WEST MICHIGAN -- If you have a smart meter you may have heard about the Peak Power Savings Program but might not know how it works. FOX 17 caught up with Consumers Energy during an installation to ask.
Consumers Energy spokesman Roger Morgenstern said, "It's a cost savings for the customer without sacrificing their comfort."
He said the program will save people money by saving energy. We watched as technician Mike Jahnke installed a switch on the side of a Grand Rapids home. He hooked up the device to the central air conditioning unit. The company said the device is designed to switch off the compressor on the hottest days of the year, while still keeping the furnace fan going and cycling the cool air in your home.
"The fan still works while this is all going on. The customer is going to be comfortable. They probably won't even notice a change," Morgenstern explained.
However, Morgenstern said you might notice a change in your bill. He said not only it will decrease your energy bill, users will also receive a rebate of $7.84 per month from June to September. That's just for signing up. Morgenstern said the more people who sign up, the less strain on the grid on those muggy days.
"The benefits are not only to the individual customer, but they're going to be to Consumers Energy overall," Morgenstern said.
He explained, "There are days during these peak, hot, summer days that we have contracts to go out and buy additional electricity on the market. Those traditionally are a little bit more expensive then buying from our own power plants."
Morgenstern said those who sign up will get a $25 gift card. But let's say you get it and you're not satisfied, he said you can call Consumers Energy to have it uninstalled.
For more information www.PeakPowerSavers.com
