Energy Savings Tips

Load Management

Typical “Load Management” Installation
(Load Control next to a standard meter)
Blue Earth Light and water installs the load
management controller and maintains the
equipment at no charge to the customer.

Q. What is load management?
A. Load management is way of deferring some electricity use (load) from peak periods when energy is most expensive. We do this by temporarily interrupting power to water heaters and air conditioners for 7.5 minutes per half hour.

Q. How will load management save money?
A. When we reduce the energy use during peak times, we forestall the need to build new, expensive electrical generation facilities and transmission equipment to meet your electrical needs. Load management also provides for more efficient use of the facilities we have, which means we can hold future rate increases to a minimum.

Q. Will my air conditioner be “off” long?
A. Never more than 7.5 minutes at a time! After your air-conditioner compressor (the cooling element of your conditioner) has been “off” 7.5 minutes, it will go back “on” for at least 22 minutes. The fan will continue to circulate the cool air, most people will never notice any temperature change for the short 7.5 minutes.

Q. Is there any cost to me?
A. No, Blue Earth Light and Water will pay for the load management controller equipment and installation. There will never be a cost to the customer for any maintenance.

Marathon Series Residential Electric Water Heaters
Rheem Marathon Series lifetime electric water heaters feature a high-efficiency design with a lightweight tank that won't corrode. It is the most durable electric water heater ever made. The unique, award winning construction of the seamless plastic tank means a product that is stronger, of higher quality and longer lasting. Titanium lower and copper upper elements resist lime buildup and operate more efficiently. These features, along with the BEST warranty, mean the BEST value for an electric water heater in the industry! The tank has a limited LIFETIME warranty and the parts have a six year warranty.

Q. Why cycle electric water-heaters?
A. Minimum inconvenience and maximum savings make electric water-heaters the ideal choice for load management. A water heater stores a large amount of hot water. For this reason, short periods without heating will cause very little, if any, inconvenience.

Q. Will I run out of hot water?
A. Customers with a properly sized and functioning water heater will rarely notice that their water heater is being managed. Water heaters can provide enough hot water for almost all families for five hours after power has been turned “off”. Because load management “off” periods will be cycled at only 7.5 minutes for limited time during hot days, the water temperature will remain constant.

Q. Will my energy bill be lower?
A. Yes, you will receive a monthly credit for each device included up to $7.00 a month. Additionally, you will use about the same amount (kilowatt-hours) of electricity each month whether or not you participate in the program, you will just use it at different times. Accordingly, your current electric bills will not be affected. However, as we all know, energy costs are climbing. Your participation in the program will help keep your future electric bills as low as possible, help keep more money in our community, minimize energy waste, and enable us to serve more customers with fewer facilities. Everyone in Blue Earth will benefit.