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Residential Load Control Status

Commercial Load Control Status


When demand is low, wholesale power is less expensive.  Off-peak enables Polk-Burnett members to take advantage of reduced rates for electric hard-wired heat and/or electric water heaters of 80 gallons or greater that can be controlled or temporarily turned off for economic reasons or during periods of high demand. 

A recent review of electricity peaks in the MISO (Midwest Independent System Operator) system revealed that 60% of peaks occurred in the morning.  This has resulted in modifications to our load/energy management program to help sustain grid reliability.

CHANGES TO ELECTRIC HEAT CONTROL HOURS STARTING NOVEMBER 1, 2022.

Full Load Control (FLC) will take place in the morning (new for 2022-2023) and economic control events in the evening (as in the past), but FLC and economic control will not happen on the same day.

Members wanting prior notification of control events can sign up below using the Load Control Notification Enrollment form.

**Annual load control testing date is this Wednesday, November 16 beginning at 5 p.m. with restoral of loads beginning at 8 p.m. and compete restoral of storage loads by 11 p.m.

Load Management FAQs

What will control events look like for winter of 2022-2023?

Full load control (FLC) typically takes place when demand for electricity is peaking in the mid-west (MISO market)
Economic control takes place when the market price is too high to pass onto the membership.
     Many anticipated economic controls do not take place, but could if the need arose.

Anticipated number of winter control events:
     Full load control (FLC) - 6:55 a.m. - restoral begins at 10:05 a.m. 
          December, January, February
          Max 7 events for the season
          Max 3 events per month
          ** Notification sent out the evening prior to the morning event (if you enroll in load notification)

     Economic control - possible evening events
          November, December, January, February, March, April
          Electric resistance heat (no back up) - 10 events (5 p.m.- 8 p.m.)
          Electric resistance heat (with back up) - 30 events (5 p.m. - 9 p.m.)
          Small water heaters - 10 events (5 p.m. - 9 p.m.)
          Large water heaters - 10 events (5 p.m. - 10 p.m.)
          Dairy water heaters - 2 events (5 p.m. - 10 p.m.)
          ** Notification sent out approximately 1-2 hours prior to control event (if you enroll in load notification)
Note:  Most Electronic Thermal Storage (ETS) and large water heaters are controlled on a daily basis.

Members wanting prior notification of control events can sign up using the Load Control Notification Enrollment form on this webpage.

If you are not sure how your control is set up, call 800-421-0283 ext. 595 and we can provide that information based on your off-peak load(s). 

If you have added automatic backup heat or removed automatic back up heat, make sure you call us to update your control times to accommodate those changes.

Why do we need load management?

When we reduce energy use during peak demand times, we forestall the need to build new, expensive electricity generation facilities and transmission equipment to meet your electrical needs. Load management also provides for more efficient use of the facilities we have, which helps keep rates affordable.

How is my electric heat load(s) controlled?

Controlling is done with a Comverge (approx. 6” x 8”) or Entek (approx. 2” x 4”) radio receiver with indicator lights.     

Picture of a Radio Receiver                         Picture of Radio Receiver Light Display

- Green lights indicate power to the receiver.
- Yellow lights indicate control of A/C and electric resistance heat, such as baseboard and heat pumps.
- Red lights indicate control of all participating water heaters and storage heat such as Steffes electric thermal storage heaters and Marathon® 80-105 gallon water heaters.
- No lights in the overnight hours - typically in the overnight hours there are no lights in the receiver.  To save money we do not pay to send out signals overnight.
- No lights in the receiver during the day - the breaker which supplies the radio receiver may be shut off or the LED light may be burnt out.

If there is a blinking yellow light on the receiver, please call for a service signal to be sent out to clear the receiver.

If at any time the power to the radio receiver is interrupted, power to the water heater/electric heat is delayed 7-10 minutes after power is restored to the receiver.  During this time you may notice all of the receiver lights going on/off until the correct control signal is locked in.

Will I run out of hot water?

Under normal conditions, you should not run out of hot water. If you do, please call Polk-Burnett, 800-421-0283, ext. 595. We can help diagnose if you are having a problem with the water heater or if the problem is related to the control time.  In most cases we can change the control time if needed.

How long will my heat be off....will my pipes freeze?

Members with electric resistance heat (baseboard or heat pumps) and no storage or thermostatically controlled fossil fuel backup heat can expect to be without heat for up to four hours during a control period.
Members with an automatic backup storage or thermostatically controlled heating system can expect to be off for up to six hours during a control time.

It is the homeowners responsibility to make sure that there is adequate heat to kept the pipes from freezing during a control event.  If your home is heated by baseboard only, you may want to look into adding a thermostatically controlled backup heat, such as an ETS unit or gas fireplace.  You may want to check your home for proper insulation levels also to help retain the heat in the home.  Polk-Burnett offers a rebate for home testing and subsequent improvements based on the test results.

If you have removed your backup heat or added additional heat to your home, please contact Polk-Burnett so that we can adjust your load management control times as this may affect how well your home stays heated during a control event.

If you wish to receive load control event notifications sign up using the Load Control Notification Enrollment form on this webpage.

Would you like to receive a load control notification?

If you would like to receive notification of a load control event, please fill out the form on this load management page to enroll.

Once enrolled you will receive a notification via phone call, email, or text as you requested.

For FLC events you will receive the notification the evening prior to the morning event.

For economic control events you will receive the notification 1-2 hours prior to the evening control event.

If you have electric heat with no automatic backup heat source you may wish to receive these notifications to allow you to turn up the heat for an hour or so prior to your baseboard or geothermal system being shut off.

Load Control Notification Enrollment

Load Control Notification
Notification method (check all that apply)
Notification method
Terms Agreement
I agree to receive periodic SMS messages from Polk-Burnett Electric Cooperative at the number(s) identified above. I understand that SMS messages may relay information about my account, and that I can opt-out of receiving SMS messages at any time. I am not required to provide consent as a condition of purchasing any property, goods or services. Polk-Burnett Electric Cooperative does not guarantee delivery of SMS messages and no warranty is provided for undelivered messages. I agree to notify Polk-Burnett Electric Cooperative immediately in the event that I voluntarily or involuntarily relinquish any registered telephone number(s). I agree to indemnify Polk-Burnett Electric Cooperative against any claims resulting from Polk-Burnett Electric Cooperative sending SMS messages to someone other than me, in the event that I voluntarily or involuntarily relinquish telephone number(s) identified above without notifying Polk-Burnett Electric Cooperative of the change, and understand that I am responsible for keeping Polk-Burnett Electric Cooperative informed when any of my contact information changes. 

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POLK-BURNETT ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

1001 State Road 35
Centuria WI 54824
Lobby: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 
Window: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Drop box: 24/7

7298 State Road 70
Webster WI 54893
Lobby: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Window: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Drop box: 24/7

CONTACT

800-421-0283
Contact Us
Report outages 24/7 on SmartHub or 800-421-0283

©2023 Polk-Burnett Electric Cooperative. Your Source for Reliable Power.

  • My Electric Account
    • Capital Credits
    • New Construction or Rebuild
    • Outage Text Alerts
    • Overhead to Underground Conversion
    • Payment Options
    • Power Cost Adjustment
    • Rates, Fees and Deposits
    • Security Lights
    • SmartHub Overview & Enrollment
    • Start or Stop Service
    • Understanding Your Bill
    • Update Your Contact Information
  • Energy Savers & Solutions
    • Air Source Heat Pumps
    • Beat the Peak
    • Do the Summer Shift
    • E-Vehicle Charger
    • ETS Unit
    • Energy Saver Videos
    • How to Spot a High Bill with SmartHub
    • Load Management
    • Lower Your Energy Bill
    • Mini Boiler
    • Off-Peak
    • Rebates
    • Stray Voltage
    • Use Energy Wisely Guide & 101 Ways to Save
    • Water Heater
  • Community
    • Co-op Scholarships
    • Diggers Hotline
    • Economic Development
    • Electric Safety
    • Gift Cards
    • Kids Activity Page
    • License to Live Drivers Safety
    • Operation Round Up
    • Power Line Safety Demo
    • Safety Poster Contest
    • Youth Tour
  • My Co-op
    • 2022 Annual Meeting Report
    • About Us
    • Audit and Bylaws
    • Board of Directors
    • Co-op History & Timeline
    • Contact Us
    • Employment Opportunities
    • General Manager Blog
    • Legal & Privacy Statements
    • Mission, Values, Principles
    • Newsletter
    • Polk-Burnett Policies
    • Right-of-Way Program
  • Go Green
    • Geothermal Energy
    • E-Vehicles
    • Energy Supply & Renewables
    • Evergreen Renewable Energy Blocks
    • Home Solar and Wind
    • Paperless Billing
    • Protect the Karner Blue Butterfly
    • SunTuria Solar Tours
    • SunTuria Solar