Together we can fight the high cost of summer power

It’s hot and that means electricity use is on the rise!
It also means that electricity prices will go up. For Heartland, the price we pay for electricity is highest in the summer during the times of peak use. Because of the high prices, we encourage our members to reduce their contribution to the peak use of electricity. Our members can do this by postponing their use of major appliances until late evening or morning. Water heaters, dishwashers, washing machines, cookstoves and air conditioners all contribute heavily to the peak demand for electricity. While it may not be possible for all members to postpone their use of these appliances, those that are able can reduce the cost of electricity purchased by Heartland. And if Heartland can reduce its costs, everyone benefits in some form.
As we look for ways to control the cost of electricity we are conducting a pilot program this summer to reduce our peak. It is called Peak Savers. The pilot program will provide rebates to our members who reduce their contribution to the peak demand for electricity. This program will give our members an opportunity to have some control over their cost of electricity. We have signed up 230 members to participate in this pilot program. During the months of July and August, Heartland will issue a peak alert on days that we project the use of electricity to be high. These members will receive a text or email message notifying them of our peak alert. They can take action to reduce their usage and their contribution to the system peak. It will take us until the end of October to complete our analysis of the effectiveness of the program. If it is successful as we hope, we will roll out the program to all of our members next Spring.
Many factors are pressuring the cost of electricity now and in the future. To help our members cope with increasing costs, we plan to research more ways to allow our members to have some control over their electric bills. An excellent option we already have in place involves the expertise of Ron Graber, our energy expert, to assist our members with questions and solutions on the efficient use of electricity. Heartland is also an early adopter of the Efficiency Kansas program, which provides a valuable service to help our members identify and pay for efficiency measures in their homes. Call our office and ask for Ron and you may find some good opportunities to help you save money on your electric bill. And we will keep you informed of the success of our Peak Savers program.

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