Avoid using Major Appliances during Peak Periods

As the temperature drops the demand on energy rises. With that in mind, Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative is asking members to avoid using major appliances during peak periods, explains Terry Ballenger, Vice President of Communications for Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative. “If people would try to avoid using their major appliances such as water heaters and clothes washing that sort of thing outside of the peak hours. In the winter time our peak hours are between 2-7pm. If they could move their use of electricity for those larger appliances and larger energy users to outside that window, Monday through Friday from 2-7pm, if they could shift their use after 7pm or before 2pm, as a group effort that lowers our kw demand that we have to pay for whole sale energy and that provides a savings for everyone because for every kw or kilowatt, that is required to meet the demands of our system during that peak period we pay a pretty good premium for that. So, if we could hold energy use down during that five hour period that can amount up to considerable savings for all of our members, so we certainly encourage members to do that.” On a freezing cold Jan. 2, Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative came within about 20 megawatts of its highest peak ever recorded.