Demand Reduction
Notice: Due to increased customer interest, eligibility for elements of this program may be limited. Please call 1-877-WISE-USE for more information.
Reduce Electric Demand Charges by Controlling Power Use
This program is one of several innovative solutions offered by the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund and administered by CL&P.
When You Understand How and When You Use Electricity, You Can Determine Your Energy Future
The Demand Reduction program converts your usage information into savings opportunities. The cost for electricity is highest during periods of peak demand. You can reduce your peak kilowatt (kW) demand and possibly reduce the total number of kilowatt-hours (kWh) used by understanding your consumption patterns. With that information you can control equipment or system-specific loads by:
- Rescheduling for off-peak hours
- Curtailing usage
- Combining or aggregating projects
- Using remote and/or automated control systems
Reducing peak demand is good for the environment. During periods of peak demand, electricity is often generated by supplemental power plants called peaking power plants. When demand reduction controls are used, the demand for energy from these less efficient peaking plants is decreased. This decrease in demand significantly reduces thermal pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
Who’s Eligible?
- Commercial and industrial customers.
- Customers who are willing and able to control kW demand during peak demand periods.
How Does the Program Work?
- CL&P’s representatives will work with you and your qualified contractor to quantify and analyze how and when your facility uses electricity. The contractor will examine your manufacturing equipment, HVAC, lighting, process controls – all of the discrete systems using power in your building – and develop a proposal for installing and/or implementing measures to reduce your demand.
- This program utilizes real-time energy monitoring and controls to automatically direct a predetermined sequence of events during your time of peak demand.
- The program uses financial incentives to offset the cost of the demand reduction controls. After you have a project proposal from the contractor, the CL&P program administrator will prepare a contractual commitment to be signed before any work begins. This Letter of Agreement will detail all the measures, the estimated demand reduction and energy savings, and the estimated incentive dollar amount. After the measures are completed and the actual demand reduction and energy savings have been verified, your organization receives the incentive payment. It’s as simple as that.
The financial incentives will help get your project completed the right way, the first time. The energy-saving benefits will continue on, year after year.
What Type of Projects Fit Into This Program?
A wide variety of measures qualify for incentives. Since CL&P reviews and approves all kW load rescheduling and curtailment on a case-by-case basis, please contact us to discuss your project. The list below describes just some of the successful projects completed by Connecticut’s commercial and industrial businesses'.
- Reset temperature controls
- Lighting controls
- Water cooler controls
- Vending machine controls
- Water heater controls
- Process controls
- HVAC controls
- Miscellaneous load controls
For more information call your Account Executive or 1-877-WISE-USE (1-877-947-3873).