Dive Brief:
- New Hampshire Electric Co-op (NHEC) has launched three programs aimed at helping manage peak demands and lower bills, including time-of-use, direct load and a behavioral program.
- The Peak Planner program, which incorporates variable rates, would charge 9 cents/kWh during off-peak times, 24 cents during peak times, and a whopping $5.42/kWh during critical peaks.
- Up to 10% of the cooperative's total energy use comes during critical peak times, according to the New Hampshire Business Review.
Dive Insight:
The three load management programs also aims to reduce year-round transmission costs through targeted reductions alongside helping customers manage their power consumption.
“The energy prices we pay and the transmission prices we pay are set by ISO New England’s peak times, so if we can lower our members’ usage during those times, we can theoretically lower rates for our members,” NHEC's Seth Wheeler told the news outlet. “If we can reduce, at those peak times – like a heat wave in the middle of the afternoon – we could pay less year-round for transmission charges."
The utility announced the programs in its newsletter last month. The Peak Planner program is the utility's time-of-use offering, "designed for those who can take control of their power usage."
During summer hours, program participants pay a 9-cent off-peak rate that rises to 24 cents/kWh between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. However, in the event of a critical-peak, which are limited to 15 times in the summer months, the rate skyrockets to $5.42/kWh. Winter rates include a 10 cents and 24 cents/kWh charge, but no critical-peak hours.
The utility's Peak Days program is voluntary, with the utility letting customers know the day before a critical peak event. The Peak Plus program is a direct load-control offering with up to $80 in seasonal incentives.
“Every little bit helps, and that’s the idea behind this voluntary program,” Wheeler told the Business Review. “Anything you can do when electricity demand is high in New England will help the co-op.”
