Would you like to help keep electric rates stable? You can help by simply altering the time of day you use electricity. This will reduce the amount of electricity your power provider purchases during peak demand periods, which results in increased costs to the utility. Power supply costs are naturally higher during peak periods and, although LCEC residential customers pay a flat rate regardless of the time of consumption, the increased rate that the utility pays is often reflected in utility rates through purchased power costs.
In Southwest Florida, the peak time of the day is between 5 and 7 p.m. when families return home from work and begin to clean house, cook dinner and wash laundry. Nearly everyone in Southwest Florida is doing this at the same time, and the demand for electricity skyrockets. If you can shift your usage habits, you can do your part to help keep rates stable.
Here are a few simple ways to do this:
- Set the dishwasher to wash in the middle of the night while everyone is sleeping.
- Set the timer on the pool pump to complete its cycle by 5 p.m.
- Wash clothes after 7 p.m.
- Set a timer on the water heater so it only heats water when it is needed for showers and baths.
For more information about how your usage habits can reduce your electric bill, visit www.lcec.net and click on Energy Tools.
This is a step in the right direction, but I don’t believe it will change any usage habits. The flat rate needs to change to a discount rate for off periods.