Incentives

Your season-end incentive is based on the following factors:

Participation: The Flex Peak season runs June 15 through September 15. Events may occur Monday through Friday between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. To maximize your incentives, maintain an active energy reduction commitment and participate when events are called. Customers who leave the program early will receive a prorated payment.

Performance: The customer’s actual load reduction is compared to their nominated reduction to calculate an Event Performance Percentage. These percentages are averaged across the season to determine the Average Season Performance Percentage.

The variable payment is $0.20 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) and is paid for each event the company calls after the first three minimum events. This amount is based on the kW reduction during the event, multiplied by the length of the event in hours. The payment for a variable event is in addition to the fixed capacity incentive. Despite receiving an additional payment, a facility’s performance during variable events counts toward the Tiered Fixed Capacity Payment Rate Structure. 

Tiered Fixed Capacity Payment Structure

Example: If your facility commits to reducing 100 kW for the full season and achieves that reduction during events, you would earn $4,225 for the season ($3.25 × 100 kW × 13 weeks).

If you achieve only 70% of your committed reduction, you would earn $2,220.40 for the season ($2.44 × 70 kW × 13 weeks).

After the first three events, you can earn additional incentives. For example, if you reduce load by 100 kW during a fourth event that lasts four hours, you would earn an extra $80 ($0.20 × 100 kW × 4 hours).

To estimate your potential earnings based on your expected load reduction and performance, use our Calculator.

Who Can Participate?

Commercial and industrial customers that can reduce at least 20 kW of electricity use from a single site are eligible.

Customers combining multiple Idaho Power locations may also qualify. For aggregated sites, the minimum reduction requirement is 35 kW.

Participation Options

Once you’ve developed a strategy to reduce your load during an event, you have two options for initiating your plan when an event is called: 

Manual Dispatch

You manage the energy reduction process yourself.

Idaho Power will notify your designated contacts four hours before an event so you have time to prepare.

Automatic Dispatch

Customers also have the option to install a Demand Response Unit (DRU)to initiate their load reduction plan. When an event is called, Idaho Power will send a signal to the DRU to initiate load reduction strategies for the identified processes. Customers that have selected the automatic dispatch option also receive notification of an event four hours prior to its start. 

Idaho Power or its representatives may install the device at no cost or participants may hire a licensed electrician, at the participant’s expense, to install the device in accordance with the National Electrical Code (“NEC”) and any Idaho Power or manufacturer specifications or requirements. 

Idaho Power will offer reimbursement of up to $1,500 for costs associated with the utilization of the automatic option beyond the installation of the device, such as programming a central control system with a load shed plan that initiates upon receiving the signal from then DRU.

Ways to Reduce Energy Use

Every business is different. Common energy reduction strategies include:

• Dimming or turning off lights
• Adjusting thermostats
• Reducing or shifting production processes
• Scheduling nonessential energy use for other times

Your Idaho Power Energy Advisor can help identify options that work for your facility and operational needs.

For industry-specific examples and best practices, review the Event Day Action Plan.

You can find industry-specific examples and best practices from participants in the program in our Event Day Action Plan under the “Additional Program Documents” pull-down menu below.