What Are Some Ways Customers Can Reduce Energy Usage?
Before getting to the emergency level of needing rolling blackouts, CWLP may issue a Conservation Watch (Yellow) is an advisory CWLP could issue to
prepare customers there may be a need to reduce electric usage. The next level up would be to issue a Conservation Warning (Orange) to ask its customers, if health and safety isn’t of concern, to begin reducing electric usage during particular
high electric usage hours or when a lack of generation or transmission constraints exist on the Midwest energy grid.
Watch
Warning
General Year Round Measures
• Turn off lights where not needed.
• Postpone major appliance use, such as with washing machines, dryers and dishwashers.
• Turn off and disconnect electronics not in use such as computers, printers, copiers, coffee makers, televisions and charging devices.
• Turn off the circuit breakers for all electric water heaters. The water in the tank will remain hot for hours and the breaker can be turned back on later when reheating is necessary.
• Postpone any laundry and dishwasher use where possible.
• Turn off any stand-alone dehumidifiers, at the source or by circuit breaker.
• Reduce lighting for showroom displays and exterior signage wherever possible.
• Shut down all non-essential pumps, motors, processes, etc. and/or facilities where possible.
• Unplug or turn the power off to water fountains that dispense chilled water. Most fountains will still dispense water without power.
Cooling Season Measures
• Set thermostat to 78 degrees or higher
• Use floor or ceiling fans to cool off in occupied rooms
• In larger buildings, increase chilled water supply temperature by up to five degrees.
• Shade west-facing windows in the afternoon to reduce solar heat gain.
Heating Season Measures
• Turn off all electric heaters where possible.
• For electrically heated buildings, decrease interior temperature settings to 68 degrees or more, if possible.
• Allow direct sunlight to enter windows to increase solar heat gain in the building.