When most people think about their electric bill, they focus on how much electricity they’ve used throughout the month. That’s called consumption, and it’s measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). It’s the familiar number you see on your monthly statement.

But there’s another important piece of the energy puzzle: electric demand.

Demand is the amount of power your home is using at any single moment. It’s measured in kilowatts (kW) and rises and falls depending on your activity. The more appliances you run at the same time—like your oven, clothes dryer, or pool pump—the higher your demand. These moments, especially in the late afternoon or evening when people return home, can create spikes in electricity use.

How does that happen? Those energy spikes in your home place stress on OUC’s grid, which must stand ready to handle even the briefest surge in usage. If demand gets too high, OUC may eventually need to build additional power plants. And those infrastructure costs eventually show up in everyone’s electric rates.

That’s why managing your demand helps keep electric prices stable. Even small changes in how and when you use power can make a real difference.

Take Control with Two Powerful Tools

OUC offers two free tools to help you monitor and manage your energy use:

  • Usage Dashboard

Available in your myOUC account, this shows how much electricity you’re using, down to 15-minute intervals. Track when your usage spikes and adjust your routine to lower demand.

 

 

  • Appliance Calculator

OUC’s new Appliance Calculator helps you estimate how much power common appliances draw, and how they contribute to your overall electric demand. You simply toggle them on and off to see how different combinations of appliances impact your demand.

With this tool, you’ll learn:

    • Which devices are most power-hungry
    • How running multiple appliances at once can cause spikes
    • How staggering appliance use can keep demand low

Tip: Some appliances use multiple kilowatts in just 15 minutes. Knowing which ones have the biggest impact helps you make smarter choices.

Managing your energy isn’t just about cutting back, it’s about using electricity more wisely. A little advanced planning around when and how you use power can help you avoid spikes that strain the system.

Together, we can reduce demand—in our own households and across the entire OUC grid—to keep electricity reliable, affordable, and sustainable for our community.

To learn more about monitoring your demand and how to make small changes to your routine to reduce usage, go to OUC.com/myusage.