Peak demand

Peak load

Peak demand, peak load or on-peak are terms used in energy demand management describing a period in which electrical power is expected to be provided for a sustained period at a significantly higher than average supply level. Peak demand fluctuations may occur on daily, monthly, seasonal and yearly cycles. For an electric utility company, the actual point of peak demand is a single half-hour or hourly period which represents the highest point of customer consumption of electricity. At this time there is a combination of office, domestic demand and at some times of the year, the fall of darkness.

Some utilities will charge customers based on their individual peak demand. The highest demand during each month or even a single 15 to 30 minute period of highest use in the previous year may be used to calculate charges.

Off-peak

Peak demand is considered to be the opposite to off-peak hours when power demand is usually low. There are off-peak time-of-use rates.

Response

The maximum demand dictates the size of generators, transmission lines, transformers and circuit breakers for utilities even if that amount lasts just one hour per year. Natural gas fueled power generators must all have adequately sized pipelines. Power generation which is able to be rapidly ramped up for peak demand often uses more expensive fuels, is less efficient and has higher marginal carbon emissions.

Peak demand may exceed the maximum supply levels that the electrical power industry can generate, resulting in power outages and load shedding. This often occurs during heat waves when use of air conditioners and powered fans raises the rate of energy consumption significantly. During a shortage authorities may request the public to curtail their energy use and shift it to a non-peak period.

Power stations

Power stations providing power to electrical grids for peak demand are called peaking power plants or 'peakers'. Natural gas fueled power stations can be fired up rapidly and are therefore often utilized at peak demand times. Pumped storage type dams such as Carters Dam help to meet peak demand as well.

The chances that a wind farm will be unable to meet peak demand are greater than for a fossil-fueled power station, due to the ability to store liquid fuels for use during peak demand.