In the typical home, heating water accounts for a large portion of energy use. It is in the best interest of both our consumers and Jackson Electric Cooperative to make efficient use of this energy.

Benefits from Jackson Electric's Water Heater Program

Jackson Electric will provide, at a reduced cost, a high efficiency water heater in the following situations:

• new construction
• to replace an existing electric water heater that leaks
• to replace an existing gas or oil water heater (need not leak)
• to upgrade to a water heater of larger capacity for off-peak operation

Program Conditions: This offer is valid only to Jackson Electric Cooperative members for water heaters installed on premises served by the cooperative. The electric water heater must be included in the cooperative's load management program.

Pricing

Unless under warranty, the following water heater costs apply:

     $100 - 50 Gallon

     $150 - 80, 85 or 105 Gallon

Repairs

Additionally, Jackson Electric will repair, free of charge during regular working hours, all electric water heaters on our consumers' premises. This includes parts and labor, regardless of where the water heater was obtained or the manufacturer.

Jackson Electric will repair water heaters after hours if a technician is available.  After-hours repair fee is $75 plus tax.

Water Heater Sizes and Efficiency

Heaters are stocked in four sizes to meet all household requirements. The 50 gallon and 80 gallon Rheem® water heaters feature a metal tank with a metal outer shell. The 85 gallon and 105 gallon Marathon® water heaters feature a durable plastic tank and outer shell.

All four models have the highest energy efficiency ratings available. The high efficiency means you save money in operation costs, compared to the average older and smaller water heaters often found in homes today.

Participation in Load Management

Demand for electric energy fluctuates throughout the day, and from season to season. When electrical demand climbs, utilities use "load management" techniques to maximize the efficiency of electric generation and transmission facilities. A load management radio receiver, installed at the service location, can be controlled remotely to interrupt the power to the electric water heater during times of high system-wide demand for electricity. Since the controlled water heater is not contributing to peak electrical demands, the extra costs associated with meeting these high demands are avoided. This allows Jackson Electric to hold down its operation costs, stabilize retail rates and pass the savings on to its consumers.

The radio receiver control is installed free of charge and is owned and maintained by the cooperative. Participants in the program receive a monthly credit of $3.00 on their electric statement for joining in the cooperative's load management effort. Participants in our Off-Peak Heating Programs will receive a lower off-peak kWh rate instead of the $3.00 monthly credit.

Peak Periods

With the proper sizing of the water heater tank to meet your family's needs, you may never notice when the load management control is activated.

The duration of load control may be for up to 6 hours out of a 10 hour period. Therefore, it is important to have a water heater with large enough storage capacity to fulfill your needs during the maximum control period. Our staff will help you determine the tank size best suited to your circumstances.

Electric water heaters are not switched off every day. Since peak electrical demands are most often weather sensitive, control is most likely to occur on the coldest and warmest days of the year. However, water heater control may occur on other days, should our power supplier (Dairyland Power Cooperative) or neighboring utilities experience a shortage of generation capacity due to power plant failures or other reasons.

For more information, call the energy professionals at Jackson Electric Cooperative.