Did you know you can save money while helping the Cooperative keep rates reasonable and stable by enrolling in one of McLeod Co-op Power’s energy management programs? Member Services Manager Dan Ehrke is sharing the 411 on these win-win programs.
“Energy Management programs are energy conservation at work. They allow the Co-op to reduce the demand put onto the electric system during peak energy times,” Ehrke said. “Members who choose to participate in one of our energy management programs benefit from a discounted rate for the energy used by appliances on these programs.” Check out McLeod Co-op Power’s program options below.
STORAGE WATER HEATING PROGRAM Off-Peak Water Heating conserves energy by heating water during off-peak hours when electric costs are the lowest. Your water heater heats overnight and then distributes it throughout the day. • Eight-hour charging window. May – September: Monday-Friday 11 p.m. – 7 a.m. • October – April: Monday-Friday 10 p.m. – 6 a.m. • Weekends and Holidays: Minimal control except for peak conditions, high energy prices, or system emergencies. • Requires a 100 gallon or larger capacity water heater (Or a 80-gallon tank and a mixing valve.*) • Hot Water Recirculation units (gravity or pumped) are not recommended for this program. • $400 rebate for new program enrollments. *The mixing valve, when installed on the discharge hot water pipe of the water heater, is designed to mix cold and hot water to deliver the desired temperature at the faucet. McLeod Coop recommends installing, setting, and maintaining the mixing valve to the manufacturer’s specifications.
DUAL FUEL ELECTRIC HEAT The Dual Fuel program uses electric heat as the primary heat source for your home, with an auxiliary or backup source of heat that can be used during peak energy demand periods. When electricity demand is high, the electric heat source is shut off, or controlled while your home’s backup system provides the heat to keep you warm and cozy (control times are up to 400 hours per year maximum). • An electric heating system (at least 5 kW min. capacity) is used as the primary heating source and will receive the reduced Off-Peak electric rate. • A fully automatic fossil fuel heat source is used as the backup heating source.
STORAGE ELECTRIC SPACE HEATING Storage heating systems deliver heat to homes, shops, and commercial buildings 24 hours a day, even though they do not use electricity during the day. Members participating in the Storage Heating Program have electric heat that operates on a daily schedule of 8-hours on/16- hours off. • By using electricity only during non-peak hours, all storage loads qualify for the low off-peak electric rates. • Storage Space Heating rebates are currently $50.00 per kW installed.
“McLeod Co-op Power offers a wide range of programs and technologies to our members to help manage electricity while ensuring reliability and saving them money,” Ehrke shared.