Residential Load Management Program
Two Year Pilot
The intent of this energy management pilot program is to determine the viability of direct load control and pricing signals in reducing residential energy consumption during peak load conditions.The pilot will be conducted in 2010 and 2011 during the months of June through September.
Program Overview
To participate in this pilot customers must have central air-conditioning. Call 719-546-6514 for details and to determine if you qualify for this pilot program. Once you have been selected, you will participate in one of our energy management pilot programs: Direct Load Control or Innovative Pricing. Black Hills Energy will randomly select (per the Colorado Public Utilities Commission requirements) which program you will participate in. Black Hills Energy will notify you as to the specific program you have been selected for.
All participants accepted into the pilot program will have a "smart" thermostat installed in their homes. The thermostat will receive communications via our new Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI). The communications will consist of a notice light and a digital message on the thermostat alerting you to an upcoming event. For customers selected for the Direct Load Control Program the thermostat will also receive communications to adjust their thermostat during Peak Event Periods.
Definitions:
Advanced Metering Infrastructure: Also known as AMI, it provides two-way communication between the utility and the customer's meter. AMI meters are also known as "smart" meters.
Direct load control: Black Hills Energy directly adjusts the customer's "smart" thermostat during peak load periods.
Energy management: The act of reducing energy usage, or switching the time of day that the energy is used. This can be accomplished through direct load control, or by a pricing signal that will influence customers to reduce or shift energy usage themselves.
Innovative Pricing: A program to use pricing signals to influence customers to voluntarily reduce or shift the time of energy use.
Peak Event: A 4-hour event called by the utility during which the utility will owrk with the customer to reduce energy use. Peak events will not occur on weekends or holidays.
Peak load: When the demand for energy reaches a high or peak on an electric utility's system. Typically, a peak load occurs on a summer weekday afternoon during the time period between 2:00 and 6:00 p.m.
Direct Load Control (DLC)
For customers selected to participate in the Direct Load Control Program, Black Hills Energy will adjust their thermostat during the Peak Event Period.
At 10:00 a.m. on the day prior to the event you will receive a digital message on your thermostat that an event will occur the following day. An event will last for 4 hours, from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. At the commencement of the event period, the "smart" thermostat setting will be remotely raised by 5 degrees up to a maximum setting of 84 degrees. There will be a maximum of 10 events from June through September. You will have the ability to override any events via a manual setting on your thermostat. Customers can also call Black Hills Energy and opt out of any event ahead of time
As an incentive for participating in this pilot program you will receive, at no cost, the "smart" thermostat installed in your home and an opportunity for a $30.00 credit to your October electric bill. You will be allowed to override one event and still receive the $30.00 credit. If you choose to override more than one event, you will not be eligible for the $30.00 credit. If you choose to opt out of the program you will still be allowed to keep your "smart" thermostat at no cost, but you will not receive a credit.
Innovative Pricing Program (IPP)
For customers selected to participate in the Innovative Pricing Pilot, the customer will make the choice to reduce their energy usage during a Peak Event Period. At 10:00 a.m. on the day prior to the event you will receive a digital message on your thermostat that an evnet will occur the following day. An event will last for 4 hours, from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. During the Peak Event Period you can reduce your energy usage by adjusting your thermostat and by delaying other household activities until the Peak Event Period is over.
As an incentive for participating in this pilot program you will receive, at no cost, the "smart" thermostat installed in your home and an opportunity to receive a credit to your October electric bill. The credit will be based on the load reduction achieved as compared to a baseline usage established over the previous 5 work days and the offer price for each event. Example: If the offer price is $0.50/kWh and you reduce usage by 10/kWh per event for 10 events, the credit would be 10/kWh X $0.50 =$5.00/event X 10/events = $50.00.
There will be no penalty if you fail to reduce load during the event. If you choose to opt out of the program you will still be allowed to keep your "smart" thermostat at no cost, but you will not receive a credit.
Please read the Terms and Conditions then Submit the Form to Participate in Pilot Program
Click on link to read Terms and Conditions
Terms and Conditions
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