Your household uses electricity throughout the day, but when you use the most energy can matter just as much as how much you use overall. Demand, measured in kilowatts (kW), is the amount of electricity your home needs at one time. Your home’s peak demand for the month is noted on your monthly billing statement, even if your rate does not include a demand charge.
Think of a typical evening: cooking dinner, running the heat or A/C, washing clothes, using the dishwasher, and maybe charging an electric vehicle. When several large appliances run at once, your household demand increases. When many homes do this at the same time, it adds pressure to the electric system.
Simple changes can help. Run the dishwasher or dryer later in the evening, and schedule EV charging after 9 p.m. Spreading out energy use helps reduce demand and supports affordable rates for everyone. Learn more at SalemElectric.com/kilowatts-kilowatt-hours-demand.