This document summarizes a research paper that proposes a load shifting technique using particle swarm optimization to reduce costs and peak demand in a smart grid. The technique shifts loads from peak hours to off-peak hours on a daily basis. Simulation results show that applying the load shifting technique to residential, commercial, and industrial loads in a smart grid reduces both the overall operational cost and peak load demand. The particle swarm optimization algorithm performs better than genetic algorithms at minimizing costs and shifting loads to reduce peaks.