Are You in Our Switch to Savings Program?

June Message from Randall Pugh
President/CEO

We have more than 42,000 switches in operation in our Switch to Savings Program. However, many members have no idea their central air conditioning systems or water heaters are part of the program, especially if they purchased a home that was previously enrolled. Before you call a contractor to report that your unit switches off between 3 and 8 p.m., be sure you're not one of thousands in our summer energy saving program.

During summer months, we pay a premium to supply extra power to our members. The Switch to Savings Program allows us to reduce our energy needs during peak demand hours. The load management switch works a lot like a thermostat. When electric use is at its peak on hot summer days, a Jackson EMC radio signal activates the switch and temporarily shuts off your central air conditioning compressor for about seven minutes. Your system's fan continues to run, circulating air during this brief period. Afterwards, the switch turns the compressor back on, and your system resumes operation as usual. Normally, this cycle continues every 30 minutes until the peak demand subsides. On extremely hot days, the cycle may last a little longer.

In exchange for participating in the program, members receive a credit based on the size of their air conditioners. Participating members receive an average $4.37 credit each month or a $17 credit for the summer. The 42,000 switches usually save us about a million kilowatt hours of energy each summer (mid-May through mid-September), producing about $750,000 in savings for program participants.

One way to find out whether you're in the program is to look for a Load Management Credit on your electric bill. You can also check your air conditioning system for a device similar to the one pictured here.

If you'd like to speak with someone about your load management switch or need more information, please call your local Jackson EMC office. We thank you for your commitment to reducing our energy demand during those hot summer months.

Randall Pugh
President/CEO.