High Price Alerts (6/7-6/8)

We had our first high price alerts with the new price threshold over the past couple days as temperatures reached well into the 90s. Three straight days of high temperatures in the middle of the week is a recipe for high prices. Prices topped out at 10 cents per kWh from 1pm-5pm on 6/8. This is just about the highest price  we saw in 2010.

Don't forget about pre-cooling! The best way to shift your usage away from high prices. http://www.powersmartpricing.org/tools/summer-tips/precooling-your-home/

Unfortunately we had some technical glitches with our email alert system and some of the alerts were delayed. We apologize for the inconvenience. We are working with our technical provider to ensure that this will not happen again.

The website also reached highs in web traffic. Tuesday June 7th, and Wednesday June 8th, had the highest visits to the PSP website ever. Clearly our participants were reacting to the high temperatures and prices to seek our more information. The behavior of how customers react to high prices is a key topic of conversation to the ICC and other public utility commissions around the country as they are trying to determine the value and benefit of dynamic pricing programs. PSP customers are cutting edge, smart and proving again and again that dynamic pricing "works."

It looks like some cooler weather is moving in and the prices have dropped a little as well. Look for even lower prices tomorrow and through the weekend.

New Ameren IL Flat Rate Prices

Ameren Illinois has finished its rate filing for its flat rate prices. The new energy supply prices DO NOT affect the prices for Power Smart Pricing. Prices went up in all rate classes by about a tenth of a cent per kWh. Below is the table of the new prices.

All prices are in cents per kilowatt hour (kWh).
Ameren Standard Rates (effective 6/1/11)

	Rate Zone III (AmerenIP)	Rate Zone II (AmerenCILCO)	Rate Zone I (AmerenCIPS)
Summer (June, July, August, and September)	5.011	5.019	5.045
Non-Summer, usage 0 - 800 kWh	5.733	6.020	6.057*
Non-Summer, over 800 kWh Non-Space Heat	5.733	3.852	6.057*
Non-Summer, over 800 kWh Space Heat**	1.881	N/A	3.434*

*Former AmerenUE customers now served by Rate Zone I (formerly AmerenCIPS) in the Metro East: 0-800 kWh non-summer is 6.057¢/kWh and over 800 kWh non-summer is 2.024¢/kWh, regardless of heating type.

** Applies only to existing premises served under Rate Zone I (formerly AmerenCIPS) Rider 5 or Rate Zone III's (formerly AmerenIP) space heat provision under SC2 as of 1/1/07. The Space Heat category is not available for new electric heat installations.

HPA Test Today (5/26)

Be on the look out for a test High Price Alert today. We are sending out a test to make sure the system is working properly ahead of the coming high prices this summer (if summer ever comes...). The TEST will be for participants by either telephone or email. In the event that a high price triggers a High Price Alert this summer you will be notified the evening before day that has the high priced hour(s). Please keep in mind that we have changed our high price alert threshold from 13 cents to 9 cents.

 If you would to change the way you receive your high price alert or the contact number/email, please call us at 1-888-655-6028 or email us at info@powersmartpricing.org to request a change.

Below is an EXAMPLE of what a high price alert email looks like:

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This is a High Price Alert from Power Smart Pricing.

Friday, May 27th, hourly prices are at or above 9 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) as shown in the list below:

Time                      Price (cents/kWh)

3:00-4:00 PM                       9.3                                         

To manage your costs with Power Smart Pricing, please make an extra effort to conserve electricity during these hours. To view the complete day-ahead price information, go to www.powersmartpricing.org.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to e-mail us at info@powersmartpricing.org or call (877) 655-6028.

Thank you for your participation.

Sincerely,

The Power Smart Pricing Team

New Latest and Greatest in LEDs

Phillips has launched a new LED bulb to serve as a replacement for a traditional 75-watt incandescent bulb, but it comes in at an energy demand of just 17-watts. However, like all things LED, this bulb will still cost you a fortune (in terms of lightbulbs) at somewhere between $40 and $45. It's hard to imagine many people running out to Home Depot to pick one up.

What's hard to imagine is that $40 is actually quite the bargain.

It can actually save significant money on energy costs. Philips says because its new bulb lasts 25 times longer than an incandescent, and reduces energy consumption by 80 percent, the owner will save $160 per bulb over the 25,000 hours (about 17 years) of the life of its new 17-watt LED bulb.

 For more information check out the Earth2Tech post here.

RSVP to Summer Workshops Online

Get ready to save on summer energy bills

You are invited to attend a workshop and get the information you need to keep summer energy bills under control.

• Get tips on managing your summer electricity usage and costs with the Power Smart Pricing program.
• Discover no-cost and low-cost ways to save energy.
• Learn which energy-saving home improvements could offer the best return on your investment.
• Find out about programs that could help cover the cost of energy-saving home improvements.
• Get advice on how you can protect the environment by using energy efficiently.

Workshops are free of charge and refreshments will be provided.

2011 Workshop Schedule:

• May 9, 6:30 p.m., Bloomington Public Library, 205 E. Olive St., Bloomington, IL
• May 9, 6:30 p.m., Southern Illinois University, Student Center, Illinois Room,1255 Lincoln Dr., Carbondale, IL
• May 10, 6:30 p.m., Southwestern Illinois College, Liberal Arts Building, Room 2120, 2500 Carlyle Ave., Belleville, IL
• May 10, 6:30 p.m., Peoria Public Library, Lake View Branch, 1137 W. Lake Ave., Peoria, IL
• May 11, 6:30 p.m., Collinsville Public Library, 408 W. Main St., Collinsville, IL
• May 11, 6:30 p.m., Galesburg Public Library, 40 E. Simmons St., Galesburg, IL
• May 17, 6:30 p.m., Decatur Public Library, 130 N. Franklin St., Decatur, IL
• May 18, 6:30 p.m., Jacksonville Public Library, 201 W. College Ave., Jacksonville, IL
• May 19, 6:00 p.m., Litchfield Carnegie Library, 400 N. State St., Litchfield, IL
• May 23, 6:30 p.m., Mattoon Public Library, 1600 Charleston Ave., Mattoon, IL
• May 24, 7 p.m., Champaign Library, 200 W. Green St., Champaign, IL
• May 25, 6:30 p.m., Danville Library, 319 N. Vermilion St., Danville, IL

RSVP to 1-877-655-6028 or info@powersmartpricing.org or sign up online at www.powersmartpricing.org/rsvp2011/.