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Timing is everything according to some. That is certainly true when it comes to the price we pay for power. Like gas at the pump, or tickets to an amusement park, prices increase when demand is high. Try to buy gas when lines are long, and you'll pay more for it. The same is true for various food products, as well. Demand drives prices.

While we do everything possible to keep rates as low as possible, there's a way you can help, as well. It won't cost you a thing, and it shouldn't inconvenience you, either. You simply join other members in shifting or delaying the times you use electricity. It's all based on what we call "peak demand times." These are periods when many people are using electricity at the same time. That typically happens on cold winter mornings from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and hot summer afternoons from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., as people turn up the heat in winter or crank up the AC in the summer.

If you postpone chores that require hot water when a peak demand time is expected, you'll help hold down the cost of electricity. Even turning off a light is helpful. Peak demands for electricity directly affect power costs. That's because we must have enough power generation available to serve all our members at that moment when demand for electricity is at its highest. That ensures we have a continuous, reliable supply of power around the clock.

If you and your family members can shower in the evening during winter and in the morning during summer, that will also help shave the peak. Showering also helps use less water than a typical soaking bath. Making these shifts in when you use electricity helps reduce the overall demand for it and helps manage power costs for all of our members.

It also reduces the need for new power generation of any kind, whether renewable, nuclear or fossil fuels.

Reduce peak demand and help keep wholesale power costs low. Finally. A reward for postponing those chores.