Reduce your electricity use

Discover simple ways to use less electricity

Small changes in your routine, such as shifting power-hungry activities to the morning or evening can help ease the load on California's power grid. Knowing what to do on a SmartDay™ is the easiest way to save money on the SmartRate™.

Following are some tips to help you reduce your electricity consumption on SmartDays and other days of the year.

• Pre-cool your home. Allow cool air from the morning or night to flow into your home. As the temperature rises outside, circulate the pre-cooled air with a fan.
• Shift your chores. Perform household chores that require power-hungry appliances before 4 p.m. or after 9 p.m. Examples include clothes washers and dryers, dishwashers, pool pumps and vacuums.
• Program your air conditioner (AC). Set the AC to turn on at 9 p.m. or later, if you use a programmable thermostat.
• Reduce non-essential lighting. Reduce or turn off lighting in non-essential areas. Consider a motion sensor in areas you use less often.

Learn more about SmartRate

Download our Welcome brochure for program information and a list of ways you can reduce your electricity usage.