HUGHESVILLE, Md. – Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) has received approval from the Maryland Public Service Commission to offer Time-of-Use (TOU) rates to residential and commercial accounts on SMECO’s standard offer service rate.
During peak times, energy costs are higher for SMECO, and during off-peak times, costs are lower. On SMECO’s Standard Offer Service (SOS) rate, the per-kilowatt-hour (kWh) cost doesn’t fluctuate. But, for customers who choose SMECO’s TOU rate, energy charges will reflect the peak and off-peak price difference.
TOU rates can help customers save money if they use less energy during peak times. To shift energy use, residential customers can run kitchen and laundry appliances, pool pumps, and other equipment during off-peak hours. Off-peak times in the winter are weekdays 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and 8 p.m.-6 a.m. Off-peak times in the summer are weekdays before 2 p.m. and after 7 p.m. Weekends are always off-peak.
For more information, or to sign up for SMECO’s TOU rates, go to smeco.coop/selectmyrate.
SMECO – The Cooperative Difference –
SMECO was incorporated in 1937 and is one of the 15 largest electric cooperatives in the United States with more than 169,000 member accounts in Charles County, St. Mary’s County, southern Prince George’s County, and most of Calvert County.
Electric cooperatives are shaped by the communities they serve, because co-ops are owned by their customers. Co-op members elect the men and women who serve on the Board of Directors. Members share the responsibility of ownership by financing the cooperative’s operations, but they also share its rewards.
At the end of each year, SMECO’s margins (profits) are allocated to members’ capital credit accounts. SMECO uses its profits to invest in new construction, system improvements, and facility upgrades. The Board of Directors regularly evaluates the financial condition of the co-op and determines when members will receive a refund. Since 1937, SMECO has refunded more than $110 million.
As a cooperative, SMECO will always put its members first and be responsive, reliable, and resourceful—the power you can count on.
Follow SMECO on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SMECO.coop and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/somdelectric.
The SMECO 24/7 mobile app is available at www.smeco.coop/247.
If a customer chooses TOU
Does the customer have the option to revert back to SOS if they find the TOU is not for them ?