Customer Cycling Program in the City of Weimar

Abstract

The City of Weimar Conservation/Load Management (CLM) Program demonstrates to other small Public Power Systems that a small city electric distribution system with 1,097 meters serving a population of less than 2,500 can have an effect on electric energy usage and conservation. Although the reduction may be small in KW, the percentages of participation in the program are not; and neither, is the percent of reduction of seven percent (7%) realized by the Cycling Program. The Weimar Peak Time Intermission Program was implemented in July, 1986 with the assistance of the Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative (GVEC). The number of installed devices rose over the first six (6) months from 0 to 325 and remained relatively constant until the City initiated a $2.00 monthly credit per device in October, 1991. Shortly thereafter, we installed another thirty (30) devices and at present have 358 devices installed with the following breakdown: Central Air Conditioners 126 Heat Pumps 72 Electric Furnaces 30 Water Heaters 1 3 An outgrowth of the Residential/Small Business Cycling Program has been the commercial rate for businesses using more than 50 KW of demand. This rate is patterned after the LCRA WP-1 Wholesale Rate and a similar rate developed by GVEC. Under this rate measurement of both the Coincident Peak and the Non-coincident Peak is made each month. The charge per kilowatt of demand at the time (one-hour) of LCRA Coincident Peak is significantly higher than off-peak even though there is a seasonal variation between Summer (June-September) and Winter (October-May). This rate design gives the business an economic incentive to reduce or shift their demand requirements during the monthly LCRA System Peak. The program is voluntary and allows the business to make the decision to reduce or shift demand; and, to select how they wish to reduce KW demand.