Blog Archive

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Time To Manage November's Peak



We haven’t had this discussion in a while, but Wednesday morning is likely to set Glasgow’s peak energy demand for November, and we need your help to keep it down.That is why we are declaring Wednesday morning a Blue level load alert for Glasgow.

The winter peaks are quite different from the summer peaks we talked about over the last several months. In the winter, Glasgow’s energy demand usually peaks between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. We think that will happen on Wednesday, November 27.

If you are an EPB power customer you can help the community lower its energy bill from TVA. You can help by raising your thermostat a bit higher than normal before you go to bed. That will allow you to pre-heat your home and store some heat before the coldest temperatures arrive at day break. Then, when you get up, lower your thermostat a few degrees (68 is a good temperature) and leave it that way until 10:00 a.m. or after. That will help us get through the likely peak period on Wednesday.

There are other ways to help as well. It is the large appliances in a home that contribute the most to our peak demand. Avoid turning on the clothes dryer, dishwasher, or the oven before you leave on Wednesday. If you are really feeling like helping, trip off your electric water heater when you get up. You will still have hot water for your morning routines, but the water heater will not immediately recover and drive up our demand (don’t forget to turn it back on later in the day so it can recover).

We are busy working on research projects that will allow these processes to be automated such that we do not have to ask you repeatedly for your help in minimizing our peak demands. We have some very encouraging ideas and results, but, for now, our only hope is for you to pitch in and make these moves on your own. We hope you will help us out!