If you can reduce your electricity demand when the grid is at its peak, you could save over 20% on your electricity bill.
The alerts we sent last summer will save customers over $100,000 this year because they reduced electricity demand during peak periods. One customer is now saving 25% compared to last year’s electricity bill.
Capacity Costs and System Peak Demand
Capacity costs can make up over 20% of the average business customer’s electricity bill. It is based on your consumption as it relates to the overall system peak demand – that is not necessarily your peak demand.
The market operator calculates the 4 peak demand days during the summer (December to March, inclusive) and the 3 peak half-hour intervals from those 4 days – 12 half-hour intervals in total. The peak half-hours are typically between 4pm and 7pm.
Capacity costs for the year are allocated to customers based on their median demand over those 12 half-hour intervals.
How to Benefit
Based on the weather and temperature, as well as demand forecasts from the market operator, Change Energy will provide you with a notice in the morning on the days that could be peak demand days.
Once you have been notified, prepare to implement your plan to reduce consumption between 4pm and 7pm that day.
Please note that although the market operator only uses 4 peak demand days, it is not possible to know the exact days until the end of the summer period. For this reason, you could be notified 10 times during the summer, or more, to ensure that the 4 peak days are captured.
Additionally, this service is for information purposes only and offers an opportunity for you to save money on your power bill in the future. Your participation in part, all or none of the program is optional and this program has no impact on your ongoing electricity supply.
Reducing your electricity consumption during the peaks will also help lower the cost of generating electricity over the longer term.