Every year Flint Hills Rural Electric Cooperative (Flint Hills REC) asks our members to help us save energy during the summer peak load hour which occurs one hour during the months of July and August. That one hour costs the coop approximately $115 per kW -- that would be equivalent to you paying approximately $20 per gallon for gasoline. This is why we created the Peak Alert Savings Rebate Program.
Flint Hills REC would like to ask our members to help us save and we will pass that savings on to you if you qualify. This is a voluntary program, and it will not cost you a thing to sign up. This is a win-win for everyone. Last summer we had over 1100 members participated in this Peak Alert Savings Rebate Program, and Flint Hills returned $64,000.00 in rebates to the qualifying members’ accounts.
The Peak Alert Savings Program is in effect during July and August, only Monday through Friday from 3 pm to 6 pm. This program is engaged on peak load days, which typically occur when the temperature is forecasted to be above 95 degrees or higher.
Flint Hills REC offers a free notification service to let you know what days are considered peak load days. The notification can assist you with when the peak may occur. On these days, we will place a notice on our website, and we will send an email or text message to you. To receive these notifications, you will need to select this option through SmartHub or the SmartHub app. (Click here for instructions on how to set that up). The credit will be based on the actual peak hour regardless of whether a notification is sent.
Once you sign up, you are eligible to receive an energy credit by making a qualifying reduction of energy usage during our summer peak load hour. These reductions could be as simple as moving everyday household chores to a different time of the day. For example, run major appliances, (e.g. dishwasher, oven, washer, and dryer) in the morning or later in the evening.
One of the most helpful ways to cut back on usage during the peak load hour is to turn your thermostat up during the peak alert hours. You can do this manually or by utilizing a programable thermostat. The more you lower your usage during the peak load hour, the bigger the credit you could be eligible for.
To sign up for the Peak Alert Savings Program, please call our office or email us at memberservices@flinthillsrec.com. This program cannot be combined with any other load management offer. If you have questions about the program you can visit our website at www.flinthillsrec.com or call our office at 620-767-5144.