NANAIMO — Saving on electricity bills over the peak fall and winter seasons is the goal of a returning program through BC Hydro.
The utility’s Peak Saver program offers credits on bills when home habits are changed to use higher-intensity power items in off-peak times.
Spokesperson Susie Rieder said registration in the past has been extremely strong, particularly those using automated participation through smart devices like thermostats.
“We have almost 131,000 participants in the program, and about 79 per cent of participants who have these connected devices in the automated participation, said they don’t even notice when events are taking place.”
Different incentives are available for smart device type, including thermostats, car chargers and home batteries.
People without smart devices can also take part and participate manually, by setting a target for electricity savings and being rewarded with a bill credit if they meet the mark.
Registration for this season’s program opened this week.
Rieder adds home heating or use of larger appliances such as ovens over long periods of time, really add up.
“Heating costs can increase by about five per cent for every degree above 20 degrees Celsius. Doing things like delaying your laundry and dishwashing until after the event, using small appliances like slow cookers, toaster ovens and pressure cookers and also just easy things like turning off unnecessary lights.”
More information on the program is available on the BC Hydro website.
— with files from Jon de Roo, 97.3 The Eagle
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