The Detroit Edison Company

Alan W Richards

John J O'Donnell

A load shed module for use in a power distribution system that includes facility for delivering both electrical power and electrical power rate information from a utility supplier. The load shed module includes an enclosure having a power plug for receipt in a standard utility power outlet such as a wall socket, and a power socket on the enclosure for connection to a power load. A relay switch is disposed within the enclosure for selectively electrically connecting the plug to the socket to deliver electrical power to the load coupled to the socket. A rotary switch is mounted on the enclosure, and rotary rate indicia is provided on the enclosure adjacent to the rotary switch and coordinated with position of the rotary switch for operator selection of a rate tier at which the socket is to be disconnected from the plug. Utility power rate information is received from the utility supplier and compared with the rate tier selected by the operator at the rotary switch. When the power rate information equals or exceeds the selected rate tier, the module socket is disconnected from the plug so that the associated load is effectively disconnected from the power distribution system.

Growing community of inventors

Fair Haven, MI, United States of America

Alan W Richards