December 2010 Bill Inserts

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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.

• 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
  
  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.
  
  ELECTRIC RATE SCHEDULES*
  
  AG-1 customers who have low annual operating hours (generally less than 500 hours) and who are unable to minimize their use of electricity during the summer weekdays (May 1 through October 31) between noon and 6 p.m. However, it is not available to customers whose meter registers a maximum demand of 200 kilowatts (kW) or more for three consecutive months.
  
  (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.)
  
  Time-of-Use (TOU) Service†:
  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 is 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 horsepower (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 is 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 is for customers who need to operate 24 hours a day for up to four consecutive days a week (Thu–Sun or Sat–Tue) during the summer but can minimize use from noon to 6 p.m. on the three remaining weekdays.
  
  AG-V is 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.
  
  Net Energy Metering Service (NEM, NEMFC): These schedules are for customers who operate a fuel cell, photovoltaic (solar) system and/or wind electric generating facility on their premises with a maximum total capacity of 1,000 kW. These services are available when the eligible generation offsets all or part of a customer's electric load when connected to the PG&E grid.
  
  Customers interested in interconnecting more than one generator, each subject to different rate treatment (for example, NEMFC and NEM solar), on a single account can now do so. Contact PG&E at gen@pge.com for more information.
  
  Please visit www.pge.com/gen for NEM and NEMFC's current requirements or for more information about additional net metering options.
  
  E-SRG is a new rate schedule available for renewable generators up to 1.5 megawatts. For more information, e-mail gen@pge.com.
  
  Peak Day Pricing (PDP): Customers who can reduce their load during high cost periods, or shift load from higher cost to lower cost periods, may benefit on this plan. Customers will see additional charges during peak hours on a limited number of "Event Days" throughout the year. In exchange, customers will receive credits for all usage throughout the summer. Starting February 1, 2011, bundled service Agricultural customers with a demand greater than or equal to 200 kW for three consecutive months in the last year will default to PDP, but can choose to opt out. Other eligibility criteria and exclusions apply. Contact your PG&E Account Manager or PG&E's Ag Hotline 1-877-311-FARM for additional details.
  
  DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAMS
  
  Demand Bidding Program (E-DBP) offers demand metered TOU participants incentives for reducing their power usage when contacted. AG-R and AG-V customers are not eligible.
  
  Base Interruptible Program (E-BIP) 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.
  
  Capacity Bidding Program (E-CBP) 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/demandresponse for additional program requirements and details.
  
  Please visit www.pge.com/mybusiness 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, bill detail, and account aggregation by going to {www.pge.com/mybusiness}.
  
  * For Direct Access (DA) and Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) customers, PG&E delivers the electricity to your home or business, and your DA or CCA provider purchases and/or generates the electricity you consume. Net Metering, CCA and DA customers are eligible for many, but not all, of the rate schedules or features of rate schedules listed in this notice. For more information, call the numbers below or call your DA or CCA provider.
  
  † In 2010-2011, Daylight Saving Time will end on November 7 and start on March 13. During the additional weeks of Daylight Saving Time, your time-of-use periods will begin and end one hour later.
• Natural gas customers:
  Please read this important gas safety information
  As a natural gas pipeline operator, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) owns and is responsible for maintaining natural gas lines up to the gas service delivery point—the point where PG&E piping connects to a customer's pipes. Typically, this is near the gas meter outlet where the PG&E meter "tee" connects to the pipes leading into a building (or if there is no building, to the fence or wall enclosing gas-fired equipment).
  PG&E does not maintain any natural gas lines beyond the gas service delivery point. Lines beyond this point are normally owned by the customer*, so inspecting and keeping up this piping is your responsibility. Examples of this piping include any buried piping from the gas service delivery point to your house or appliances, or from your house to a swimming pool heater, spa or other buildings. Please refer to the diagram on the back side for more detail.
  
  If you have questions about this notice, please call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.
  
  Natural gas piping should be inspected periodically for leaks and, if it's metallic, for corrosion. If you suspect a gas leak or find evidence of corrosion to metallic piping, you should take immediate steps to correct the problem:
  

  
  
  • Leave the area immediately and move to a safe location.
  
  
  • Then, dial 911 and call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.
  
  
  • Warn others to stay away.
  
  
  • If gas is burning, do not attempt to extinguish the fire or stop the flowing gas.
  
  
  • Only PG&E employees should operate pipeline valves.
  
  
  • Unless you are a safe distance away from the suspected leak, do not light a match, start an engine, use metal tools, or operate any device with the potential to create a spark that might ignite the gas, including electric switches, door bells, radios, televisions, lights, appliances, and garage door openers.
  
  

  
  If you plan on digging or trenching, please call Underground Service Alert (USA) by dialing 811 at least two working days before you begin. This free service will notify underground utility operators in the area of your planned work. PG&E will locate and mark our underground gas and electric facilities.
  
  
  
  *"Customer" refers to the owner of the gas piping system served by PG&E. This may be either the property owner or another party who owns the gas piping.
• PG&E's 2009 Power Mix
  PG&E delivers some of the cleanest electric power in the nation. When rainfall is normal, approximately 50% of our electricity comes from a combination of renewable and greenhouse gas-free resources.
  
  
  
  Note: Power mix includes all PG&E-owned generation plus PG&E's power purchases.
  
  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, wind, and agricultural waste products. And we are actively investing in state-of-the-art, cleaner sources of fossil-based power to meet growing demand.
• Power Content Label
  Actual 2009 electric resources for Pacific Gas and Electric Company, as reported to the California Energy Commission.
  
  
  1. A 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 may not add up to 100%.
• New Gas Rate Option for Separately Metered Common Areas in Multifamily Complexes
  On June 28, 2010, by Decision 10-06-035, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved a Partial Settlement of Pacific Gas and Electric Company's (PG&E) Biennial Cost Allocation Proceedings (BCAP) application which became effective August 1, 2010.
  
  The BCAP application updates the allocation of the revenue requirements for our gas distribution system. The partial settlement includes a new rate option for residential gas customers that have separately metered common gas area usage in multifamily complexes. These customers now have the option to choose one of PG&E's core commercial rate schedules: G-NR1–Gas Service to Small Commercial Customers and G-NR2–Gas Service to Large Commercial Customers* for their separately metered common area residential use.
  
  To be eligible for the new rate option, customers must:
  
  1. Be an owner/manager of a multifamily complex
  A multifamily complex is defined as an apartment building, duplex, court group, residential hotel, or any other group of residential units located on a single premise, provided these residential units meet the requirements for a residential dwelling unit. Accommodations not considered multifamily include: Hotels, guest or resort ranches, tourist camps, motels, auto courts, rest homes, rooming houses, boarding houses, dormitories, and trailer courts, consisting primarily of guest rooms and/or transient accommodations.
  
  2. Have common use areas that receive separately-metered residential gas service
  Common areas are defined as areas that may be shared or used by occupants within a multifamily accommodation, including, but not limited to:
  

  • Laundry rooms
  
  
  • Recreation rooms
  
  
  • Swimming pools
  
  

  
  A change from a residential to commercial rate schedule may not be right for everyone and does not always result in savings. PG&E will notify, by separate letter, all eligible customers that we believe are likely to benefit from the new commercial rate option.
  
  lf you meet the eligibility requirements listed above and think you might be interested in this new option, please contact our Business Customer Service Center at 1-800-468-4743. We will help you determine if the new rate option makes sense for you. Please note that once you select the commercial rate, you will be required to stay on that rate for at least 12 months.
  
  *In order to qualify for Large Commercial service, the average monthly use in the separately metered common use area of your multifamily accommodation must be greater than 20,800 therms in those months during the last twelve (12) months in which gas use exceeded 200 therms. It is unlikely that gas use associated with a separately metered common-area account in a multifamily complex would exceed the gas use levels needed to qualify for Large Commercial service under rate Schedule G-NR2.
• Notification of Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s Application for Share of Costs of California Solar Photovoltaic Manufacturing Developing Facility Under U.S. Department of Energy Photovoltaic Manufacturing Initiative (A.10-11-002)
  
  On November 1, 2010, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) filed the above referenced application with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). In this application, PG&E asks for authorization from the CPUC to recover costs from contributing matching funds to support the establishment of a first-of-its kind photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing development facility developed by SVTC Solar (SVTC). SVTC has submitted an application for a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grant to develop this facility in San Jose, CA, and matching funds are required by the DOE to support SVTC’s application. The facility would support new forms of PV technology, which is a method of generating electrical power using solar panels.
  
  What is the SVTC PV Manufacturing Development Facility?
  
  The proposed San Jose, CA facility would help emerging PV companies progress from the research and development stage to the production stage faster and more cost effectively. The facility offers PV companies access to space and to advanced, up-to-date equipment. Firms would pay a service fee to test and improve their PV technology currently in development. The facility would also house manufacturing experts who would be available to advise resident PV companies and to provide a hands-on educational experience for students interested in pursuing careers in the solar industry.
  
  PG&E’s application asks for CPUC approval to recover PG&E’s share of the matching funds, which would support establishment of the manufacturing development facility. If the project is approved by the CPUC and funding is approved by the DOE, PG&E's share of the electric costs incurred on this project would be recorded to the Distribution Revenue Adjustment Mechanism (DRAM) for cost recovery.
  
  Will rates increase as a result of this application?
  
  Approval of this application would result in an increase in rates. Assuming the DOE approves the grant request from SVTC and the CPUC approves this application, PG&E would increase its electric revenues to cover the amount of pre-tax matching contribution by approximately $35.6 million over a three-year period beginning January 1, 2012. Using the 2012 (highest single year) revenue requirement of approximately $18 million, the bundled system average rate would increase 0.14% in 2012, relative to current rates, and would not have a significant impact on individual customers’ rates. PG&E intends to seek to structure its agreement with SVTC so that PG&E’s share of the matching funds could be reimbursed at a later time, depending on whether the facility is successful.
  
  For Further Information
  
  To request a copy of the application and exhibits or for more details, call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000. For TDD/TTY (speech-hearing impaired), call 1-800-652-4712.
  You may request a copy of the application and exhibits by writing to:
  
  Pacific Gas and Electric Company
  SVTC Solar
  P.O. Box 7442, San Francisco, CA 94120
  
  The CPUC Process
  
  The CPUC’s Division of Ratepayer Advocates (DRA) may review this application. The 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. The DRA has a multi-disciplinary staff with expertise in economics, finance, accounting and engineering. The 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 may present evidence or cross-examine witnesses during evidentiary hearings. Members of the public may attend, but not participate in, these hearings.
  
  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 application.
  
  If you would like to learn how you can participate in this proceeding or if you have comments or questions, you may contact the CPUC’s Public Advisor 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 or 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 (10-11-002) to which you are referring. All comments will be circulated to the Commissioners, the assigned Administrative Law Judge and the Energy Division staff.
  
  A copy of PG&E’s SVTC Solar application and exhibits are also available for review at the California Public Utilities Commission, 505 Van Ness Avenue,
  San Francisco, CA 94102, Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–noon.