SAN RAMON >> Summer for some is a favorite season because of long daylight hours and warm temperatures, but it is also peak season for electrical power use and typically the most expensive.
That is why PG&E tries to keep its 1.8 million customers informed for summer on the most efficient maintenance of utilities. To this end the utility held their latest livestream webinar on June 26. Principle speaker of the Summer Readiness livestream was Aaron Johnson, senior vice president of local customer engagement, who explained to customers that the company knows they are struggling with bills and they have to do things to reduce those bills.
“So, I want to announce a temporary reduction we’re making of electricity rates of 9%,” he said, adding the reductions start this week. “This temporary reduction is expected to last at least a few months. Rates in the summer are typically highest during peak usage, and savings will be highest among the hotter parts of the state.”
Among the things that contribute to an electricity bill are legislative policy, maintenance costs, generating the electricity, preventing wildfires and insurance costs. But PG&E says it has reduced overall costs. First by reducing vegetation management by $300 million just in 2023, noted Johnson. He added that by undergrounding power lines, PG&E saved $68 million and by burying the lines in shallower trenches, they lowered costs. More efficient resource management will save $1.8 billion for insurance over the next four years.
The company also devised ways for customers to save for income-qualified rate payers. First, the Care Program, an individual discount rate as well as the FERA Program discount rate for families. There is the low- Income energy Assistance Program for heating costs, and the Medical Baseline Program for users for users of electrical medical devices. “PG&E set up $50 million to help customers with back-due bills and affords time for customers behind in their payments to accumulate funds, yet stay current with their service. Even for those not income qualified, there are methods to reduce bills. The Budget Billing Program allows customers to carry over their expense over a course of a year. There’s also the Home Energy Check-up, which takes a customer through a series of online prompt walk-throughs to replace more efficient products such as changing out halogen lights, for LED lights one 10th of energy use.
Rod Robinson, V.P. of electric systems operations, noted the Public Safety Power Shut off system provides more savings by being automatically calibrated to cut off within seconds whenever there is a hazard is detected and when conditions are dry and windy. “We’re making daily wildfire protection efforts by using stronger power poles, removing or pruning hazardous trees, and planning for undergrounding 10,000 miles of power lines, with 600 miles done since its inception,” he said.
Aditya Prabhakar, is director of resources and planning at the California Independent Systems Operator said they are cautiously optimistic about summer prospects. He said they do a really good job of predicting weather but cannot control it. “We continuously monitor, extreme drought and widespread heat events and unreliability of the electrical grid, he said. “This year shows above normal temperatures in interior California but lower temperatures on coastal California. What can customers do? One tool is Flex Alert.” He explained it is a warning system usually triggered a day in advance where residents are asked to pre-cool homes by cutting back usage on air conditioning and appliances.
Gillian Clegg, is V.P. of energy policy and procurement. She noted however, the company is better prepared to reduce stress on the electrical grid in 2024 than prior years because of clean energy sources readily available. “In 2023 we delivered 100% gas-free electricity to customers,” she said. Half of that was provided by the nuclear plant at Diablo Canyon, 35% from renewables: wind and solar and 13% from big and small hydroelectrical plants. Advances in battery storage also was a critical savings that reduced reliance on fossil fuels, because batteries can recharge in the middle of the day, when power usage is at a peak, then take that energy and return to the electrical grid the next day. Clegg also praised the Power Savings Reward Program, which reduces strain on the grid through the Earning Bill Credit Program. “It rewards customers through a declared Flex Event or Energy Emergency Alert Watch from May through October, ” she said.
The company is monitoring a weather event with breezy offshore winds and low humidity which at press time was forcasted to start this week. Given this potential weather event, PG&E has activated its Emergency Operations Center and has sent two-day advanced notifications in targeted areas where PG&E may need to proactively turn power off for safety to reduce the risk of wildfire from energized powerlines.
A Red Flag Warning was issued by the National Weather Service for portions of the Sacramento Valley and foothills this week, as breezy 20 to 35 mph northerly winds were expected to develop and combine with high temperatures and low humidity to increase wildfire risk.
The potential Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) event is anticipated to begin early Tuesday morning and could last through Wednesday. It affects approximately 12,000 customers, including two tribal governments, in targeted parts of eight counties including the County of Lake. Areas which are in the scope include unincorporated Lake County, Lower Lake, Upper Lake, and Hidden Valley Lake.
Customer notifications via text, email, and automated phone calls began Sunday (June 30), approximately two days before the potential shutoff. When possible, PG&E employees will conduct individual in-person visits to customers enrolled in the company’s Medical Baseline Program who do not verify they have received these important safety communications, with a primary focus on customers who rely on electricity for critical life-sustaining equipment.
Customers can look up their address online to find out if their location is being monitored for the potential safety shutoff at pge.com/pspsupdates.
Utility officials noted that PG&E’s commitment is that catastrophic wildfires shall stop. PG&E is determined to protect our hometowns from wildfires, and a PSPS is a last resort.
Once severe weather has passed, and it is safe to do so, PG&E will work quickly and nimbly to patrol and inspect lines to restore power for customers as soon as possible.
