Understanding Your Energy Use

Resources like portable energy meters, My Account and MGE Connect® can help. 

A black portable energy meter with cords wrapped behind it and the words

Portable energy meters like this one are available to check out at Madison-area libraries to help customers identify potential causes of high energy use at home.

Portable energy meters like this one are available to check out at Madison-area libraries to help customers identify potential causes of high energy use at home.
Do you know which appliances and equipment in your home consume the most energy? Resources like portable energy meters, MGE's My Account and demand response programs like MGE Connect can help you understand and manage your energy use. 
 

Portable energy meters 

MGE provides public libraries in our service area with portable energy meters, which can be checked out, just like a book. The meters measure the amount of electricity used to power devices and help to determine the cost of operating those devices. Portable energy meters also can identify potential causes of high energy use and which equipment uses power when turned off (known as phantom or standby power).  

MGE has donated these meters to area libraries, including the Dane County Library Service, South Central Library System, Southwest Wisconsin Library System and Winding Rivers Library System. Find and/or reserve a meter online by searching "Portable Energy Meter" in these library systems' online catalogs. 
 

MGE's My Account 

An easy way to track your energy use is with MGE's My Account. You can see your energy use and costs, track monthly and annual energy data for up to five years and compare your electric use with other customers in MGE's service territory.  

Plus, you can manage your MGE account from anywhere. Learn more about the benefits of My Account—and sign up if you're not registered yet.  
 

MGE Connect 

Customers also can participate in voluntary programs, such as MGE Connect, to help reduce peaks in electricity demand using smart technologies.  

Electric use peaks during stretches of hot, humid weather when air conditioners are running in a majority of homes and businesses. These periods of high electric use put pressure on the grid to generate and distribute enough electricity to everyone who needs it.  

MGE Connect is our demand response program for devices, including smart thermostats. With customers' permission, minor temperature adjustments are made to customers' smart thermostats to reduce energy use during periods of high demand.   

Programs like MGE Connect help us better understand the potential for using smart technologies to manage our collective energy use and to help manage long-term costs to meet peak demand. If you'd like to participate in MGE Connect, visit mge.com/mgeconnect to learn more about eligibility and request to enroll.    

By working with our customers to advance energy efficiency—a key decarbonization strategy—we can reach our goals to reduce carbon at least 80% by 2030 and achieve net-zero carbon electricity by 2050. Visit mge.com/netzero to learn more. 

published: Feb-03-2025