Irrigation Load Control and Incentives

Clay-Union Electric Cooperative offers several programs designed for members to save during peak demands.  As part of East River Electric Power Cooperative, Clay-Union offers attractive off peak or “Load Management” options and rebates that offer significant saving opportunities for participating members. 

Key Components:

  • Reducing irrigation load during East River’s monthly system peaks will save $19 per kW compared to the on-peak or non-controlled rate.
  • Participation in the off peak or load management rate is completely voluntary.  
  • Clay-Union offers a rebate of $750 for irrigation (per pump) that enroll qualified third party irrigation management systems that offer unlimited opt in, opt out, capability.
  • Irrigation load management is triggered by the monthly peaking conditions for the East River Electric system as a whole, not just Clay-Union.
  • Irrigation control is the last load to be shed and the first load to be restored each time control is initiated.  Water Heaters, air conditioning and industrial loads are all controlled before irrigation.
  • Irrigation control may be applied April 1st through September 30th, any day of the week, and any time of the day between the hours of 11:00 AM and 10:00 PM

Real-Time notification of irrigation control by voice call, email, and/or text messaging is offered free to all Clay-Union members. If you are not signed up to receive the messages, please call Jackie at 624-2673 or 1-800-696-2832.

We have worked with AgSense, FieldNET, and FieldWise to provide third-party vendors with the incentive information requirements needed, to interconnect with the irrigation load management program. If you are working with a different vendor than mentioned, please contact us for eligibility.

Clay-Union Electric provides this and other programs to our members so that we can help shed demand charges that we incur during peak usage, in return, the savings Clay-Union receives is passed on to the members.

To participate, there are some equipment requirements that need to be met to receive an incentive for participating.

  1. New systems eliminate the need for an East River load control receiver (irrigation controller). The old receiver will eventually be removed, if not done at the time of the switch-over.                        
  2. Ability to ingest automated notice from East River of shed and restore via email, text or voice.
  3. Provide less than 15-minute latency from East River email to shed or restore load.
  4. Provide distribution co-op notice of customer bypass.
  5. Provide proof of purchase with date & model

Also, the member will have some responsibility as well, being part of this program.

  1. Agree to participate in the program for a minimum of 5 years.
  2. If for any reason you decide to leave the irrigation load control program early, the member will be responsible for the expense to replace the third-party receiver with an East River receiver. At this time the cost will be $750.00 (cost of a new receiver).

We at Clay-Union believe this program will offer our members many additional opportunities to manage their field production and meet the needs of our load control program.