Jun 4 2008
Vectren Energy Delivery of Indiana (Vectren) reported Tuesday it is prepared to meet summer demand of its electric customers in southwestern Indiana. In addition, the company announced that wind turbines in Benton County, Ind., from which Vectren contracted to purchase 30 megawatts (MW) of power last year, are now online, and Vectren customers are officially receiving renewable energy.
In a presentation to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, Vectren reported its total capacity of more than 1,490 megawatts (MW) is adequate to meet a projected peak demand of about 1,250 MW. The reserve margin includes 1,430 MW of generation capacity and purchasing ability in addition to interruptible load and demand side management initiatives, such as the company's Summer Cycler program, that could yield more than 60 MW if needed.
"Our coal-fired units, which produce the majority of our system's electricity, allow us to be confident that we will meet our customers' needs this summer," said Carl Chapman, Vectren's president and chief operating officer. "Furthermore, power purchase agreements and demand side management activities will ensure reliability during peak times, and the recent addition of wind power certainly complements our generation portfolio and helps meet a growing customer demand for renewable energy."
Electric customers who enroll in the Summer Cycler program can receive a total of $28 or more in bill credits for the summer cooling season. Summer Cycler, a voluntary energy management program that briefly cycles off select appliances in the home during periods of peak electricity demand, will offer a $5 monthly credit for each electric air conditioning unit or heat pump enrolled in the program and $2 for each electric water heater from June through September.
To enroll in this free program or learn about energy efficiency tips to help reduce energy consumption, call Vectren's Conservation Connection at 1-866-240-8476 or visit http://www.vectren.com.
Vectren's electric utility serves all of portions of seven counties in southwestern Indiana, including Dubois, Gibson, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh and Warrick.