Co-Mo Electric Cooperative is calling for a peak alert from 6 to 9 a.m. Wednesday (today) and Thursday as cold temperatures put a higher demand on the system.
Peak alerts are not a notice of a power shortage. They are simply a load-management effort used to reduce the demand for electricity and keep members' cost of power as low as possible. By keeping high electrical demand levels to a minimum, cooperative members reap the benefit, in the form of a lower cost of power.
Peak alert announcements are one method Co-Mo uses to inform its members that electric load levels are high. Peak alert times are temperature dependent. As the temperature gets very hot or cold, the likelihood for a peak alert increases.
Ken Johnson, general manager/CEO of Co-Mo Electric said members should do things such as lower their thermostat three degrees in the winter to help curve the demand for electricity.
"Anything you can do to help limit the use of electricity during these periods is very helpful," he said. "By working together, we can lower the demand for electric power. This teamwork is a win-win for the membership and the cooperative as the Cooperative consistently works towards the goal of keeping the cost of power as low as possible."
Cooperative members can also take efforts to reduce their energy use by making energy-efficiency improvements to their homes. A list of free and low-cost tips can be found at Co-Mo's website, www.co-mo.coop. Co-Mo's energy-efficiency website, TogetherWeSave.com, offers a virtual home tour that allows members to calculate their savings based on Co-Mo's rates by doing things such as turning down the temperature on their water heater or keeping the blinds open during the day so natural sunlight can help warm the home.
"It's a win-win situation," said Co-Mo Energy Service Advisor Tom Hulse. "Members can lower their electric bill and, in turn, we can lower the demand on our system."