As a major summer heat wave continues to blanket the West, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is helping customers reduce demand on the grid and positioning its crews to respond to potential heat-related power outages in the coming days.
The ongoing summer heat wave has prompted the state’s grid operator, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), to call a Flex Alert for the fifth straight day, urging consumers to reduce energy usage from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. to help reduce stress on the statewide power grid.
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The forecast throughout the Western region calls for continued high temperatures, breaking records in some areas. Conditions are expected to intensify on Labor Day Monday and Tuesday. The state grid operator is forecasting Tuesday’s peak statewide electricity demand to be 50,087 megawatts (MW), which is just below the record of 50,270 MW set in 2006.
Widespread heat events pose unique challenges to the state’s energy grid. In addition to the energy supply concerns driving Flex Alerts, sustained high temperatures have the potential to damage electrical equipment, leading to local outages. PG&E has activated its Emergency Operations Center and is mobilizing the necessary personnel and materials to be able to restore power safely and efficiently.
PG&E Programs Encourage Conservation
PG&E appreciates its customers for answering the call for conservation and for participating in the company’s energy-saving programs.
New this summer, customers can be rewarded for saving energy when the state’s grid operator calls for conservation. PG&E’s Power Saver Rewards Program is a free, voluntary program financially rewarding participants for temporarily reducing electricity use when demand is high. By conserving energy during Power Saver Rewards events coinciding with Flex Alerts, customers earn $2 for each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of energy saved. More than 1.5 million PG&E customers are enrolled.
Enrolled customers who reduce energy use between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. will receive a credit on their bill at the end of the season. There is no cost or penalty for not reducing energy. Visit powersaver.pge.com to easily enroll and learn more about the program.
Customers can also help reduce the amount of power on the grid during a Flex Alert by enrolling in PG&E’s SmartAC program, which cycles the air conditioner on and off every 15 minutes for up to six hours on event days. This year, new participants will receive $75 for existing thermostats or $120 off a new purchase of a thermostat with enrollment. Customers cannot be enrolled in both the SmartAC and Power Saver Rewards Programs.