March 2012 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.

• You may have received a Winter Gas Savings bonus credit!
  Conserving gas this winter may have really paid off.
  
  Thanks so much if you participated in Winter Gas Savings this past December and January.
  
  By conserving gas, you may have saved money two ways. Once on your monthly gas costs and now a second time with a bonus credit on this month's bill.
  
  Check the "Gas Account Detail" section of your bill to see if you qualified for a credit.
• Natural gas customers: Please read this important gas safety information
  As a natural gas pipeline operator, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is responsible for maintaining its natural gas lines up to the gas service delivery point, or the point where our piping connects to a customer's gas pipes. Typically, this is near the gas meter, where the meter "tee" connects to 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. Gas pipelines 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 pipe 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 below for more detail.
  
  Damage from excavation is a common cause of pipeline accidents. That's why you must always call 811 at least two working days before you dig-even in your own yard. Underground Service Alert (USA) is a free service that will notify underground utility operators in the area of your planned work. PG&E will then locate and mark our underground gas and electric facilities.
  
  Natural gas piping should be inspected periodically for leaks and, if it's metallic, for corrosion. If you find evidence of corrosion to metallic piping, you should contact a licensed contractor to correct the problem.
  
  
  
  If you suspect a gas leak:
  

  
  
  • Leave the area immediately and move to a safe location.
  
  
  • Then, dial 911 and call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.
  
  
  • Warn others nearby to stay away from the area.
  
  
  • If gas is burning, do not attempt to stop the flowing gas or extinguish the fire.
  
  
  • Until you are a safe distance away, do not light a match or operate any device that might create a spark, including electric switches, doorbells, radios, televisions and garage door openers.

  
  If you have questions about gas pipeline safety, please call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.
  *"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.
• Notice of Joint Application of Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Southern California Edison Company and San Diego Gas & Electric Company for Recovery of Costs of the Market Redesign and Technology Upgrade (MRTU) Initiative (A.12-01-014)
  On January 31, 2012, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) filed a joint application with Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric Company (collectively, "Joint Utilities") with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for recovery of costs of the Market Redesign and Technology Upgrade (MRTU) initiative. PG&E originally filed the 2010 MRTU initiative Application in February 2011 (A.11-02-011). The CPUC requested that PG&E re-submit its original request as a joint application with the other Joint Utilities.
  
  In this Application, PG&E restates its original request to make changes to electric rates, updated to go into effect January 1, 2013. In the original Application, PG&E requested to recover in rates the costs associated with complying with the mandated MRTU initiative. The inclusion of the rate recovery request was provided by CPUC Decision 09-12-021. PG&E also proposes recovery of additional costs forecast to be incurred in the 2012 and 2013 MRTU Initiatives.
  
  The MRTU initiative, which was developed by the California Independent System Operator and approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, is mandated technology that allows electricity to be bought and sold by participants in energy markets in California. Costs presented in this application represent actual costs incurred by PG&E in 2010 to upgrade the initially deployed system to include greater functionality, as well as costs PG&E forecasts to incur in 2012 and 2013 for this same purpose.
  
  The total electric revenue requirement request (the total amount PG&E is requesting to collect in rates from all customers) is $64.9 million. PG&E requests that electric rates designed to recover this amount become effective on January 1, 2013.
  
  Will rates increase as a result of this application?
  
  Yes, the approval of this application will increase electric rates by 0.55 percent in 2013, relative to current rates. This rate change will impact bundled service customers (those customers who receive electric generation and transmission and distribution service from PG&E) and customers who purchase electricity from other suppliers (e.g., direct access and community choice aggregation).
  
  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
  Joint MRTU Application
  P.O. Box 7442, San Francisco, CA 94120
  
  THE CPUC PROCESS
  The CPUC's Division of Ratepayer Advocates (DRA) will 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 may also participate.
  
  The CPUC has indicated that it will hold workshops (a more informal version of evidentiary hearings) soon after this Application is filed. The CPUC may also hold evidentiary hearings where parties of record present their proposals in testimony and are subject to cross-examination before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ).
  
  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)
  Email 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 (12-01-014) 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 Joint MRTU 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 and on the CPUC's website at www.cpuc.ca.gov/puc.
• Agricultural Customers: You may save money by selecting an alternate electric rate schedule
  Electric rate schedules available to Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) agricultural customers are summarized below. Your current rate schedule is found at the beginning of the Electric Account Detail section of your bill. Detailed rate 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 perform your own rate analysis online at www.pge.com/mybusiness.
  
  ELECTRIC RATE SCHEDULES*
  
  AG-1 is for customers with low annual operating hours (generally less than 500 hours) and who are unable to minimize their electricity use during summer weekdays (May 1 through October 31) from 12–6 p.m. 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 12–6 p.m., so please review the TOU rate options below.)
  
  Time-of-Use Service†: TOU plans offer lower rates during periods when electric demand is low and higher rates when demand is high. A TOU meter is required for all services and must be installed to meet this requirement. 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 12–6 p.m. Service load with a single motor of at least 35 horsepower (hp) or multiple motors of at least 15 hp may save even more on the AG-4C rate schedule if usage can be minimized on summer and winter weekdays from 8:30 a.m.–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 12–6 p.m. Service load with a single motor of at least 35 hp or multiple motors of at least 15 hp may save even more on the AG-5C rate schedule if usage can be minimized on summer and winter weekdays from 8:30 a.m.–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 12–6 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 are available when eligible generation offsets all or part of your electric load when connected to the PG&E grid.
  
  You may interconnect more than one generator, each subject to different rate treatment (for example, NEMFC and NEM solar), on a single account. Contact PG&E at gen@pge.com for more information.
  
  Please visit www.pge.com/gen for current requirements or for more information about additional net metering options.
  
  E-SRG is available for renewable generators up to 1.5 megawatts. For more information, email gen@pge.com.
  
  Peak Day Pricing: Peak Day Pricing is a Time-Varying Pricing plan that combines Time-Of-Use with Peak Day Pricing Event Day surcharges. Participants will see additional charges during peak hours (weekdays from 2–6 p.m.) on a limited number of Peak Day Pricing Event Days (9–15 annually) and receive credit for all other usage throughout the summer. Notification is provided in advance of Peak Day Pricing Event Days. Bill protection is provided for the first year, so you can participate without risk. If you can reduce or shift use away from higher priced peak periods, you may be able to lower your overall electricity bills.
  
  As of February 1, 2011, bundled service agricultural customers with a demand greater than or equal to 200 kW for three consecutive months began automatically transitioning to Peak Day Pricing. Other eligibility criteria and exclusions apply. To learn more visit www.pge.com/pdp, contact your PG&E Account Manager or call PG&E's Ag Hotline 1-877-311-3276.
  
  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 for E-DBP.
  
  Base Interruptible Program (E-BIP) offers participants incentives for reducing electric load down to a firm service level when contacted. AG-R and AG-V customers are not eligible for E-BIP.
  
  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.
  
  Visit the For My Business section of www.pge.com for information on energy usage, billing history, rate comparison tools, energy outage and restoration status, bill detail, account aggregation and more.
  
  * 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 2011, daylight saving time will end on November 6. During the additional weeks of daylight saving time, your time-of-use periods will begin and end one hour later.
• Notification of Application Filing by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) for 2012 Rate Design Window (A.12-02-020)
  On February 29, 2012, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) filed its 2012 Rate Design Window (RDW) Application with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). The application proposes several rate design changes, described below, and submits reports and studies in compliance with previous Commission Decisions (D.11-05-047, D.10-02-032, and D.11-11-008).
  
  This application proposes to adjust residential electric baseline quantities to 50% of average usage (currently 55%), and for all-electric customers in the winter season, to 60% from current 65% level, as allowed by law. These changes will bring the current rate structures more in line with the cost it takes for PG&E to produce, procure and deliver safe and reliable electric service. In addition, PG&E proposes to modify the minimum bill charge that is calculated for customers with very low or no energy usage in any month. The proposed changes will make it more consistent with the minimum bill charge methodology adopted by the CPUC for another California utility.
  
  This application also proposes minor changes to PG&E's dynamic pricing rates, which are its Peak Day Pricing (PDP) rate for non-residential customers and its SmartRate program for residential customers. Both of these dynamic pricing rates are overlays on top of the basic underlying tariff, which introduce a very high price that is dispatched on a limited number of "event days" when temperatures (and thus energy usage loads) are high, in exchange for lower rates during all other hours of the year. Specifically, this application proposes to:
  
  

  • Ensure that the hours on event days when peak day prices are dispatched cover the period from 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., aligning with the requirements of CPUC Decision 11-06-022.
  
  
  • Make minor changes to bring greater consistency and uniformity to the operating seasons, number of events per year, event triggers and day-ahead notice for PG&E's dynamic pricing programs.

  
  
  What impact will this application have on rates?
  
  Since this application proposes no change to the amount of total revenues collected by PG&E, the average residential rate will not change. However, some customers will see bill increases while others see bill decreases, depending upon their monthly usage levels, whether they are basic or all-electric service customers and in what climate zone they live. Many non-CARE customers (63 percent) will see an average bill increase of $1.95 per month; 21 percent of non-CARE customers will see an average bill decrease of $8.46 per month; and, 16 percent will see virtually no change. For customers enrolled in the CARE program, 84 percent will see an average bill increase of $1.25 per month, and 16 percent will see virtually no change.
  
  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
  2012 RDW Application
  P.O. Box 7442
  San Francisco, CA 94120
  
  THE CPUC PROCESS
  
  The CPUC's Division of Ratepayer Advocates (DRA) will 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 may 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)
  Email 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 (12-02-020) 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 2012 RDW 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 and on the CPUC's website at www.cpuc.ca.gov/puc.
• Notification of Application Filing by Pacific Gas and Electric Company to Recover Costs Associated with Its Customer Data Access Application (A.12-03-002)
  What is the Customer Data Access Application?
  On July 28, 2011, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued Decision D. (11-07-056) which ordered Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas and Electric Company to file applications with the CPUC to provide third party access to a customer's energy usage data via the utility backhaul when authorized by the customer.
  
  On March 5, 2012, PG&E filed application 12-03-002 (Customer Data Access Project) with the CPUC to comply with the CPUC's order. Through its Customer Data Access Project, PG&E will develop a system that will allow third parties to access customer energy usage data once the third party has been authorized to do so by the customer. To implement this project, PG&E is requesting $19.4 million to be recovered from rates from 2013 through 2016.
  
  Will Electric Rates Increase?
  Yes, this request will result in a slight increase to electric rates for bundled service customers (those using electric generation, transmission and distribution service from PG&E) and for direct access and community choice aggregation customers (those purchasing electricity from non-PG&E suppliers). Approval of this application will increase bundled rates by less than one percent. Using the 2016 (highest single year) combined cost of $5.59 million, the bundled system average rate increase will be 0.05 percent, relative to current rates.
  
  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
  Customer Data Access Application
  P.O. Box 7442
  San Francisco, CA 94120
  
  THE CPUC PROCESS
  
  The CPUC's Division of Ratepayer Advocates (DRA) will 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 may 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)
  Email 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 (12-03-002) 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 Customer Data Access Application and exhibits is also available for review at the California Public Utilities Commission, 505 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102, Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. – noon, and the CPUC's website at www.cpuc.ca.gov/puc.