Energy Curtailment - Energy Management
MidAmerican Energy Curtailment Program
What it curtailment?
The University of Iowa has been asked by MidAmerican Energy to participate in a voluntary electrical curtailment program. They have provided a reasonable financial incentive for the University to include this in our contract.
When does the UI curtail?
To accomplish our goal we will be asked to curtail the use of electricity for up to six hours at a time to help MidAmerican Energy manage the peak electrical load on very hot summer days. Generally, the conditions for curtailment are extremely hot weather, usually 90° or higher and humidity in the 80% range.
The agreement allows that we may be called to curtail up to 16 times between June 1 and September 30. Last summer (2008) we were unable to assist due to flood recovery operations and in 2007 we had only one curtailment.
How will I know if there is a curtailment?
When curtailed, MidAmerican Energy will give the University as much notice as possible, but this may be as little as two hours notice. Occupants of General Fund buildings will be notified via email. There will also be an alert on the Facilities Management home page and the Building Coordinators web page.
Does my building curtail?
A variety of curtailment methods have been identified in various buildings. To determine the curtailment strategy used in your building, please visit the Buildings link below.
For more information contact:
Work Control Center (facilities-wcc@uiowa.edu) 335-5071
» Buildings & Curtailment
» Frequently Asked Questions
» What Individuals Can Do
» Beat the Heat Tips (pdf)