Optional Binding Mandatory Curtailment Program

• All bundled and unbundled customers receiving electric service from PG&E
• Customers who can reduce their electric load within 15 minutes of notification
• Customers who can achieve a 15 percent load reduction below their established baseline

PG&E will notify you (by email address and a text messaging device you designate) of the required load reduction (five to 15 percent) and give you the start and end times of the event, which will:

• Occur on any day (holidays and weekends included) without limitations to frequency and duration
• Exempt you from “block progression” rotating outages
• Require you submit a load-reduction plan each year

PLEASE NOTE: PG&E calculates the load reduction levels for this program as a percentage of the baseline on your circuit. The baseline is determined by calculating the energy usage of the 10 days prior to the curtailment event day. The previous 10 days will include Monday through Friday, excluding PG&E holidays and event days. PG&E will ask you to reduce the load on your circuit to a specific level during each event. If you share an electric circuit with other PG&E customers and you are the OBMC lead customer, you will need to work with the affected customers to ensure the load reductions for the entire circuit meet the program requirements.

You also have an option to elect a “day-of adjustment” to this baseline. The day-of adjustment allows an adjustment to the baseline (up or down) based on the energy usage the morning of the event. The day-of adjustment is based on the first three of the four hours prior to the event and is capped at +/- 20 percent. You may select the day-of adjustment annually during your option election period.

There are no financial incentives for participating in OBMC. Your benefit is exemption from rotating outages. However, if you are not able to reduce your load to the level specified in each notice, there are penalties:

• A $6 penalty for each kWh above your power reduction commitment
• Plan termination for failure to reduce load a second time during a 1-year period
• OBMC participation denied for a period of five years after termination

• If you are the only customer on your circuit, standard interval metering may be sufficient for you to participate in the program.
• For multi-customer circuits, substation-level metering is required.
• Program participants will pay the cost of any additional required metering equipment.
• PG&E will facilitate communications between customers on a shared electric circuit for the purposes of participating in this program.

Mail or fax completed Agreement for Schedule E-OBMC Form No.79-966 (PDF, 148 KB) to:

Pacific Gas & Electric Company
Demand Response Program
Attn: OBMC Program Manager
P.O. Box 28209
Oakland, CA 94604 

Fax to:
415-973-4177