Associated Electric Cooperative, who generates our power, surveyed our members in the fall of 2025. According to that survey, some of our members still don’t quite understand what demand is and why we changed our billing to incorporate it. It’s our duty to be transparent about our charges and while we have the information available on our website, social media pages and on our bill, it’s hard to capture such a big topic in short clips. So, we thought by trying to explain it in a series, it might be better!

This is part TWO - Affects of Demand

About half of what Tri-County Electric Cooperative pays for power is tied to demand. Demand is the amount of electricity needed at one specific moment; not just how much you use over the entire month. It’s a concept that can feel a little confusing, but it really comes down to timing. When multiple large appliances like your air conditioner, water heater, dryer, or oven, are running at the same time, your demand increases.


Even if those spikes only last a short time, we still have to be prepared to supply that level of power whenever it’s needed. That’s a big part of what reliable service means, making sure every member has access to electricity at any given moment, no matter how much is being used all at once.


Because of that, demand is a significant portion of the overall power cost, and it’s important that we recover those costs based on how and when electricity is used. But here’s the part that puts you in control: small changes in your daily habits can make a noticeable difference.

Simple things like running appliances at different times of day, avoiding peak usage hours, or spacing out when you use high-energy equipment can help lower your demand. By being mindful of when you use electricity, not just how much, you can take control of your energy use and potentially lower your monthly bill.

You can find YOUR demand and track your usage through our app!
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