Spring is here in South Carolina, and with it comes a shift in electricity use patterns. Starting April 1, Santee Cooper Peak Hours for residential customers move to the afternoon. From April through October, Peak Hours run 3 p.m. to 6 p.m . Outside these hours, there are plenty of opportunities to run appliances and save energy.
Learn more about how to Defeat The Peak and manage your home energy online.
What Are Peak Hours?
Peak Hours are the three hours each day when demand is highest across South Carolina and on Santee Cooper’s system. In spring and summer, this usually happens in the late afternoon when customers are running air conditioners, doing laundry, washing dishes and using electronics.
When electricity demand is high, utilities may need additional resources, which can increase costs. By shifting energy use outside the 3–6 p.m. Peak Hours , customers can reduce their electric bills and help keep South Carolina’s electric system reliable.
Teaching Your Family to Defeat the Peak
Getting your whole household involved is simple. Teach kids to wait to run the dishwasher or do laundry until after dinner. Pre-cool your home before Peak Hours begin to stay comfortable. Even a simple reminder like “From 3 to 6, we Defeat The Peak” helps everyone follow the routine.
Once your family adopts these habits, managing home energy during peak times becomes effortless.
Easy Ways to Reduce Energy Use and Demand
Run large appliances before or after Peak Hours: Plan to use dishwashers and clothes washers and dryers before 3 p.m. or after 6 p.m.
Pre-cool your home: Lower the thermostat before 3 p.m., then raise it a few degrees during Peak Hours. If you have a smart thermostat, you can schedule it to pre-cool. If you’re in the market for a smart thermostat, you can find discounts and instant rebates on Marketplace .
Stagger appliance use: Avoid running multiple high-energy appliances at the same time during Peak Hours.
Use timers or delay-start features: Many appliances allow scheduling to avoid Peak Hours. Water heater timers, smart thermostats and delay-start dishwashers are good examples of ways you can schedule electricity use.
Small Changes Add Up
Families across South Carolina can make a real impact by shifting energy use outside Peak Hours. Small daily changes help lower monthly electricity charges, maintain a reliable electric system, and reduce strain on the grid.
With Peak Hours changing to 3–6 p.m. beginning April 1 , now is the perfect time to teach your family to Defeat The Peak and start saving energy and money this spring.