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by jonhohle 32 days ago
As someone with a demand charge, let me disagree. The worst single hour out of 60-70 throughout the month is used and in my market it’s about $19/kw demand. Turn on the AC once during that period, $80. Happen to have to have an oven or microwave going at the same time, you’re probably over $100. For one hour on one day of the month. Once you screw your month, you’re free to do it the rest of the month, but it only takes once.
1 comments
idontwantthis 32 days ago
What you have described is an obviously terrible system that doesn’t incentivize lower power consumption.

That’s not how it’s going to work in Nevada. It will be the highest 15 minute period of each day, so if you spread out your power usage you have room to game the rates and save money. And if you have a bad day it will only cost you a dollar or two and the next day is fresh.

Plus it’s not on top of the total consumption. The consumption rate is getting cut so that people should be paying roughly the same amount as before.

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AnthonyMouse 31 days ago
> What you have described is an obviously terrible system that doesn’t incentivize lower power consumption.

Doesn't it? Suppose you have a battery system which has access to the current price, so it charges when it's cheap and discharges when it's expensive. Then you don't pay the $19/kWh, you run on batteries then -- or sell at $19/kWh. And thereby turn a profit from installing the battery system, creating the incentive to reduce consumption when the price is high.

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idontwantthis 31 days ago
A system where you are incentivized to give up for the rest of the month if you were to high once doesn’t make sense. I am skeptical that the description was accurate.
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jonhohle 31 days ago
It’s a peak demand charge. They look at the highest usage hour from 4-7pm every weekday. The highest number adds a charge billed at $19/kw demand.

https://www.aps.com/en/Residential/Service-Plans/Compare-Ser...

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bluefirebrand 31 days ago
It doesn't really incentivize that, but it doesn't punish it either

You would have to be really sure there wasn't going to be a higher peak later in the month

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AnthonyMouse 31 days ago
If the demand charge is always from 4-7PM and you have at least three hours worth of batteries at your own peak usage then your usage during that period can always be zero, because you have the other 21 hours in the day to charge them back up for tomorrow.
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