How SMECO is managing peak demand across thousands of homes

Utilities are under pressure from every direction: rising demand, more extreme weather, and customers who expect reliability without higher costs.

Flexible load management is helping utilities deliver on all three, and Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) shows what that looks like in practice. Serving more than 175,000 members, the utility has already reduced peak demand across 11,000+ homes in Maryland with its SmartTemp thermostat program, without compromising comfort or customer satisfaction.

Now, with its FlexHome water heater pilot, SMECO is adding a new layer of flexibility: extending control beyond short bursts to longer-duration load shaping. It’s an important step toward something bigger: a coordinated, whole-home approach to energy that gives utilities more control—and customers a more comfortable experience.

Join our webinar to hear SMECO and ICF program leaders share what’s working and where flexible load management is headed next.

What you’ll learn:

• In practice: How flexible programs support reliability, affordability, and comfort.
• SMECO’s results: What’s driving meaningful peak reduction.
• Behind the tech: How SMECO targets devices at the right time.
• FlexHome lessons: What’s working—and what it takes to scale.
• What’s next: Building toward coordinated, whole-home energy.