As the meter turns
West Florida Electric Cooperative, in conjunction with its power supplier, Alabama Electric Cooperative, is preparing to launch a load research project to assist in efforts to maintain affordable electric rates. By providing insight into how, when and for what uses WFEC members consume energy, the research will allow the Co-op to formulate strategies that will benefit you, as an electric consumer, in the future.
During the research, specially-designed meters and statistical data will reflect the impacts of large appliances, such as water heaters, heating systems, wells and pool pumps, within a small, randomly-chosen sample of member households. The information gathered will help WFEC recommend appliances and measures that promote energy efficiency among consumers; will aid distribution planners in sizing transformers, thereby reducing operating costs; and will facilitate resource planning and load forecasting for meeting consumers’ future energy needs.
Members arbitrarily selected to participate in the study will receive a letter providing information and instructions in the coming weeks. Participation is strictly voluntary and requires no extra effort or expense on the consumers’ part. In fact, members who agree to assist in the study will receive a $100 gift of appreciation from WFEC. Also, all individual data will remain completely confidential.
The special meters being used in the research will read, record and store consumer energy demand at hourly intervals. Once a week, the meter will automatically dial a toll-free telephone number, at no cost to the member, to transmit the data to a central computer. By relaying data over the phone line, the meter provides a reliable, cost-effective method of collecting the information without interfering with consumers’ normal household routines.
The device will transmit data over the phone line during early morning hours, usually within two minutes or less. Should a consumer pick up the receiver during a data transmission, the monitoring equipment will automatically disconnect to clear the line for use. If the equipment begins to initiate a transmission while a call already is in progress, the consumer might hear a "click," but the meter will hang up and will not interfere with the call. The monitoring equipment also won't affect the normal operation of appliances or the WFEC meter that records energy usage for billing purposes.
For additional information about WFEC’s load research project, call Betty Branham, Terry Mullen or Gary Clark at (850)263-3231 or 1-800-342-7400.
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