News > Stearns Electric Continues Changeout of Demand Response Units

Stearns Electric Continues Changeout of Demand Response Units

September 15, 2023

In 2021, Stearns Electric Association began a 5-year plan to changeout aging load management receivers with new Aclara demand response units (DRUs).

This summer, our electricians continued changing out residential DRUs. This only impacts member-consumers who are enrolled in a load management program (i.e., dual fuel, storage water heating, cycled air conditioning and/or electric vehicle charging). Impacted members receive direct communication from Stearns Electric before work begins on their equipment.

Changing out the DRUs provides the Co-op the ability to adapt to future load controlling opportunities and strategies and maintain affordable load management rates. Certified Cooperative employees holding master and journeyworker electrician licenses are changing out the equipment, which help keep costs down.

Focus right now is on changing out DRUs for members enrolled in the Dual Fuel program. There are 6,869 load controllers that need to be changed out, of which 14% have been completed as of August 31, 2023. Additionally, all DRUs for members enrolled in the Interruptible Irrigation, Interruptible Generator and ChargeWise programs have been successfully changed out.

As of the end of August, Cooperative electricians have changed out a total of 1,829 DRUs throughout the Stearns Electric service territory.

More information is available on our website, www.stearnselectric.org/load-control. Please contact the Energy Service department with any questions you have.