READING, MA — Shave the Peak! In its continuing effort to educate the public about energy efficiency, Reading Municipal Light Department (RMLD) hopes you will join in its efforts to Shave the Peak and help reduce RMLD’s summer electrical peak and the cost of electricity to RMLD customers. The summer demand peak season is June 1 through August 31.
Approximately 25% of the electric bill is determined by how well RMLD conserves during that one true peak hour. That one hour, referred to as the peak demand, occurs on a hot weekday afternoon in June through August, usually between the hours of 2 and 5pm.
The defining hour represents the highest point of customer consumption of electricity for all of New England. The prediction of the peak is done by the Independent System Operator – New England (ISONE).
“Prediction of the peak may be called multiple times as the summer progresses to ensure that the actual peak is captured,” said RMLD General Manager Coleen O’Brien. “For example, if a heat wave in early July brings the annual peak thus far, ISO-NE will call for the peak. Subsequently, later in July, if a more intense heat wave occurs, another peak is called.”
RMLD asks you to voluntarily reduce electric use when peak electric demand is predicted. Customers will be notified of potential electric peaks through several means of communication.
“We are asking our customers through emails, texts, and social media (Twitter:@Reading Light) to join our initiative in helping to reduce the summer peak,” said O’Brien. “We will be sending email blasts along with tweets, and possibly using town notification systems, when it appears a possible peak hour may occur.”
You can help by postponing the use of appliances like washers and dryers until later in the day, shutting off pool pumps for a few hours, raising the setting on your air conditioning thermostat a few degrees or cooking dinner on the grill. As well, forwarding our notification will also help to get the word out. SHAVE THE PEAK!
For further information, visit http://www.rmld.com or call Customer Service at 781-944-1340.
(NOTE: The above press release is from Reading Municipal Light Department.)
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