Southern Rivers Energy operates load management each year to control energy costs during the hottest summer days and the coldest winter days, when the grid experiences the highest demand.

Think of the electric system as a highway with rush hours like Georgia summer afternoons, when the entire family is home, cooking, streaming movies, and doing laundry, putting a strain on the grid. When power supplies are stretched to their capacity and beyond, it causes spikes in power costs. Load management encourages users to shift their electricity use to different times to help reduce strain on an overloaded system.

Commercial members on our demand rate can participate in our load management program to better manage their costs. Savings from reducing the cooperative’s power bill are passed on to all of our member-owners, and you also help reduce the need for new power plants to meet growing peak demand.

Southern Rivers Energy is notified by its Wholesale Provider when the system is projected to experience peak load conditions. Then SRE notifies members well in advance of the peak period, allowing them to reduce their electricity use or stop using electricity during these system peaks. This reduces the demand on the grid, and any savings for those reductions are passed on to the member, but the reverse is also true. If the member continues using the same amount of electricity as usual during system peaks, they will set a high demand that will be reflected in their rate the following year.

The member can choose to receive a text, phone call, or email to alert them of the requested load shed. If you currently participate in our load management program and have questions about your account or need to make changes to your alert preferences, please contact Clint Boyt at clint@srivers.net or 770-358-1383 ext. 349.