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1. What is "A/C Cool
Credit” program all about?
It’s an innovative method to help manage our customers’ need for electricity during periods of heavy use in the summer. We’ll install a “switch” on participants’ air conditioning units that allows us to manage their air conditioners by turning them on and off for a limited period of time. In essence, a small effort on the part of individual customers results in a big difference in the amount of electricity needed on hot summer afternoons.
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2. Who is eligible?
Residential customers who live within the company's service area where the equipment required to support A/C cycling has been installed and is operational and who use central air conditioning may apply. Renters may participate by filling out a landlord approval form, available by calling 1-866-865-COOL (2665). Customers with evaporative (swamp) coolers or window air conditioners are not eligible for the program.
3. How can I sign up?
By returning a completed application card you are indicating a desire to participate and have a switch installed at your home. You may also sign up by calling the A/C Cool Credit program at 1-866-865-COOL (2665).
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4. Why should I enroll in
the program?
Idaho Power expects peak demand to continue rising annually for the next 25 years, much of it due to increased air conditioning use. You can help slow the demand for power during peak hours by participating in programs like this.
In addition, participants will receive a $7 credit on their monthly Idaho Power bill in July, August, and September.
5. What do you mean you'll "manage" my air conditioner?
When you enroll in the A/C Cool Credit Program, a receiving switch will be installed on your air conditioner. This switch has the ability to override the thermostat’s control of the A/C’s compressor. Your air conditioner naturally cycles on and off as needed to maintain a set temperature in your home as determined by the setting on your thermostat. When Idaho Power sends a signal to this switch, the air conditioner may cycle off for longer
periods of time than normally cycled by the thermostat. This means that the A/C will still operate during these cycling periods, but not as often.
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6. You've mentioned receiving a switch. Exactly what equipment will be installed?
The switch is a light gray, weatherized plastic box measuring roughly 7” x 10” x 3.5”. The switch is affixed to either the exterior of your house or directly to the outside of your air conditioning unit. Caution is taken to ensure neither the house nor the air conditioner is damaged during installation or removal. A certified field technician will install, test and verify that the switch is operating safely with the air conditioner’s compressor. It is not necessary to enter the house to install the equipment and therefore it is not necessary that you be home to
have the unit installed. Customers who are not present when the installation takes place will be notified the device was installed. If you have more than one air conditioning unit, a switch will be installed for each unit.
7.
How long will air conditioners be turned off?
We’ll only cycle air conditioner compressors for about four hours on select weekdays, generally between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Cycling will not occur on weekends or holidays. A typical cycling interval will be 15 minutes on and 15 minutes off, so the total amount on any given day your air conditioner would be cycled off is two hours. In addition, the system fan will continue to operate regardless of whether the compressor is on or off during a cycling event. On rare occasions we may cycle at 20-minute intervals, and Idaho Power reserves the right to cycle air conditioners for longer periods in the unlikely event of a system emergency.
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8.
When will the program run?
The A/C Cool Credit program is conducted during the summer months of June, July and August, with bill credits appearing on the July, August and September statements. Ongoing participation in future summer seasons is assumed as long as you live at your current residence, unless you decide to terminate enrollment.
9.
Will this program reduce my energy consumption?
Probably not. The program is designed to shift demand to non-peak hours to better utilize capacity, much like encouraging workers to commute at off-peak times to lessen the total number of vehicles using the highway system at the same time. During the test program most participants used their A/C units later in the evening and consumed the energy not used during cycling.
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10.
How does the bill credit work?
After your switch is installed we will update our billing records to add a $7 credit to your account on your July, August and September statements. Customers on Budget Pay will not see the credit on these statements but it will be applied to their level pay calculation. Switches must be installed by the 15th of June, July or August in order to receive a credit on the following month’s bill.
11.
Can I choose not to participate in the program on any given day?
Yes, if you wish to opt out of the program on a particular day, you may do so by notifying us a day in advance before 4 p.m. You may exercise this option once a month in June, July and August.
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12.
How will I know if my air conditioner is being cycled?
A light on the switch will indicate whether the unit’s compressor is currently off due to cycling.
13.
Will cycling hurt my air conditioner?
The air conditioner will continue to operate through signals received from the switch, just as it was designed to do. The frequency of cycling is within standards developed by the industry.
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14.
Will this program make my house hot?
Your comfort is extremely important to the success of this program. Participants in the program in 2003 and 2004 experienced an overall average increase in home temperature of less than two degrees. Nearly 90 percent of homes experienced less than a four-degree temperature increase over a four-hour cycling period.
15.
Can I quit the program?
Yes, you may quit the program at any time, but the credit will only apply to those months you actually participated.
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16.
What access does Idaho Power need for this program?
We will need access to your air conditioner in order to install the switch and connect measurement equipment to the A/C unit. For that reason, we want to be sure you don’t have any locked gates, pets or vegetation that might make it difficult for contractors and employees to monitor equipment.
17.
Why is Idaho Power sponsoring this program?
We are committed to exploring a variety of programs to meet the growing need for electricity, especially during critical summer peak periods. Programs like this help reduce the amount of electricity that must be generated now and in the future.
18.
How can I get additional information?
If you still have questions after reviewing this material, please give us a call via our special A/C Cool Credit program line at 1-866-865-COOL (2665).
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