Maximum Demand is the average usage in your power over whatever time period that is measured by your lines company. The lines company allows a certain amount (capacity) per household or business during high peak demand usage times, there can be high charges for this if you exceed the capacity they have allowed or negotiated with you.

Not everyone needs to use their full capacity at the same time, the network is designed to meet the anticipated calculated load drawn at peak times. This can lead to overdesign or have additions to ensure that it will never exceed the designed capacity and cause power outages.

Power companies measure your demand by looking at the maximum use over any 3 hour period when they are load controlling. Demand can be measured exactly if you have half hour demand meters fitted, or if not they use a formulae to convert your uncontrolled winter usage to your demand.

To reduce your maximum demand a load controller is used to switch off un-needed appliances mainly during Winter (from June to the end of September). During the morning and evening there are high loads on the electricity lines as everyone cooks their breakfast or makes dinner (during the recent royal wedding electricity of 2,400 megawatts (MW) was reported following a lull period in the proceedings as everyone went for a cuppa). Most users demand will be significantly lower than the capacity the power company has allowed for. Very large customers often have demands close to capacity as they are always operating at high levels and would benefit from controlling this.

The best way to lower your demand is generally to have your appliances tied to load control relays which are controlled from the Ripple Relay systems that are in place by your lines company.

Load control relays switch off appliances in the household or business that may not be needed to run or can be switched on later. This includes hot water, heaters, drying rooms, clothes driers, electric underfloor heating, heated mirrors, hand driers, In ceiling recirculating ventilation systems, clothes washing machines, dish washers, pool pumps, air-conditioners, spa pools and can even extend to freezers that are not opened during load controlled periods, all can be fed from controlled sources.

Are you a business that is being approached by your Lines Company to pay Maximum Demand penalties? Contact Us today.

Maximum Demand is the average usage in your power over whatever time period that is measured by your lines company. The lines company allows a certain amount (capacity) per household or business during high peak demand usage times, there can be high charges for this if you exceed the capacity they have allowed or negotiated with you.

To reduce your maximum demand a load controller is used to switch off un-needed appliances mainly during Winter (from June to the end of September). During the morning and evening there are high loads on the electricity lines as everyone cooks their breakfast or makes dinner (during the recent royal wedding electricity of 2,400 megawatts (MW) was reported following a lull period in the proceedings as everyone went for a cuppa). Most users demand will be significantly lower than the capacity the power company has allowed for. Very large customers often have demands close to capacity as they are always operating at high levels and would benefit from controlling this.

Are you a business that is being approached by your Lines Company to pay Maximum Demand penalties? Contact Us today.