Leveling your Load means shifting your electricity use to off-peak hours. This simple step:

• involves no out-of-pocket costs;
• significantly reduces energy costs; and
• reduces carbon emissions.

How can you Level your Load?

• Weekdays: 
  • Charge your EV off-peak  (by enrolling in WMLP's Bring Your Own Charger program)
  • Plan to use major appliances like clothes dryers and dishwashers during off-peak hours;
• During summer months observe Shave the Peak notifications.

When you reduce your electricity use during peak hours, everyone benefits with lower electric rates and a cleaner environment, because the WMLP can reduce its use of low-efficiency electricity generating plants which operating only during peak periods.

The graph below shows how energy costs and carbon emissions skyrocket between 5 and 8 PM on a summer peak day.

Energy Cost and Carbon Emissions - System Peak - July 20, 2022

When you and your neighbors wait until off-peak hours to use most of your energy, it helps everyone by stabilizing costs and protecting the electric grid - especially during really hot or cold weather.

Daily peaks occur weekdays between 2-8 PM. Seasonal peaks occur during these hours on the hottest summer and coldest winter days when residential and business customers use the most electricity for heating and cooling.

Coming soon: Time-of-Day Rates

To encourage our customers to use most of their electricity before 2 PM, after 8 PM, or on the weekends WMLP will soon institute Time-of-Day Rates. Customers will be charged higher peak rates and lower off-peak rates to more accurately reflect energy costs during the day.