Make a long distance phone call during the weekend or the evening and you get charged a discounted, off-peak rate. But if you think you’re saving money just by doing laundry or running the dishwasher after dark, think again.
Unless a household calls Virginia Power and the askes to be billed on a “time of use” schedule, the electric company will bill the home what amounts to a flat rate. Switching to a new schedule can be risky, though, because the power company will charge you a higher rate for “on-peak” consumption to compensate for the off-peak discount. “People can save money, but they can end up paying a lot more money, too,” said Andy Welles, an energy-efficiency consultant with Virginia Power.

In fact, Wells says only households that use more than 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity each month should consider switching to the special rate, (If your monthly electric bill is about $86 or more you probably use at least 1,000 kilowatt hours, Virginia Power says).
Some families that make the switch will have to alter their lifestyles considerably to avoid paying the on-peak rates, which can be 10 times more expensive than off-peak hourly rates. The basis on-peak rate is 16.5 cents per kilowatt-hour, the off-peak rate is 1.5 cents per kilowatt hour. Families that want to get the maximum benefit from the on-peak/off-peak rates with minimum efforts can install a device called a demand control. The device is hooked to the home’s major appliance water heater, washing machine, dryer and dishwasher. An electrician then programs the device so the household can’t use many appliance simultaneously. If the dryer running, for example, the water heater will not kick in until the dryer is done. With a demand controller in place, Virginia Power will bill the household on another “time of use” rate based on the amount of electricity demanded during on-peak hours. The home also qualifies for an off-peak discount at night and on weekends.

The lower the demand, the lower the electric bill can be. “Last month we saved $70 and it’s averaging that, or better,” said Sharon Tujillo, a Virginia Beach homeowner. “We have a three-bedroom ranch, and I have a (heated) pool. That’s where it saved me money. Unless you have a pretty good sized bill, it doesn’t do you a lot of good.”
Energy Management system, the Virginia Beach company that installed Tujillo’s demand controller, only sells the devices to households that use 1,500 kilowatt-hours of electricity, or about $135 dollars’ worth, per month.

Depending on the number of appliance that need to be hooked up, demand controllers can cost from $1,900 to $ 2,200, including installation. If a family moves, it can take the device along, Twenty-four states offer special off-peak rates. But Joseph Van Liere, President of Energy Management, says the demand controller is a great feature to highlight when trying to sell a house.
During summer, on-peak hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday. The rest of the years, hours are 7 to 11 a.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information about “time of use rates, ” contact Virginia Power at 857-2104.