--and , btw, the utility from which my folk's farm received power fifty-odd years ago was already doing this --you were able to put the home water heater on a separate clock controlled circuit which only let it run off-peak--
Ditto. I cannot believe how scientifically illiterate the folks in our country have become, and that includes a lot of Freepers.
When I was a kid we had one of those timed hot water heaters too. Cheaper rates for having it heat at night.
I wish everyone could spend some time in a peaking plant, as I did for over a year as an operator.
It was a small, 120 megawatt plant with 3 old 60 megawatt oil fired generators and a 20 megawatt jet turbine generator.
We didn't run a lot in the spring or fall, but as winter or summer approached, we would start going online at about 6AM as people took their showers and cooked breakfast.
That at round 9 or 10AM we would idle them down and sometimes even shut down some, or all , depending on demand.
At around 4 or 5 PM, it was back to full tilt for the evening, usually shutting down around 9 or 10PM for the night.
On cold days in the winter, or hot days in the summer, it was wide open with the building a constant roar to squeeze out every amp, trying to keep the voltage up.
I wish folks could experience the sheer power it takes to produce electricity.
As plants go, this was a small, antique one, with a 12 inch line for #6 bunker fuel for each 60 megawatt generator.
The fuel had to be heated to flow.
If everyone had their clothes dryer do its' duty in the middle of the night, and their hot water heated at night, it would make a huge difference.
In the summer, I heat our hot water with solar, and am working on upgrading the system to be year round.
In the spring and fall, we use electric, and in the winter, our System 2000 boiler.
I have now converted all but two of our light bulbs to LEDs.
The two not converted are seldom used 3-way bulbs.
My long term goal is to be able to take the house off grid.