Why should I participate in the program?

The price of electricity is based on two primary factors, including the price of fuel needed to generate power and the demand for power. The  demand for electricity on the Western Farmers Electric Cooperative (WFEC) system is greatest in the hot summer months between the peak hours of 2 to 8 p.m. WFEC is the wholesale power provider for REC and 18 other Oklahoma distribution cooperatives.  The primary goal of this program is to reduce the overall system demand, with less power being necessary at critical peak times. Plus, using energy efficient ideas in homes and businesses can help each consumer as well.  Another benefit involves the ability of WFEC to delay immediate new construction of power plant facilities due to an increase in capacity needs.  As the service territory of WFEC continues to grow, increased capacity is needed to cover these demands.  So, if less power is used during peak times, the less capacity that will be needed.

Become Involved:

The first step to helping your cooperative is to sign up for the Beat the Peak program. This voluntary program will help not only you individually, but the cooperative as well through less power usage during peak times.  Another important part of the program is the sign up for Beat the Peak alerts. If your cooperative determines that a peak situation is likely to exist, you will be contacted via your choice of e-mail, the cooperative’s Web site, text messages or through the iMap alert service.  On days that a notice is issued, please use energy wisely. Try to avoid or limit the use of appliances and electric devices in the home, particularly during the designated peak hours. Also, increase the temperature on your thermostat by a few degrees to reduce the load on your air conditioning equipment.