How off-peak programs work

For members looking to save energy and money, Dakota Electric offers EnergyWise® off-peak programs.

How Interruptible Off-Peak Programs Work
Dakota Electric mounts a load control receiver near the controlled appliance and during peak demand periods, sends a signal to the load control receiver to interrupt power. Dakota Electric typically interrupts power on only the hottest and coldest days of the year.

How Storage Off-Peak Programs Work
During off-peak hours, when electricity is least expensive, water heaters and electric thermal storage heaters on the storage off-peak programs generate heat or hot water, which is stored and used throughout the next day as needed.

Read your off-peak load control receiver
The gray box located next to your electric meter or central air conditioner is the load control receiver. Most receivers have five lights. The blinking red report light shows that there is power to the load control receiver. The other three red lights glow only when loads are interrupted or when your air conditioner is being cycled. Each load control receiver also has either an amber or a green light which is normally on.

The first light controls all appliances except water heaters, electric heaters and central air conditioners. The second light controls electric water heaters, and the third light controls electric heat and central air conditioners.

If you reset a breaker or restore power to the load control receiver, all three lights will glow and no controlled loads will function for up to 15 minutes.

For more information, contact our Energy Experts® at 651-463-6243, 1-800-874-3409 ext. 243 or energyservices@dakotaelectric.com.

View a complete list of off-peak programs offered by Dakota Electric.