As temperatures drop and heating systems work overtime, Wheat Belt PPD experiences a noticeable increase in electricity demand. Our winter peak load reaches 20 MW, driven largely by heating needs, livestock operations, and the additional strain cold weather puts on equipment across our service territory. While this is significant, it’s still well below the heavy 55 MW summer peak we see during irrigation season when pumps run continuously to support local agriculture.

These large shifts in demand, nearly tripling from winter to summer, require careful planning to ensure reliable power is always available. Wheat Belt works closely with Tri-State Generation & Transmission, our power supplier, to make sure electricity is ready and available any time of year, no matter how high the demand climbs. That coordination ensures our customers’ homes, farms, and businesses have the dependable power they need through both deep freezes and long irrigation days.

Last month, we shared information about Wheat Belt’s 6.6% rate adjustment, which is driven by increased wholesale power costs from Tri-State, not from local operational expenses. As a reminder, customers can take more control of their bills by considering our Time-of-Use (TOU) rate. This rate rewards shifting electricity use to off-peak hours, avoiding the higher-cost 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday window.

Whether it’s running grain dryers, charging equipment, or powering irrigation systems, moving that usage to off-peak times can lead to meaningful savings—especially during months when energy demands are highest.

Wheat Belt remains committed to power our customers lives safely, reliably and efficiently all year long.