Electricty costs with demand meter - tanTALK

canadiantaner · 03-09-2004, 05:53 PM

We have operated a salon for 5+ years now...growing a little each year. We just moved into a new building in Dec. and it's the first time our electric bill has had a demand charge. wow it amounts to just about doubling the bill ! Can anyone tell me how this works ?

Thanks

MikeMc · 03-10-2004, 01:15 PM

It covers the fixed cost of supplying your power... Some places only charge when you go above a certain kWh of usage. Did you change power companies with your move?

schoolboy · 03-11-2004, 09:12 AM

Peak demand above 25 kwh shoved me into a higher rate. I don't have a problem with that, but you only have to do it one time during a 15 minute period and your on the higher rate until you can stay below it for 12 months. Since tanning salons are seasonal it doesn't seem fair. Also, one time I must have had a short somewhere, because the peak demand went much much higher than the total of all electrical equipment peak demand I had in my salon. Unfortunately, utility companies are not sympathetic. I switched out an electric dryer to a gas dryer which eliminated about 3kwh of peak demand, and I toyed with the idea of putting in a monitor on the air conditioner that would cut it off when peak demand got close to my limit of 25 kwh, but I looked at all the downside of this and decided not to.

canadiantaner · 03-11-2004, 05:58 PM

Thanks guys. I spoke to my friend at the power co last night. he told me everybody in our new building has a demand meter. It kicks in if you have a 10Kw demand.......wow thats low. there is no way to stay below this - the bad thing is this demand charge doubles my monthly bill.

MikeMc · 03-12-2004, 04:03 PM

I'm guessing by your username your in Canada, do you have anything like the deregulation that we have here in the States? Can you go shopping for a better power provider?

canadiantaner · 03-12-2004, 07:54 PM

No we don't. Just one monopolistic fat very rich power co.

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03-09-2004, 05:53 PM	#1 (permalink)
canadiantaner Join Date: Feb 21 2004 Posts: 103 Rep Power: 21	We have operated a salon for 5+ years now...growing a little each year. We just moved into a new building in Dec. and it's the first time our electric bill has had a demand charge. wow it amounts to just about doubling the bill ! Can anyone tell me how this works ? Thanks

03-10-2004, 01:15 PM	#2 (permalink)
MikeMc Join Date: Mar 8 2004 Posts: 8 Rep Power: 0	It covers the fixed cost of supplying your power... Some places only charge when you go above a certain kWh of usage. Did you change power companies with your move?

03-11-2004, 09:12 AM	#3 (permalink)
schoolboy Join Date: Apr 23 2001 Location: Lakewood, CO Posts: 90 Rep Power: 0	Peak demand above 25 kwh shoved me into a higher rate. I don't have a problem with that, but you only have to do it one time during a 15 minute period and your on the higher rate until you can stay below it for 12 months. Since tanning salons are seasonal it doesn't seem fair. Also, one time I must have had a short somewhere, because the peak demand went much much higher than the total of all electrical equipment peak demand I had in my salon. Unfortunately, utility companies are not sympathetic. I switched out an electric dryer to a gas dryer which eliminated about 3kwh of peak demand, and I toyed with the idea of putting in a monitor on the air conditioner that would cut it off when peak demand got close to my limit of 25 kwh, but I looked at all the downside of this and decided not to.

03-11-2004, 05:58 PM	#4 (permalink)
canadiantaner Join Date: Feb 21 2004 Posts: 103 Rep Power: 21	Thanks guys. I spoke to my friend at the power co last night. he told me everybody in our new building has a demand meter. It kicks in if you have a 10Kw demand.......wow thats low. there is no way to stay below this - the bad thing is this demand charge doubles my monthly bill.

03-12-2004, 04:03 PM	#5 (permalink)
MikeMc Join Date: Mar 8 2004 Posts: 8 Rep Power: 0	I'm guessing by your username your in Canada, do you have anything like the deregulation that we have here in the States? Can you go shopping for a better power provider?

03-12-2004, 07:54 PM	#6 (permalink)
canadiantaner Join Date: Feb 21 2004 Posts: 103 Rep Power: 21	No we don't. Just one monopolistic fat very rich power co.

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