Load Management

Load Management refers to the economic reduction of electric energy demand during a utility's peak generating periods. Load management differs from conservation in that load-management strategies are designed to either reduce or shift demand from on-peak to off-peak times, while conservation strategies may primarily reduce usage over the entire 24-hour period.

Motivations for initiating load management include the reduction of capital expenditure (for new power plants), circumvention of capacity limitations, provision for economic dispatch, cost of service reductions, system efficiency improvements, or system reliability improvements. Actions may take the form of normal or emergency procedures. Many utilities, VEC included, encourage load management by offering customers a choice of service options with various price incentives.