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Smart Meter Installed, On A Time Of Use (TOU) Electric Plan

June 30, 2021 Environment, Featured No Comments

In late April I posted about new electric meters, see Smart Electric Meters & Time Of Use (TOU) Rate Plans Coming To Ameren Missouri Customers. To summarize the new meters show energy use in 15 minute increments, allowing for different rates depending upon the time of the day, summer or winter.

Our new smart electric meter

At the start of this month, while I was traveling, our electric meter was changed.  I login to our Ameren account upon return and can see detailed reports on our use — hour by hour, and one every 15 minutes. I’m a data geek so I was loving it.

Our hour by hour report for Monday June 28, 2021. Looks like I forgot to adjust the a/c and turn off our dehumidifier before starting the dryer in the morning. Click image to see larger version.

I also saw I could change my rate plan, but only one other plan was available — so I picked it. The Evening/Morning Savers plan is only a slight variation from the Anytime plan, but half the day (9am-9pm) is considered peak. This plan began at the start of our current billing cycle, June 23rd.

I’ve been making sure I get our laundry into the dryer in time so it’ll be finished before 9am. I also reduced from 4 loads per week to 3, as the old 2 loads on Friday wasn’t going to happen before 9am.

We run our dishwasher without the heat dry feature because that’s a huge user of energy, we run it after 9pm. Also after 9pm we turn on our dehumidifier to run overnight.

Five days into our new rate plan I see we’re now eligible to sign up for any of the three “advanced” plans, including the one I wanted all along — Ultimate Savers. On July 26th we move to this plan.

The trick with this plan is the demand charge, the highest amount of energy used 6am-10pm daily is multiplied by a number. The demand charge is higher during the four summer months. So the peak period is only 3pm-7pm M-F (summer) but I can’t do two things at once or the demand charge will be higher.

If the demand charge gets too high our bill could be higher than if we had no savings plan at all. But I like a challenge.

Before the new plan begins late next month I’m going to take notes on when we use 1 and 2 burners on the stove, our countertop oven, dishwasher, etc. I want to see now much those consume versus air conditioning, clothes dryer, etc.  I think when I’m cooking or drying clothes I can have Siri set our smart thermostat to “away” mode so the air won’t come on. Regardless, I think I’ll end up with a number between 3-4 each month, just based on reports I’ve seen during our Saturday breakfasts (2 burners + countertop oven). I’d love a more energy efficient induction range, but that’s not going to happen.

Ameren is right, the advanced plans require more effort…at least more planning, scheduling. We may not save any money, but we’re certainly thinking about reducing our energy consumption during high-demand times.

— Steve Patterson

 

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