The PowerCentsDC dynamic pricing program from Potomac Electric Power Co. just posted a new video: PowerCentsDC Case Study. Its board wanted to share the successful experiences from the program — including direct consumer interviews — with others in the industry.

Watch the video…

PowerCentsDC, which ran for two summers and one winter in Washington DC, provided about 900 residential consumers at all income levels with:

• Detailed energy information. Monthly bill inserts showed daily energy usage. Also, participating customers had online access to hourly data on a next-day basis — a key element of pending bipartisan federal legislation, the Electric Consumer Right to Know Act. Participants also received periodic peak alerts when system conditions were tight.
• Time-based pricing. Three prices were tested: critical peak pricing, critical peak rebates (also known as peak time rebates), and hourly pricing.
• Automated control. Participants could opt to receive smart communicating thermostats that automatically reduced their air conditioning load during high peak days.

The results? Participants reduced peak demand by up to 51%. Also, 93% preferred the dynamic program prices to their old electricity rates.

About 89% said they would recommend it to their family and friends, and 91% saved money — even though the prices were designed so that the average customer would pay the same bill on the program rates in the absence of reducing peak usage.

Also, low-income customers reduced peak usage and saved money at rates similar to the other participants, consistent with other studies.

Details of this program, which was run by eMeter Strategic Consulting, are available at the PowerCentsDC website.