A generating facility operated expressly for the purpose of providing peak energy supply. Peak load stations are typically operated only during particular times of day or at times of the year when there is a spike in the demand for energy for heating or cooling systems. Peak load stations tend to be cheaply-constructed turbine generating units that do not use steam as an intermediate carrier of energy, and are thus less fuel-efficient and more costly to operate. The fact that they are only operated at particular times also makes them more costly to maintain, and these extra costs are typically factored into the energy costs of the heaviest consumers of energy during peak demand periods.

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