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Post by emoncustomer on Jun 19, 2008 11:50:37 GMT -5
What is a Kilowatt?
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Post by Suzy Abbott on Jun 19, 2008 12:26:43 GMT -5
A Kilowatt (kW), also referred to as peak demand, is a unit of power, measured at one precise point in time. Kilowatt demand charges are usually assessed on a 15-, 30- or 60-minute time interval and these intervals change based on your local utility's rate structures.
Residential utility customers are rarely charged for kW, whereas other types of customers (commercial, industrial, institutional, etc.) are charged for their peak demand usage.
Where kWh (usage) costs are rated in cents, KW (demand) costs are rated in dollars. KW costs can significantly impact energy bills, sometimes being one-third to half (or more) of a commercial, industrial or institutional facility's energy bills.
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