Every year at this time UMB voluntarily participates in a program of electrical demand reduction called the PJM Demand Response Program. This program relies on the collaboration of large electrical power users to reduce power consumption at times of peak demand in order to help the electric utilities avoid brown outs and black outs caused by overloading the power distribution grid during the summer months. In exchange for this voluntary participation UMB receives a meaningful reduction in the electric utility bills.
The requirements for participation include an annual test in June, and then readiness for participation in potential real time events where we are asked to curtail electrical usage during an actual peak in demand.
Fortunately, for the last three years, UMB has never been asked to curtail power consumption beyond the annual tests. The annual test is for a period of one hour.
This year’s test event is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, June 26, 2018 from 2:00pm to 3:00pm. As we have done in past years we will be asking all campus occupants for this year’s 1 hour test to do the following:
· Reduce use of non-essential equipment (copies, coffee makers microwaves, printers, etc.).
· Turn off unnecessary lighting.
· Use stairs and not elevators.