More than 200 Boone Power members have enrolled in the cooperative’s optional time-of-use pilot program since enrollment opened this summer. On Sept. 1, more than 30 members gathered at the Whitestown Branch of the Hussey-Mayfield Memorial
Public Library to take a deeper look at how the program works and why Boone Power is offering it.

The Member Ambassadors of the Cooperative event, “The Power of Timing: A Deeper Look at Time-of-Use,” was led by Corey Willis, Boone Power’s Director of Information Services Technology. The discussion went beyond the basics of the new rate to explore how electricity costs are influenced by when energy is used, what Boone Power has been doing to prepare for a time-of-use program, and how member participation will help the cooperative plan for the future. The event also provided an opportunity to answer commonly asked questions about time-of-use.

Why does timing matter?

The goal of the time-of-use pilot is to align the rates members pay with the costs associated with serving them. By moving some energy use away from the highest-cost periods, members could save on their electric bills.

That doesn’t necessarily mean every participating member will save money. Members who can shift some of their electricity use to lower-cost periods may have an opportunity to reduce their individual energy costs.

Why run a pilot?

If time-of-use rates are already being used in other places, why does Boone Power need a pilot? The way Boone Power is billed for wholesale power recently changed. The pilot program provides us time to gather data and evaluate how well the rate option works for our members.

“People’s schedules and energy habits are different,” Willis explained during the event. “We can’t know simply from looking at an average load profile how willing members will be to shift their energy use.”

The pilot allows Boone Power to collect real-world data from members who are most interested in changing when they use electricity. That information will help the cooperative evaluate whether the program can deliver the intended benefits and whether it makes sense as a long-term option.

Is time-of-use right for me?

The answer may depend on your household and whether you can shift your electricity use.

Electric vehicle owners are one obvious example of members who may benefit, because charging can often be scheduled for overnight hours. But EVs aren’t the only opportunity. Members might also be able to shift heating, cooling, water heating, laundry, and dishwashing to lower-cost periods. Programmable appliances and smart plugs can make some of those changes easier.

The program is designed to give residential members a choice. Participants can use Boone Power’s time-of-use calculator to compare the optional rate with their historical energy use. If you enroll and later decide the rate doesn’t work for you, you can return to the standard rate during the pilot.

The event also included a special discussion for members with distributed generation. Under time-of-use, distributed generation accounts use a straight-billing, or cogeneration, model. Members are charged the full retail rate for the electricity they consume and receive a credit for the power that we didn’t have to purchase elsewhere.

Time-of-use rates

Boone Power recently reduced its time-of-use rates following a decrease in wholesale power costs. 

The current standard rate is $0.12153/kWh. 

It’s not too late to participate. The optional time-of-use pilot runs through July 31, 2027, and members can enroll at any time.

Use Boone Power’s time-of-use calculator to see how the rate could have affected your bill based on your past 12 months
of energy use. 

Learn more at boonepower.com/time-of-use.