak periods occur when the demand for electricity is the highest. Usually these are periods when it is very cold or hot outside. When you volunteer to participate in the program, we will notify you when it is urgent for you to turn back your thermostat setting during the heating season and raise the thermostat in the cooling season, curtail the use of major appliances and turn off all unnecessary lights in an effort to reduce the peak demand on our system.
The Cooperative will alert you of the "Beat the Peak" time via an email message and/or a text message to your cell phone. (If you do not have a texting plan on your cell phone, the standard texting rates will apply.) The message will inform you of the anticipated day and time of the peak period to remind you of the importance to reduce the energy consumption during this critical period. There will also be peak notices shown on a local television station as well.