You may have noticed some new equipment at our substation in Wayne City. Wayne-White Electric is installing a large battery energy storage system to help manage one of the biggest factors affecting the cost of the electricity we provide you.
Although this system is much bigger than the batteries we use in our everyday lives, the basic idea is familiar. It stores electricity so that energy can be used later, when it is needed most.
Why is that important? Part of Wayne-White Electric’s wholesale power bill is based on how much electricity our members are using during periods of highest electric demand. These peak periods often happen on extremely hot summer afternoons, when air conditioners are running at full speed, or during the coldest hours of winter.
Those few hours can have a significant effect on our power costs.
The new battery will allow us to store electricity and release it during these high-demand periods. When the battery supplies power to the Wayne City substation, it reduces the amount of electricity the Cooperative must purchase at that particular time. Managing those peaks can lower our wholesale power costs -- helping us continue to provide value to you, our member-owners.
This is not an entirely new approach for Wayne-White Electric. Our interruptible rates, whole-home generator program, irrigation load control and new smart thermostat program all share a similar goal: reducing demand when electricity is most costly. The battery simply gives us another tool to accomplish that goal.
In addition to helping manage power costs, the battery will provide another tool to support reliability. During periods of extremely high demand, especially when energy conservation is requested, Wayne-White Electric can use stored electricity to reduce strain on the power grid and help lessen the need for emergency measures, such as rolling blackouts.
All batteries gradually lose some capacity as they age -- whether they are in a phone, a vehicle or an electric substation. For that reason, our system will begin with more battery capacity than it needs. This will help ensure that it can continue meeting its performance goals as it ages.
We are also pleased that local contractors are helping with construction, keeping a portion of the project’s investment here in the communities we serve. The project remains on schedule and is expected to be completed in October.
At Wayne-White Electric Cooperative, we know that every dollar matters. Because we are owned by the people we serve, decisions like this are made with our members in mind. This battery may look like a collection of equipment at a substation, but its purpose is simple: to help your Cooperative use energy wisely, manage peak power costs, and provide long-term value and reliability for our members.
