DURANGO, Colo. – La Plata Electric Association customers participating in the WattWatcher® “Time-of-Use” (TOU) program are reminded that seasonal time periods for the winter take effect Sept. 15. The TOU program is designed to help conserve energy and save customers money.

From Sept. 15 through midnight May 14, 2009, the “winter” off-peak hours are daily 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., as well as all day Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Time-of-Use rates take into consideration seasonal “peak” electrical use periods. LPEA’s wholesale power supplier, Tri-State Generation and Transmission, charges LPEA less for purchasing electricity in off-peak hours. LPEA then passes that savings on to customers who have signed up for the WattWatcher® program. The electricity used during the off-peak period is, therefore, billed at a considerably lower rate than the regular residential rate.

 “Electricity, once it is produced, is something that can’t be stored, so it helps the entire system – because electricity is in increasingly shorter supply – to shift demand for power to the ‘off peak’ periods,” said Mark Schwantes, LPEA director of corporate services, noting that the cost per kilowatt-hour to an average residential customer not participating on the WattWatcher® program is 10.1 cents. “Time of use, off-peak, is 4.2 cents per kilowatt-hour, so it can make a marked difference in a customer’s electric bill, while helping the efficiency of the grid.”

Currently more than 4,000 LPEA customers in La Plata and Archuleta Counties are participating in the TOU program.

“Population and industrial/commercial growth continue in our area, presenting new challenges – how do we at La Plata Electric, meet the growing demand electricity?” said Greg Munro, LPEA CEO. “Not too many years ago, LPEA’s mission and goals focused on how to increase our sales of electricity. Now, our mission and goals center on energy efficiency and using the electricity generated more effectively. The time-of-use program is one way we all can benefit.”

To take full advantage of the TOU program, customers are urged to use those appliances that draw the most power – such the dishwasher, clothes washer and dryer or self-cleaning oven – during the off-peak hours. Installing timers on water heaters or changing out the home heating source to electric thermal storage (ETS) units, maximizes the TOU benefit.

For further information, TOU customers or those interested in signing up for the cost-cutting program are encouraged to call 970.247.5786 or visit www.lpea.coop.

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Off-peak, time-of-use periods

Winter (September 15^th – May 14^th)

Daily 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. & 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

All Day Thanksgiving and Christmas

Summer (May 15^th – September 14^th)

Monday – Friday 10 p.m. to 10 a.m.

All Day Saturday and Sunday