Energy efficiency hot issue

When you flip on the light switch or crank up the air conditioner during the dog days of summer, you expect enough power will be available to make it happen. The state's largest electric utility and Utah's energy guru believe making better use of existing electricity resources can ensure that energy needs are met for decades to come.

Speaking Wednesday before the Legislature's Public Utilities and Technology Interim Committee, Rocky Mountain Power vice president Carol Hunter said energy consumption in Utah has grown so much in recent years that her company has had to look at developing new ways to meet that demand. One way has included implementing programs like "Cool Keeper," in which a device is installed onto residential air conditioning units to monitor peak usage.

According to Hunter, when electricity demand rises on the hottest days of summer, the Cool Keeper device receives a wireless signal and responds to the signal by turning the customer's air conditioner off and on for 15-minute periods, coordinating with other units in the neighborhood to help manage electricity use.

She told the panel that the program has been very successful in saving energy during high-usage periods.

"For every dollar (Rocky Mountain Power) invests in this program, the customer saves $2," she told the committee.

It costs nothing to participate in the program and customers get an annual $20 credit on their bill for enrolling.

Currently, only about 25 percent of Rocky Mountain Power Wasatch Front customers have opted to participate in the voluntary effort. She said the utility is considering changing the format to have all customers automatically enrolled unless they choose to "opt out" of the program. Studies have shown that such a move potentially could boost participation into the 80 percent to 90 percent range.

Hunter said that the utility was urged by the Utah Public Service Commission to bring the idea to the committee with an eye toward consideration during the next legislative session. Lawmakers on Wednesday took no action on or made any comments about the idea.

Hunter said strategies to control the amount of energy used during peak times is one way — as well as controlling costs and rates — that the utility is using to manage the demand side of power generation.

"If we can work with our customers to reduce that demand through efficiency, then the end result is all customers benefit through lower prices," she said. "All of this is designed to reduce what we have to purchase and/or what we have to build."

State energy adviser Dianne Nielsen told the Deseret News that identifying resources and implementing strategies to control energy demand is one of the top challenges for the state going forward.

"Energy efficiency, or 'demand side management' as the utilities call it … has to be our top priority," she said. "It's the cheapest power. … It helps to change behaviors."

Another priority, Nielsen said, would be combining available energy sources to build a more diverse and secure energy portfolio.

"(Integrating) those resources in our planning and in our development to meet both our needs in-state and the needs of the Western region means that we're all winners in this process," she said.

e-mail: jlee@desnews.com