May 2009 Bill Inserts
Each month, PG&E offers important information on rebates, saving energy and safety in printed inserts that accompany your bill. Now, access this information online whenever you wish.
- Is anyone in your family sensitive to extreme temperatures?You may request to receive a phone call before a rotating power outage occurs.
If extreme heat poses a health concern for you or someone in your home, you may request to receive a phone call before a rotating power outage occurs. A rotating power outage is a temporary and scheduled electric interruption.
To sign up for this free service, obtain a Temperature Sensitive Customer Application at www.pge.com/brochures or from a customer service representative at1-800-PGE-5000. We will then place you on a list and attempt to contact you if a power outage is anticipated to occur in your area.
Rotating power outages are based on block assignments and are estimated to last between 60 and 90 minutes. To find your rotating outage block assignment:- Check your utility bill under the Electric Account Detail section
- Visit www.pge.com/outageblock
- Call us at 1-800-PGE-5000
Note: Block 50 is exempt from rotating outages. - During extreme heat stay cool and safe
High temperatures can be life-threatening unless you take action to stay cool.
To make sure your summer is safe and comfortable, go to your local Cooling Center, community center, movie theater, library, mall, museum or other public building to cool off when the temperature gets unusually high.
Helpful tips for staying cool and safe:- Keep hydrated and drink plenty of water, even when you are not thirsty
- Take a cool shower or bath
- Wear lightweight, loose, light-colored clothing
- Stay out of direct sunlight and avoid drinking alcohol or caffeine
- Plan ahead by paying attention to your local weather forecast
For more information about Cooling Centers, call 1-877-474-3266 or visit www.pge.com/coolingcenter. - Natural gas pipeline safety measures
See how you can help ensure the reliability of your gas service.
Pipelines offer the safest and most reliable way to transport natural gas to your home, your workplace and your community. PG&E is committed to the safe operation of its pipelines. As a part of our commitment, we routinely patrol and monitor our pipelines and also conduct internal and external inspections. You can help ensure the reliability of your gas service by following some simple safety measures. To find a list of important safety tips, visit www.pge.com/safety.
Call before you dig
The single greatest cause of pipeline accidents is damage from excavation and outside forces.
If you plan on digging, augering or moving the earth in any way, such as planting a tree, installing a fence or repairing or installing irrigation lines, please call Underground Service Alert (USA) by dialing 811 at least two working days ahead. This free service will notify underground utilities in the area of your planned work. PG&E will locate and mark our underground gas and electric facilities.
Recognize transmission pipeline markers
Transmission pipelines transport high volumes of natural gas. Markers are used to show their approximate location, but do not indicate the depth of the pipeline. Not all pipelines follow a straight path between two markers. The name and contact information of the pipeline operator are indicated on the marker. To view a list of pipeline operators in your area, visit www.npms.phmsa.dot.gov.
The warning signs of a gas leak could be a rotten-egg smell, dirt spraying in the air, a hissing sound, continual bubbling in a pond or creek, or plants that seem to be dying for no reason.
If you suspect a gas leak:- Leave the area immediately and move to a safe location. Dial 911 and call PG&E at 1-800-PGE-5000.
- Warn others to stay away.
- Do not attempt to extinguish a natural gas fire or stop the flowing gas.
- Do not try to operate pipeline valves.
- Unless you are a safe distance away from the suspected leak, do not light a match, start an engine, use a home or cell phone or operate electric devices such as switches, door bells, radios, televisions, lights, appliances and garage openers.
- PG&E's SmartMeter™ program now benefits more customers than any other in the nationnow benefits more customers than any other in the nation
Learn more about SmartMeter™ technology - What types of energy resources make up PG&E's power mix? PG&E delivers some of the cleanest electric power in the nation.
In an average year when rainfall is normal, approximately 50% of the electricity delivered to the 15 million Californians we serve emits no carbon.
PG&E works with its customers, communities and various stakeholders and agencies to find innovative ways to procure, build and deliver clean energy. We are planning for the future by exploring and investing in new technologies that harvest energy from the sun, ocean waves, tidal currents and agricultural waste. And we are actively investing in state-of-the-art, cleaner sources of fossil-based power to meet growing demand.
Note: Due to rounding conventions, the numbers above sum to an amount greater than 100%.ENERGY RESOURCES PG&E 2009 POWER MIX* (Projected) 2007 CA POWER MIX**1 (For Comparison) Eligible Renewable 15% 10% • Biomass and waste 4% <1% • Geothermal 4% 2% • Small hydroelectric 4% 6% • Solar <1% 0% • Wind 3% 2% Coal* 2% 32% Large Hydroelectric2 16% 24% Natural Gas 47% 31% Nuclear 20% 3%
Other 1% 0% TOTAL 100% 100%
*At least 95% of PG&E's Power Mix is from PG&E-owned resources, purchased from individual suppliers, or provided by the California Department of Water Resources.
**Percentages are estimated annually by the California Energy Commission based on electricity sold to California consumers during the previous year.
For information about PG&E's Power Mix, contact PG&E at 1-800-PGE-5000. For information about the CA Power Mix or for general information about the Power Content Label, contact the California Energy Commission at 1-800-555-7794 or www.energy.ca.gov/consumer.
175% of California's electric supply is generated or purchased by the state's investor-owned utilities, the majority of the state's municipal utilities and various other retail energy providers. The 2007 ”CA Power Mix” shown above lists the remaining 25% of California's power that is generated or purchased from other sources.
2A significant amount of the energy generated by PG&E comes from clean, large hydroelectric power stations, which under California law, do not qualify as an eligible renewable resource.
Note: Due to rounding conventions, the numbers above sum to an amount greater than 100%. - Agricultural Customers:You may save money by selecting an alternate electric rate schedule
The electric rate schedules available to agricultural customers are summarized below. Compare your current rate schedule, found at the beginning of the Electric Account Detail section of your Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) bill, with the ones listed below. Detailed gas and electric rate schedule information is available at www.pge.com/rateoptions.
A free rate analysis is available to you:
Contact your local PG&E business representative or call PG&E's Agricultural Center at 1-877-311-3276 (FARM) to request a free electric rate analysis, rate schedule change, or additional rate option information. You may also do your own rate analysis online at www.pge.com/mybusiness
Rate Schedules:
AG-1 This schedule is not available to customers whose meter registers a maximum demand of 200 kilowatts or more for three consecutive months. Customers who have low annual operating hours (generally less than 500 hours), and those who can't minimize their use of electricity during the summer weekdays (May 1 through October 31) between noon and 6 p.m. might benefit from this rate schedule.
(Note: A Time-of-Use (TOU) rate may still be the best choice even if you need to run equipment from noon to 6 p.m., so please review the TOU rate options below.)
The TOU schedules listed below may save you money if you are able to shift your hours of energy usage. A TOU meter is required for service on all TOU schedules. If a TOU meter must be installed to meet this requirement, the installation will generally occur within four weeks of your request. There is no charge for the meter installation; however, meter access is required at all times.
AG-4 For customers with moderate annual operating hours (generally 500 to 1,200 hours). Additional savings are possible if you can minimize electricity use on summer weekdays between noon and 6 p.m. Customers whose service has a single motor load of at least 35 hp or multiple motor load of at least 15 hp may save even more on the AG-4C Rate Schedule if they can minimize usage on summer and winter weekdays from 8:30 a.m. through 9:30 p.m.
AG-5 For customers with high annual operating hours (generally greater than 1,200 hours). Additional savings are possible if you can minimize electricity use on summer weekdays between noon and 6 p.m. Customers whose service has a single motor load of at least 35 hp or multiple motor load of at least 15 hp may save even more on the AG-5C Rate Schedule if they can minimize usage on summer and winter weekdays from 8:30 a.m. through 9:30 p.m.
AG-R For customers who need to operate 24 hours a day for up to four consecutive days a week (Thur–Sun or Sat–Tues) during the summer but can minimize use from noon to 6 p.m. on the three remaining weekdays.
AG-V For customers who can minimize electricity use on summer weekdays during any one of these time periods: 12–4 p.m.; 1–5 p.m.; or 2–6 p.m.
*NEM Net Energy Metering Service. For customers qualifying for agricultural rates who operate a photovoltaic (solar) and/or wind electric generating facility with a generating capacity of 1,000 kW or less on their premises that offsets all or part of their electric load while interconnected with PG&E. Agricultural customers must select one of the Agricultural Rate Schedules listed above. Direct Access customers should contact their Energy Service Provider (ESP) for information about the ESP's net metering program.
*NEMBIO Net Energy Metering Service for Biogas Customer Generators. A limited pilot program for bundled service customers on TOU rate schedules who operate an eligible Biogas Digester Electrical Generating Facility located on or adjacent to the customer's premises that offsets all or part of their electric load (including the load from any of their qualifying dairy farm TOU accounts) while interconnected with PG&E. Agricultural customers must select one of the Agricultural Rate Schedules listed above.
*Net metering customers may be responsible for expenses for purchasing and installing metering that can perform net energy measurements.
Customers interested in interconnecting more than one generator, each subject to different rate treatment (for example, NEMBIO and NEM solar) on a single account, can now do so. For further information, contact PG&E via e-mail at gen@pge.com.
Check with Pacific Gas and Electric Company at www.pge.com/gen for current NEM & NEMBIO requirements or for more information.
E-SRG is a new rate schedule available for renewable generators up to 1.5 MW. For more information e-mail gen@pge.com.
Demand Response Programs
E-CPP The Critical Peak Pricing (CPP) Program provides lower energy rates on non-CPP event days in exchange for higher rates on CPP event days. You can maximize your savings by reducing or shifting your energy usage away from the CPP event window on CPP event days. This program is only available to AG-4 and 5 (rate options C&F) customers.
E-DBP The Demand Bidding Program offers demand metered TOU participants incentives for reducing their power usage when contacted. AG-R and AG-V customers are not eligible.
E-BIP The Base Interruptible Program offers participants incentives for reducing their electric load down to a firm service level when contacted. AG-R and AG-V customers are not eligible.
E-CBP The Capacity Bidding Program offers participants incentives for reducing energy consumption by a nominated capacity amount when contacted.
To see if a demand response program is right for you, please visit www.pge.com for additional program requirements and details.
Please visit the Business Services section of www.pge.com for energy saving tips, safety messages, rebate programs for energy efficient products and more. You can also obtain information on energy usage, billing history, rate comparison tools, energy outage and restoration status, detail of bill and account aggregation by going to www.pge.com/mybusiness - Notification of Application Filing by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E): 2009 Nuclear Decommissioning Cost Triennial Proceeding (NDCTP) A.09-04-007What is the NDCTP?:
NDCTP stands for Nuclear Decommissioning Cost Triennial Proceeding. This proceeding is filed every three years and provides the CPUC with an opportunity to review PG&E's updated nuclear decommissioning cost studies and ratepayer contribution analyses. This review determines the amount of money needed to fully fund the nuclear decommissioning master trusts to the level needed to decommission (remove from service) PG&E's two nuclear power plants: Diablo Canyon Power Plant (Diablo Canyon) and Humboldt Bay Power Plant Unit 3 (Humboldt Unit 3). In addition, Humboldt Unit 3 SAFSTOR operations and maintenance (O&M) costs (a condition of monitored safe storage in which the unit will be maintained until the final dismantling of the facility can be accomplished) are also included in this proceeding.
On April 3, 2009, PG&E filed an application with the CPUC requesting the authority to collect in rates, $23.33 million for the Diablo Canyon Units 1 and 2 Nuclear Decommissioning Trusts, $16.98 million for the Humboldt Unit 3 Nuclear Decommissioning Trust, and $9.22 million for Humboldt Unit 3 SAFSTOR O&M costs.
If approved, the request would result in a slight increase to electric rates for bundled service customers (customers who receive electric generation as well as transmission and distribution service from PG&E) and for customers who purchase electricity from other suppliers (direct access and community choice aggregation). The total change to the system average bundled rate in each year (relative to current rates) is 0.2% and would not have a significant impact on individual customers' rates. The expected rate change would be effective from January 1, 2010 through 2012.
The CPUC Process
The CPUC's Independent Division of Ratepayer Advocates (DRA) will review this Application. DRA is an independent arm of the CPUC, created by the Legislature to represent the interests of all utility customers throughout the state and obtain the lowest possible rate for service consistent with reliable and safe service levels. DRA has a multi-disciplinary staff with expertise in economics, finance, accounting and engineering. DRA's views do not necessarily reflect those of the CPUC. Other parties of record will also participate.
The CPUC may hold evidentiary hearings where parties of record present their proposals in testimony and are subject to cross-examination before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). These hearings are open to the public, but only those who are parties of record can present evidence or cross-examine witnesses during evidentiary hearings. Members of the public may attend these hearings but are not allowed to participate, only listen.
After considering all proposals and evidence presented during the hearing process, the ALJ will issue a draft decision. When the CPUC acts on this application, it may adopt all or part of PG&E's request, amend or modify it or deny the application. The CPUC's final decision may be different from PG&E's proposed application filing.
For Further Information
For more details call PG&E at 1-800-PGE-5000
For TDD/TTY(speech-hearing impaired) call 1-800-652-4712
You may contact the CPUC's Public Advisor with comments or questions as follows:
Public Advisor's Office
505 Van Ness Avenue, Room 2103
San Francisco, CA 94102
1-415-703-2074 or 1-866-849-8390 (toll free)
TTY 1-415-703-5282, TTY 1-866-836-7825 (toll free)
E-mail to public.advisor@cpuc.ca.gov
If you are writing a letter to the Public Advisor's Office, please include the number of the application (A.09-04-007) to which you are referring. All comments will be circulated to the Commissioners, the assigned ALJ and the Energy Division staff.
