Local energy consumers advised to watch for peak hour

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By SIM?N RIOS

July 10, 2013 8:10 AM

NEW BEDFORD ? Commercial electricity consumers should dial back during summer's hottest days, as usage during the hour of highest demand could impact future bills by thousands of dollars.

That's the message of Brant Davis of SourceOne, an energy consultant for the SouthCoast Electric Power Group, a consortium of consumers including the cities of Fall River and New Bedford and area companies.

Capacity charges are set each year based on a company's consumption during the hour of peak demand, which usually occurs on one of the hottest days between 2 and 5 p.m. The set rate is then charged for a company's consumption throughout the year, only for the rate to be reset the following summer.

Davis said there are ways to respond during peak hours, such as lowering air conditioners, shifting production, scheduling maintenance or even shutting down a factory. Some New Bedford companies such as fish processing plants or ice makers can take advantage of this, he said, while consumers like hospitals or municipalities are less flexible.

Davis said though the numbers vary between companies, it's common to save 5 percent on a total bill by cutting back during peak hours. An example he provided showed a company cutting consumption by 100 kilowatts during the peak hour and saving $4,500 a year.

Davis' firm messages clients on the five or six summer days when a peak event is likely to occur.

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