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BED issues Defeat the Peak alert for Wednesday

Submitted by tim on

Encourages Community to Reduce Energy Usage on July 20 from 5:00-8:00pm

Vermont Business Magazine Burlington Electric Department (BED) issued a peak alert for Wednesday, July 20 from 5:00-8:00pm as part of its Defeat the Peak program (originally launched during summer 2017, view news release), encouraging members of the Burlington community to reduce their energy usage.

Burlingtonians can lend a hand by taking the following steps on what is projected to be an unusually hot summer day:

  1. Raise thermostat temperatures or turn off air conditioners between the hours of 5:00 and 8:00pm before returning air conditioners to cooler settings;
  2. Wait until after 8:00pm or later to use washing machines, clothing dryers, dishwashers, and other appliances;
  3. Turn off non-essential lights until 8:00pm or later;
  4. Avoid charging electric vehicles until after 8:00pm (or until 10:00pm if you are on BED’s special off-peak charging rate); and
  5. Delay other discretionary electric consumption until after 8:00pm.

BED has called the peak alert due to extreme regional temperatures, particularly in southern New England this week. The New England region reaches peak demand for electricity during the summer. A significant portion of BED’s costs as a utility is determined by how much energy our community is using during the summer peak.

Burlingtonians who take peak day actions will help achieve potential reductions in utility costs that help keep electric rates low and stable; and environmental benefits that come with reduced energy demand on the regional electric grid, which decreases the need for use of polluting oil and natural gas generators around New England. A more unique and innovative incentive introduced by BED based on customer input is a community reward opportunity through which a local nonprofit – in this case AALV – will benefit from a $1,000 contribution from BED if our customers hit the targeted amount of load reduction on a peak alert day.

“We are excited to continue Defeat the Peak for our sixth year,” stated Darren Springer, BED General Manager. “We encourage our customers to participate knowing that even small, individual steps add to our community effort to reduce costs and protect our environment. During the peak, please consider unplugging phone and laptop charging cords, adjusting thermostats, and waiting until after the peak to charge electric vehicles and to run dishwashers and other appliances. With your help, we can continue to hit our peak reduction targets, and we will be able to support the AALV as it provides critical services for refugees and immigrants in Vermont - including workforce development programs, interpreter services, and legal services.”

“The AALV helps new Americans from all parts of the world gain independence in their new communities through a range of integration services, including bridging case management, workforce development, behavioral health awareness, and interpreter services programming,” stated Yacouba J. Bogre, Executive Director of AALV. “With support from our multicultural, multilingual staff, our clients are able to smoothly transition to living and working in Vermont.”

BED also notifies customers by email blast about peak day alerts. Customers are invited to sign up for these email notifications, view a video explaining Defeat the Peak, and learn more about the program by visiting www.burlingtonelectric.com/peak. BED also shares information about peak day alerts with the community through social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

7.19.2022. ​Burlington, VT – Burlington Electric Department