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From YouTube: This Week in Ames
Description
Energy Guy Steve Wilson stops by the show on the hotterst week of the summer to dicuss energy conservation.
A
A
B
We
we
are
in
a
continuation
of
summer,
it's
not
necessarily
winding
down.
In
fact,
it's
building
into
some
of
the
hottest
weather
we've
had
all
year.
You.
A
B
Well,
first
of
all,
it's
important
in
a
on
a
week
like
this
or
during
weather,
like
this,
that
we
reduce
for
a
couple
of
reasons.
One
is
we
want
to
lower
our
bills?
We
just
want
to
be
generally
more
efficient,
because
that
helps
us
in
the
long
run.
We
also
want
to
reduce
our
demand
on
a
hot
day
like
this
demand
is
going
to
be
very
high
and
when
the
demand
is
high,
it
taxes
the
the
distribution
system.
B
It
can
overall
drive
our
costs
up,
so
we
want
to
save
energy
anyway,
but
especially
in
weather
like
this,
and
so
what
we
ask
people
to
do
on
a
day
like
today,
for
instance,
limit
the
number
of
exterior
door,
openings
and
closings.
B
You
know:
try
not
to
use
the
stove
or
the
oven
to
cook
foods,
eat,
cold
foods
or
maybe
use
the
microwave
intermittently.
Turn
your
thermostat
up
a
few
degrees
and
use
a
fan
to
stay
cool.
Now,
it's
interesting
because
a
fan
would
cost
you,
maybe
10
cents
a
day
to
operate
where
an
air
conditioner
might
cost
you
three
to
four
dollars
a
day.
B
A
B
Yeah
one
of
the
realities
of
an
interconnected
transmission
system,
the
grid
is
that
one
utility
in
trouble
can
pull
the
system
down
and
so
a
requirement
of
the
organization
we
belong
to
an
organization
called
miso
that
sort
of
organizes
all
of
the
generation
and
transmission
in
the
area.
B
One
of
the
requirements
is
that
we
maintain
a
cushion,
so
we
have
to
have
a
about
15
percent
or
access
to
15
percent,
more
electricity
than
we
actually
need
to
service
the
community
of
ames,
and
so
the
it's
not
only
a
matter
of
supplying
the
demand
requested
by
the
customer.
It's
also
then
having
to
make
sure
we
have
on
standby
another
15.
B
Exactly
and
so
even
when
we
may
have-
and
we
do
by
the
way
we
have
plenty
of
electricity
available,
there's
no
issue
in
terms
of
do
we
have
enough.
Are
we
going
to
have
a
brown
out
or
a
blackout?
No,
we
have
plenty,
but
the
issue
is
one
of
dollars,
because
when
our
demand
goes
high,
it
pushes
the
cushion
higher
as
well,
and
so,
if
we
don't
have
it
in
terms
of
generators
down
at
the
power
plant,
we
have
to
bring
on
backup
peaking
generators.
B
B
A
B
A
Keep
this
to
keep
the
power
plant
running
smoothly
and
to
reduce
the
strain
on
the
system
right.
B
We
we
sort
of
depend
on
one
another
where
an
investor
owned
utility
would
be
able
to
charge
a
premium.
Let's
say
to
generate
income
off
of
the
sale
of
electricity.
A
municipal
utility
can't
do
that.
We're
only
able
to
charge
as
much
as
it
costs
us
to
provide
it.
So
we
recover
basically
only
what
we
have
to
well,
if
you,
if
you
look
at
it
that
way,
it's
the
have
to
that.
We
want
to
keep
as
low
as
we
can
because
then
again,
it
turns
into
a
lower
rate
over
time.
B
A
B
Power
is
what
we
call
a
low
control
program,
the
load
being
an
air
conditioner
in
in
our
residences,
in
our
small
businesses,
where
we
have
what
I
would
call
a
residential
style,
air
conditioner,
where
there's
an
outdoor
condensing
unit.
There's
an
indoor
coil
on
that
outdoor
unit,
where
the
compressor
is
we
can
put
a
switch
and
when
we
get
a
hot
day
like
this,
we
send
out
a
signal
from
the
power
plant.
B
The
switch
picks
it
up
and
what
it
does
is
it
shuts
down
the
compressor
for
seven
and
a
half
minutes
out
of
every
half
an
hour,
it's
sort
of
random
throughout
the
community.
So
at
any
given
time
when
we
send
out
that
signal
about
25
percent
of
those
9,
000
switches
are
going
to
stop
those
compressors.
B
Well,
when
you
add
that
up,
it
allows
us
to
reduce
demand
by
somewhere
between
three
and
four
megawatts,
which
is
substantial,
and
if
we
can
plan
on
that,
if
we
can
count
on
that
year
after
year
after
year,
it
will
save
the
utility
millions
of
dollars.
So
it's
it's
a
good
program
and
it's
a
program
that
not
only
helps
the
community
as
a
whole.
B
It
helps
the
utility
greatly
in
terms
of
reducing
that
demand
now.
Prime
time,
power
is
not
an
energy
saving
program
and
we
talked
about
it
being
load
control.
Okay,
the
air
conditioner
is
still
going
to
run.
So
it's
not
going
to
save
the
customer
energy.
It's
not
going
to
reduce
your
bill,
but
what
we
do
in
order
to
sort
of
incent
people
or
entice
people
to
join
the
program.
B
We
give
the
customer
a
20
per
summer
credit
on
their
bill
five
dollars
in
each
of
the
four
summer
months,
and
so
there's
a
little
bit
of
an
incentive
for
people
to
sign
up.
We
hope
they
would
sign
up
anyway,
because
it's
a
good
program,
it's
good
for
the
community,
but
if
they
need
a
little
incentive,
we've
got
one
well.
A
B
B
On
days
like
today
we
have
an
automated
system
where
there
is
a
threshold
determined
once
it's
achieved
in
terms
of
megawatts
the
system
comes
on,
it
will
do
the
seven
and
a
half
minutes
out
of
every
half
an
hour
thing
until
the
demand
then
drops
to
a
predetermined
threshold,
and
then
it
shuts
itself
off.
So
it's
sort
of
a
worry-free
program
and
worry-free
is
is
essentially
what
we
want
people
to
to
see
the
program
as
because,
basically
we
hope
it's
an
invisible
program.
B
We
hope
that
people
won't
even
know
that
we've
interrupted
their
air
conditioners.
Air
conditioners
are
running,
houses
are
cool,
they've
got
humidity
pulled
out
of
them.
Seven
and
a
half
minutes
is
not
enough
time
so
that
the
the
occupants
inside
the
space
are
going
to
even
know
that
their
compressor's
been
stopped.
Most
homes
wouldn't
heat
up
more
than
a
degree.
A
Well,
prime
time,
power
is
just
one
of
the
smart
energy
programs
offered
by
the
ames
electric
services.
Lots
of
other
programs
there
to
to
decrease
electric
use
talk
a
little
bit
about
some
of
those
other
options.
B
B
We
have
an
auditor
that
will
come
out
they'll,
look
at
all
of
the
systems
in
your
home,
the
the
insulation,
the
windows,
the
doors,
the
heating
and
cooling
equipment,
the
water
heater,
the
appliances,
how
the
building
is
constructed.
They
put
together
a
report
for
homes
that
were
built
before
the
year,
2000
they'll,
add
a
blower
door
test
to
determine
whether
or
not
you've
got
a
lot
of
air
infiltration
or
not.
And
essentially
what
happens,
then?
B
Is
you
have
a
report
in
your
hands
that
tells
you
about
your
home
and
it
gives
you
some
instructions
or
recommendations
of
what
you
can
do
to
improve
your
efficiency.
So
that's
essentially
where
in
my
mind,
that's
where
things
start
for
customers
now,
if
you
have
to
go
out
and
and
replace
an
appliance
refrigerator,
freezer
dishwasher
washing
machine,
if
it's
energy
star
rated
there's
a
rebate
for
that,
you
can
apply
for
a
rebate.
B
If
you
put
efficient
lighting
in
your
home,
compact,
fluorescence
or
led
lighting,
there's
a
rebate
for
that,
if
you
install
a
brand
new
air
conditioner
and
it's
efficient,
there's
a
rebate
for
that
as
well,
so
in
besides
having
the
audit,
there
are
incentives.
If
you
will
to
improve
your
efficiency,
we
also
have
incentives
for
commercial
businesses
and
so
at
any
level
residents.
Small,
large
commercial,
industrial
customers.
We
have
incentives.
We
have
rebates
for
those
folks
and
audits
to
help
them
understand
their
energy.
So
well.
A
And
anybody
can
find
more
information
about
those
on
our
website.
You
can
go
to
cityofames.org
smart
energy
they're
right
on
the
front
page
as
well.
Look
for
the
smart
energy
button,
lots
of
information
about
how
to
how
to
conserve
our
limited
natural
resources
steve.
It's
always
great
to
have
you
oh,
have
you
by
thanks
for
the
energy
saving
tips
and.
B
A
Well,
steve
wilson
gave
us
some
great
tips
on
how
to
save
electricity
and
if
you
want
more
information
or
want
to
sign
up
for
a
home
energy
audit,
remember
just
go
to
our
website.
Cityofames.Org,
smart
energy,
there's
a
fillable
form,
you
can
sign
up
right
online
or
you
can
print
one
out
mail
it
in
and
get
a
home
energy
audit
also
remember
wednesday
september.
4Th
is
the
deadline
for
the
am
citizens
academy.
There's
a
fillable
form
online
for
that
as
well
at
cityofames.org.