What is Energy Management?
Energy management or load control occurs whenever our power suppliers and Meeker Energy deem it necessary. Control periods are often related to extreme weather, market prices, and transmission capacity. Control can happen anytime from early morning to around 10:00 p.m.
Before installing energy management equipment, please contact the Energy Services department at Meeker Energy at (320) 693-3231.
A separate energy management meter and the control equipment will be provided by Meeker Energy to the member's electrician for installation.
Once the installation is complete, contact the Energy Services department to schedule an Energy Management Checkout. During the checkout, the installed equipment will be tested to make sure it will be able to control the attached load during a load control event. Members participating in energy management are eligible for cash rebates when installing or converting existing eligible equipment and a reduced kWh rate. Rebate funds are limited and administered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Load Control
Load control occurs whenever our power suppliers and Meeker Energy deem it necessary. Control periods are often related to extreme weather, market prices, and transmission capacity. Load control can happen anytime from early morning to around 10:00 p.m.
To view the current Load Control Status or sign up to receive Load Control Status updates via email, click here: Load Control Status - Meeker Energy
Eligibility
All energy management programs are voluntary.
To be eligible for rebates and the energy management electric rate, members' equipment must be interconnected to the Co-op’s energy management system, and the system must be checked and approved by the Co-op.
Members must remain in the energy management program for a minimum of five (5) years. If the member chooses to opt out of a program within the first 5 years, the member will repay the Co-op any rebates with a prorated amount based on the date of enrollment and the opt-out date of the program.
Energy Management Agreement
To participate in Meeker Energy's Energy Management Program, please fill out the agreement form.
ENERGY MANAGEMENT REBATES
Electric Vehicle Chargers
- Install a Level 2, 240v hard-wired EV Charger – $500 Rebate
- Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) are controlled/interruptible similarly to the Peak Shave Water Heating and/or Dual Fuel Heating programs.
- Metered separately at the energy management rate ($.057/kWh Sept-May, $.062/kWh Jun-Aug)
- Rebate funds are limited and administered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Curious about Electric Vehicles?
Apply for an EV Charger Rebate
Electric Water Heating
- Controlled up to 8 hours per control period & may be controlled for more than one 8-hour period in a day.
- Minimum efficiency - 0.90 Uniform Energy Factor (UEF) found on the Energy Guide label.
- 240v hard-wired
- Metered separately at the energy management rate ($.057/kWh Sept-May, $.062/kWh Jun-Aug)
- $800 credit/rebate toward purchase of an electric water heater with a capacity of 80 gallons or larger.
- Rebate funds are limited and administered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Water heaters must be interconnected to the Co-op’s energy management system, checked, and approved by Meeker Energy within 3 months from the delivery date or picked up at the Co-op. If the unit is not interconnected within 3 months, the unit will be billed out at the full price.
Rebate funds are limited and administered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Members purchasing a replacement water heater (80-gallons or larger) that is installed and enrolled in either the Storage or Peak Shave Water Heater programs qualify for a rebate credit towards the purchase if the water heater is more than 10 years old.
Please call Meeker Energy at 320-693-3231 for more information on the Electric Water Heater Program or rebate fund availability.
Air Source Heat Pump Rebates
| Air Source Heat Pump Systems (found on AHRI certificate) CEE—Consortium for Energy Efficiency (Learn about CEE specifications here) SEER2—Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio HSPF2—Heating Season Performance Factor | Ducted/Hybrid - *Electric Resistance or Fossil Fuel | Rebate |
| ≤ 5-Tons, ≥14.3 SEER2 & ≥ 7.5 HSPF2 | $750 | |
| ≤ 5-Tons, 2026 CEE Tier 1 Listed | $1,000 | |
| Ductless - *Electric Resistance or Fossil Fuel | Rebate | |
| ≤ 1 Ton ≥ 14.3 SEER2 & ≥ 7.5 HSPF2 | $150 | |
| ≤ 1 Ton, 2026 CEE Tier 1 Listed | $925 | |
| > 1 Ton ≥ 14.3 SEER2 & ≥ 7.5 HSPF2 | $750 | |
| > 1 Ton, 2026 CEE Tier 1 Listed | $1,000 | |
| ASHP Quality Installation (QI) (additional amount per ton) | Ducted or Ductless ASHP installed by a registered QI HVAC contractor | $40/Ton |
- Rebate funds are limited and administered on a first come, first served basis.
- ASHP’s must be metered separately at the energy management rate ($.057/kWh Sept-May, $.062/kWh Jun-Aug)
- Controlled on Dual Fuel and Cycled Air Conditioning with qualified backup heating system
With our qualified installation program, you will receive the right-sized system for your home, saving you energy and money. At the same time, you will know that the contractor you choose has met rigorous requirements through the HVAC/R Education qualifications and testing. Once they have completed the training, they are added to a list of Qualified contractors. Click here for local Qualified contractors. In order to receive the rebate, you must choose one of the approved contractors registered.
Research shows that two-thirds of all air conditioning system installations are oversized for the home, causing homeowners to spend more than necessary for cooling systems that often run inefficiently. Learn more about Air Source Heat Pumps at Minnesota ASHP Collaborative (mnashp.org)
HSPF – The Heating Seasonal Performance Factor is the ratio of heat output to electricity use over an average heating season. The higher the HSFP, the greater the energy efficiency.
Electric Resistance Heat
Some brands of high-efficiency, air source heat pumps may not interconnect to existing electric resistance plenum heaters, making it inoperable for space heating. Check with your HVAC contractor to determine if the new air source heat pump is capable of being controlled on Meeker Energy’s energy management program and/or if it is compatible with an existing electric plenum heater.
Compatibility
New, high-efficiency air source heat pumps may not be compatible with Meeker Energy’s energy management control program for cycled cooling and dual fuel heating. If the ASHP is not compatible, it cannot be metered separately on the energy management rate and would not qualify for a rebate. For a list of compatible ASHPS visit: www.mnashp.org/ashp-models-compatible-load-management-controllers
Quality Installation (QI) Requirements (must be performed by a QI-registered HVAC contractor)
- The indoor coil and outdoor unit must be matched.
- Must provide the 6-digit AHRI (Air Conditioning Refrigeration Institute) Reference number.
- Proper equipment sizing with a completed load calculation on file.
- Performance tests and measurements of the airflow and refrigerant charge
- Sealing of the exposed ductwork in the mechanical room area
- Must be controlled on Cycled Air Conditioning and Dual Fuel with a qualified backup heating system.
- Metered separately at the energy management rate ($.057/kWh Sept-May, $.062/kWh Jun-Aug)
- Qualified Contractor List
Ground Source Heat Pump
Ground Source Heat Pump
- Controlled on Cycled Air Conditioning and Dual Fuel heating with a qualified backup heating system
- $400 per ton
- Metered separately at the energy management rate ($.057/kWh Sept-May, $.062/kWh Jun-Aug)
- Rebate funds are limited and administered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Ground Source Heat Pump
- Controlled for cycle cooling and metered at the applicable General Service Rate
- $100 per ton
- Rebate funds are limited and administered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Note:
Rebates for HVAC equipment being replaced that has been installed and enrolled in the Co-op’s energy management program for more than 10 years qualify for the full current rebate.
Dual Fuel Space Heating
- $25/kW Connected Load
- Must have a qualified backup heating system (LP, natural gas, or electric thermal storage)
- Metered separately at energy management rate ($.057/kWh Sept-May, $.062/kWh Jun-Aug)
- Rebate funds are limited and administered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Electric Thermal Storage Space Heating
- $25/kW Connected Load
- Central furnace, room units, radiant floor cable
- Metered separately at energy management rate ($.057/kWh Sept-May, $.062/kWh Jun-Aug)
- Rebate funds are limited and administered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Central A/C or Air-Source Heat Pump Tune-up
- $25 credit applied to electric bill
- Rebate funds are limited and administered on a first-come, first-served basis
- The unit must be five years or older and in working condition
- Work must be performed by a licensed HVAC contractor
- The following must be performed to qualify:
- Clean conditioner coil
- Check coolant charge
- Check indoor filter
- Check belt and lube motor if needed
- Test all controls
- Blow out drain lines
- Perform visual inspection of entire A/C system
- Educate homeowner on proper system operation
Energy Management Improvement (EMI) Loan
- Loan funds from $500 - $5,000 are available for interruptible dual fuel, storage space heating, air-source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps, peak shave water heating, storage water heating, heat pump water heater, and electric vehicle charger and load control equipment installations.
- Interest rates and maximum loan amount
- In place of rebates: 0%, $500 - $3,000 and 3%, $3001 - $5,000
- Maximum loan period of 5 years (60 months)
Sales Tax Exemption for Electric Heat
Electricity sold for residential use is not taxable for the billing months of November through April when sold to metered members who use it as their primary source of residential heat. If more than one type of heat is used, electricity is not taxable if it is the primary source of heat. Click the link below to open a PDF application.