The new rate structure allows you more control over your power bill. The EmPOWERment rate has three parts, account charge, energy charge and peak charge. By restricting the use of power at your home during peak hours, you have the opportunity to save money.
The new rate structure gives you significantly more control over your bill. The key is to focus on WHEN you use most of your electricity at home. Members can save the most money on the rate structure by reducing the amount of energy used during peak hours and shifting those tasks to off-peak hours when the rate is lowest.
This new structure gives members a new, simple way to control their energy costs and lower their electric bills at a time when power costs are escalating. In the past, members who wanted to save monthly on their bill could use less energy or invest in home upgrades to improve their home's energy efficiency. Now members will have a simpler way to access savings without reducing their overall energy usage or making any major purchases.
Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative receives a monthly power bill just like you for the energy we supply to our members. One of the drivers of our costs is the amount of energy we use when the overall electricity demand in South Carolina is at its peak.
By sharing with our members when that peak hour is likely to occur, and rewarding them with cheaper rates to use energy outside that peak period, we can reduce our share of the peak demand while individual members save money.
By shifting electricity demand, it keeps power costs low and stable for everyone.
Summer Peak Hours are 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. April 1 - October 31
Winter Peak Hours are 6 a.m. - 9 a.m. November 1 - March 31
Peak hours are determined by the times when electricity demand is the highest across the entire electric grid. This typically coincides with the seasons, i.e. cold winter mornings and hot summer afternoons, because that is when HVAC units are working the hardest.
This covers the cost of providing electricity to your home. It includes power lines, equipment, labor, substations and other operating costs necessary to serve each meter in our service territory. The account charge is not a new charge. We have always built in a fixed fee in your monthly bill to cover our operating costs. Now, we will be clearly showing how it factors into your total.
If you are interested in saving money on your bill when this new rate structure goes into effect, we encourage you to being familiarizing yourself with your daily usage. You can do that on the BREC App or the Member Service Portal on the website. Click here for directions on using these tools. By reviewing hourly breakdowns on a regular basis, you can determine when you tend to use the most power and when you have the opportunity to save.
We have six billing cycles each month. Your October bill will reflect your usage on the EmPOWERment rate for September.
The best way to reduce your use during peak times is to avoid using multiple high demand users at the same time (HVAC systems, electric water heaters, electric clothes dryers and pool pumps).
For example, if your family needs to take showers after a day on the lake, wait until after 6 p.m. to start the dryer. Stacking high demand users will increase your bill.
Programs are available for eligible members who need assistance with their electric bill. Click here for an online list of resources. You can also call member services at 800-240-3400.