Wisconsin Electric Power Company load management experiment

On August 1, 1973, the Wisconsin Electric Power Company management established a task force to investigate the feasibility of installing a load management program (defined as direct control only). The implementation of Phase I began in July 1975. The first phase calls for the installation of equipment to remotely control 500 residential and farm water heaters and remotely read meters on two full meter reading routes of approximately 750 customers. If Phase I is successful, Phase II will offer water heater control to the remainder of the 173,000 water heating customers. Completion of Phase II is scheduled for the summer of 1978. This system provides the capability to shed loads in planned increments, as well as large blocks, thereby defining the need for new generating capacity while simultaneously providing equivalent spinning reserve for sudden outages. (MCW)