Concord Municipal Light Plant Announces Peak Demand Hours This Weekend

From the Concord Municipal Light Plant

The Concord Municipal Light Plant is calling for peak demand reduction in energy use on Friday, July 22nd and Monday, July 25th between 3PM – 6PM. A heat wave is possible for the next several days with the temperatures being in the 90’s through early next week. The ISO-New England demand forecast shows a potential for a peak demand on both days with Monday being a little higher (although temperatures are forecast a little lower). If you are able to reduce your electricity use during these hours, you can help reduce electricity costs to all CMLP customers.

Several times this summer, ISO-NE forecasts have changed mid-morning of a peak demand day which has complicated our effort to predict when the peak demand will occur. We will continue to send the Google Group notification the day before an anticipated event, but we may also need to send out a same-day notification and post to Twitter and Facebook if we find there’s been a last-minute change to the forecasts on the day of the event.

Here are some ideas you’ve shared with us for reducing electric use (as well as the usual ones):

• Matt D. stays comfortable without using his A/C by opening all his windows as soon as the temp outside is lower than the temp inside. He keeps them open until around 7 AM and then closes the house up so it stays about 10 degrees cooler all day.
• Vickie A. says to go for a swim in Walden Pond between 5:30 – 7:30. The swim will cool your body during peak demand hours and you will use less electricity even when you get home.
• Judy H. plans to shut off her computer and peripherals during the peak
• Bill M. recommends pulling down your shades on the sunny sides of your home to save on AC use. Also, long term switching to LED lamps help him cut his electric bill by two thirds.
• turning up your A/C a few degrees
• turning off some lights
• postponing use of pool pumps, dryers, washing machines, and other appliances
• planning a picnic supper, or cooking dinner on the grill