Church account - seasonal usage patterns causing demand spikes

Started by Mitchell S. — 7 years ago — 1 views
Working with a mid-size church (~300 members) that's getting hit with crazy demand charges during summer months. Bill jumps from $1,800 winter to $3,400 July/August. Sanctuary A/C kicks on all at once for services plus Wednesday events. Any tricks for houses of worship?
Check if they qualify for any religious organization rate schedules first. Some utilities have special tariffs. Also look at time-of-use rates - many churches can shift non-critical loads to off-peak hours.
Connie's right about special tariffs. Also worth checking if they're eligible for non-profit rates - some churches don't realize they need to file paperwork annually. The seasonal demand issue might be worth a load management study too.
Found it! They were on standard commercial rate but qualify for non-profit schedule. Savings about $400/month year-round. Still working on the demand management piece but this was a good start.