Reduce Peak Loads

Utilities looking to implement demand response programs to address peak load concerns are faced with the issue of promoting the programs to their customer base and getting customers on anything but direct load control programs to take action.

Aclara Software’ ENERGYprism^® helps address these issues by:

• Targeting customers for demand response programs, based on whatever information is available about them, including rate class, usage patterns, location, and energy profile that may have been collected from the customer for other ENERGYprism functions, including bill inquiries and energy analysis. This approach can help target those customers likely to have the most significant impacts by participating.
• Promoting the program by helping customers understand what the impacts will be for them, and even providing them with strategies to benefits further, such as by shifting load to the off-peak or adjusting thermostat settings during a critical peak period.
• Providing customers with rapid feedback, such as information the day after a critical peak event, showing customers how they have done and providing them with strategies to reduce costs further the next time.

In demand response pilots in California, this type of customer information has been demonstrated to positively impact customer behavior and reduce peak resource requirements.