BREC member Amy Childress knows summer months can bring some of the highest energy bills of the year. By raising her thermostat a few degrees she can see savings in energy use and still stay comfortable.

Amy Childress has used the past few months on Blue Ridge Electric's new rate as a learning experience, not only for her, but her busy family.

As a member of Blue Ridge, the pilot rate was offered to employees to gain real-time experience with how the rate can positively impact members by focusing on WHEN energy is used as opposed to HOW MUCH energy is used. There is a three-hour window, also known as PEAK hours, when the focus is on using less energy. Those three hours are from 3 to 6 p.m. during the summer months, and 6 to 9 a.m. during the winter months.

Childress and her family have been learning to manage their energy use.

"My children are grown but still in and out of the house between work and college," Childress says. "They learned to be aware of when we use power and how it affects what we pay each month. By delaying laundry, bumping the air conditioning up a few degrees and using ceiling fans during PEAK hours, we all have developed new habits."

Childress says a timer was also added to their pool pump.

"We used more kilowatt hours during the billing period," she says, "but because of when we used those kilowatt hours, our bill was actually less than the same time last year."

Childress uses the member portal on the Blue Ridge website to monitor her daily energy use.

"It's easy to compare our energy use, daily or monthly," she says, "and to be aware of how we are using energy during those peak hours. To be honest, the thought of moving to the new rate made me a bit nervous. However, my family made a few adjustments that are now part of our daily routine."