H2O Plus is an innovative program that puts technology to work to save energy. Cycling the water heaters of participating members throughout our service territory helps reduce the demand for electricity during hours of peak energy usage.
H2O Plus Program
By managing energy usage when demand is high (when you and your neighbors are using the most electricity), our supplier can reduce demand during those times when energy is most expensive. This can also result in a reduction of greenhouse gases, which will have a positive impact on our environment.
The impact per consumer is small, so you really won’t notice a difference on your power bill. But with thousands of people enrolled across the region, H2O Plus can help us avoid purchasing power during those times when it's most expensive.
Our power supplier sends a signal to a device connected to your water heater. This signal instructs the device to cycle your unit, powering down the heating elements for a short period of time (usually between two and four hours) and bringing them back up in time to ensure you have adequate hot water to complete your typical household chores.
You should have plenty of hot water in your tank to handle your showers, chores, and other household tasks. You should notice no difference in the amount of hot water available to you after enrolling in the H2O Plus program.
Chances are, your existing water heater can be retrofitted with our cycling device. When you sign up for the H2O Plus program, we’ll send a certified electrician to your home, at no cost to you, to install the device on your water heater.
Since the device is a separate unit from your water heater, it can easily be installed at your home. When you enroll in the H2O Plus program, we will send a licensed electrician to your home to ensure the device is properly installed. Contact GCEC and enroll in the H2O Plus program.
The H2O Plus program helps reduce the effects of high demand on our generation system, so we will normally cycle your water heater during hours of peak power usage when demand is at its highest (and when electricity is most expensive). Typically, our peaks occur between 5 and 8 a.m.
GCEC is a cooperative, and that means we have a real concern for the communities we serve. H2O Plus will help manage the peak demand for power, which is more expensive during those times when you and your neighbors are using the most electricity.
Participation is simple. Call GCEC, and we’ll walk you through the steps to enroll in H2O Plus. It will cost you absolutely nothing to participate. In fact, we will credit $25 to your bill for your participation!