After months of seeing increases in nearly every bill owed there is an opportunity to decrease some utility payments.
The 2023 season of PG&E’s Power Saver Rewards Program is open and residential electric customers are encouraged to register now. The program rewards participants for temporarily reducing energy use when demand for electricity is high. Last year, PG&E customers received over $55 million in bill credits.
Power Saver Rewards Program event days are triggered by the state’s grid operator, the California Independent System Operator, calling a Flex Alert and/or an Energy Emergency Alert Watch between May 1 and October 31. Notifications to customers to reduce energy use as part of the program are sent out the day before an event. Over the ten event days in 2022, the average customer bill credit for program participants was $35.
“Customers who reduce energy use between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. on event days will receive an automatic credit on their energy statement after the program season ends,” said PG&E in a news release. “Customers receive $2 per kilowatt hour for decreasing electricity use during events. There is no penalty for not reducing energy.
“The program, initiated by the California Public Utilities Commission, encourages energy conservation during extreme heat waves to lessen the overall strain on the grid and prevent the need for rotating outages. During peak hours, customers temporarily reduced usage by taking actions such as turning their thermostat to 78 degrees or higher (health permitting), turning off lights not in use, unplugging electric vehicles, and waiting until after peak hours to use large appliances such as washers, dryers and electric ovens.”
PG&E electric customers with a SmartMeter not enrolled in a conflicting peak hour program are eligible to participate. Customers can disenroll from the program at any time through the program website.
Visit powersaver.pge.com to learn more and sign up.
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