When winter conditions cause Buckeye Rural Electric Cooperative members to crank up the heat, risk grows that the system will set a new demand peak. What does this mean, and why does BREC seek to avoid peaking?
First, a peak alert does not mean a power supply shortage is imminent. Electricity will continue to flow, whether or not cooperative members voluntarily reduce their power consumption.
Peaking is an economic situation caused by the electric system’s total power demand. Simply put, BREC’s wholesale supplier generates enough electricity to supply current demand. If demand grows past this point and suddenly spikes, a new peak is set. This has the potential to hit consumers in the pocket book.
A peak event occurred in January of 2003 that resulted in BREC members paying almost $1 million in additional demand cost. Since then, the cooperative has been working hard to control load and avoid setting new peaks. Demand cost has been reduced due to these efforts.
BREC is capable of peaking in either summer or winter, depending on conditions. This is why cooperative personnel closely watch short- and long-range weather forecasts, while staying in communication with the load control center at Buckeye Power, Inc., in Columbus.
“What really will grab our attention are temperatures at or below 15 degrees, especially for extended periods and with gusting wind or snow,” said BREC’s Russ Elliott, consumer services manager. “We are also looking at time of day. Mornings and early evenings are when peaking is most likely to occur.”
When conditions indicate the risk of peaking, warning alerts will be issued.
These “peak alerts” ask cooperative members to conserve power by adjusting thermostats on their electric heat systems and water heaters. Also, it is during these peak alert periods that radio-controlled water heater switches might be operated to “shed” load at a critical time.
“Buckeye REC is not asking its members to turn off the heat. We just want them to adjust the thermostat a little to conserve. If we avoid setting a new peak, it means smaller electric bills,” Elliott explained.
This year, BREC’s peak alert warnings will appear on WSAZ-TV 3, the CBS affiliate for the Tri-State area, broadcasting from Huntington.
“WSAZ is on local cable and satellite services and has a direct tower signal in most of Southeast Ohio,” Elliott added. “The station will enable us to reach more of the cooperative’s membership with the peak alerts.”
In conjunction with the TV ads, BREC’s call center, Cooperative Response Center, will issue peak alert phone messages.
Elliott asked BREC members to be patient and not think that the co-op is “crying wolf” by issuing peak alerts.
“Last year, some folks complained to us that they got tired of hearing the peak alert warnings. They stopped taking seriously the circumstances that might have led to a new demand record. This is unfortunate. Had we peaked again, they’d have been less than happy with their future electric bills,” he said.
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