How You Can Help Us "Beat the Peak"

As a member of Darke Rural Electric Cooperative, you can help us keep rates stable by reducing your energy use during peak hours on hot summer days. The hottest times of day create the highest demand for electricity and when demand is high, so is the price. If we can reduce electric use during these “peak hours,” we can reduce power costs for all our members. Peak hours during the summer are between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Here are a few simple ways you can help Darke REC “beat the peak” this summer by shifting your energy use to off peak hours:

Turn off unnecessary lights and electronics when they aren’t being used
Run your dishwasher and do laundry early in the morning or later in the evening
Raise your thermostat by a few degrees
Take showers during off-peak hours
Shut blinds and curtains during the day to keep the sun from warming up your home
Schedule your pool pump to run during off-peak hours
Cool the room by turning on a fan rather than lowering the thermostat

Members can also enroll in Cool Returns by having Darke REC install a radio-controlled switch on their air conditioning system, allowing the co-op to automatically dial it down during peak hours. The time period your A/C system is dialed back is brief and should not affect the comfort of your home.

By adjusting the times you use electricity this summer, you can help us keep stable despite the heat! If we all work together, we all will benefit. That’s the power of cooperation and cooperative membership!