Great River Energy member co-op customers help reduce peak electricity demand
Elk River, MN (June 15, 2001) - Electricity customers enrolled in Great River Energy member cooperative’s various load management programs help reduce electricity demand when temperatures and humidity levels are high. More than half of a co-op’s residential summertime energy demand is for water heating and air conditioning -- both of which can be controlled through load management.
In Great River Energy’s service area, approximately 90,000 residential and commercial customers are enrolled in a special load control program for air conditioning, while more than 77,000 customers participate in water heating control programs. In addition, nearly 2,500 farms participate in a peak-controlled program for their irrigation systems. All of these special programs help shift energy usage from peak periods to off-peak hours, and many of them conserve energy.
“These customers receive discounts on their electric bills while helping Great River Energy avoid building additional power plants or purchasing high-priced electricity from other utilities during peak-use periods. That helps keep rates low and preserve the environment,” said Rick Lancaster, Great River Energy vice president of public affairs. “The programs also help us avoid energy shortages and reduce stress on transmission and distribution equipment during periods of hot, humid weather.”
In recent summers, Great River Energy has been able to control 230-280 megawatts, or approximately 10 percent, of the energy load throughout its system. That’s enough energy to power about 40,000 homes. On extremely hot days, Great River Energy’s member cooperatives have also urged their customers to voluntarily reduce their energy usage. And customers have responded -- cutting back on non-essential electric usage.
The air conditioning load control program allows Great River Energy to remotely cycle central air-conditioning units on and off at 15-minute intervals. Residential and business customers enrolled in the program typically receive a discount on the electric energy charges on their electric bills from June through September.
Large customers can realize additional savings through the Energy Exchange program this summer. The program allows Great River Energy to pay large retail customers for reducing their electricity use or for using their own generators when energy market prices are exceptionally high. Registered customers may volunteer to provide energy by reducing their electricity use after reaching a price agreement with Great River Energy.
Electric co-ops manage loads, ultimately, to save customers money. It would cost about $100 million to build a peaking plant to supply co-op customers with the 230-280 MW of electricity that currently can be controlled in the Great River Energy system.
“We’re pleased that our efforts to promote load management have been so successful,” said Gary Connett, manager of demand-side management and member services for Great River Energy. “We’ve quickly learned that our programs not only reduce energy and usage, but also can save us and our customers significant amounts of money.”
Great River Energy is an electric generation and transmission cooperative based in Elk River, Minn. The company serves 29-member distribution cooperatives that in turn provide electricity and related services to more than 1.5 million people in Minnesota and part of Wisconsin.
