RATING THE RATES

With new Super Off-Peak rate options from JCREMC, running your electric appliances and charging batteries could get cheaper.

The cooperative now offers a Single-Phase Service rate (SPS1) and a Single-Phase Time of Use rate (SPTOU), both of which come with a super off-peak period from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Scheduling programmable appliances to run and charging devices or electric vehicles during this period will cost members less.

Take your dishwasher for example. Let’s say you start your dishwasher at 6 p.m. on a Tuesday in June. If you’re on the SPTOU rate, the wash cycle will cost about 37 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh). On SPS1, the cost would be about 10 cents per kWh. However, if you program your dishwasher to start after 11 p.m. that day, it will cost about 6 cents per kWh on SPTOU or 8 cents per kWh on SPS1.

While that may not sound like a big difference, JCREMC consumers who shift electric usage to Super Off-Peak and Off-Peak periods will see the savings add up.

“JCREMC residential consumers on either the Single-Phase Service rate (SPS1) or Single-Phase Time of Use (SPTOU) rate can save money by shifting their electricity usage away from defined peak times,” says Shane Neher, JCREMC Energy Advisor. “Those who switch to SPTOU can realize the greatest savings.”

JCREMC offers the two residential rate options for all consumers. While some of the cooperative’s consumers are still on the previous Seasonal Single-Phase Service (SPS) rate, which doesn’t have an Off-Peak component, they have the option to switch to one of the newer rates with greater opportunity for savings.

“The SPS1 rate structure is designed so that consumers who don’t shift their usage will pay about the same as consumers on the previous SPS rate,” Neher says. “Still, consumers on SPS1 can save money by shifting use to the Super Off-Peak time from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.”

Consumers who sign up for the optional SPTOU rate can save even more. On SPTOU, the Super Off-Peak hourly charges are lower than those on SPS1. SPTOU also includes a seasonal Off-Peak time for additional savings. Weekends are always Off-Peak on SPTOU.

“Consumers who have programmable thermostats and Wi-Fi-enabled devices and appliances will find it easiest to maximize savings by shifting usage to these Off-Peak times,” Neher says. “For example, they can program air conditioners to cool their house before the peak time and then coast through that timeframe before dropping the thermostat again.

“The other group is those who drive electric cars. They’re definitely going to save the most by scheduling their cars to charge during SPTOU’s Super-Off-Peak.”

JCREMC provides tools at jcremc.com and on the myJCREMC mobile app to help you determine the best rate for your household.

“Both of these tools allow you to see when you’re using the most electricity throughout the day,” Neher says. “If you see increased usage at a certain time, you can think about what appliances you were using or how your thermostat was set at that time.”

If you’d like help determining which rate is best for you, contact Neher at 317-736-6174 or nehers@jcremc.com.

Learn more about JCREMC’s rates options at jcremc.com/residential-rates.

Spring 2021 – Download the PDF version.