PG&E will provide roughly $35 on average in bill credits to some 1.6 million customers who helped conserve energy and prevent rotating power outages during the late-summer heat waves that hit the state in 2022.
Customers who participated in PG&E's Power Saver Rewards Program will receive a total of more than $55 million in bill credits, according to the utility.
The program rewards PG&E customers who reduced their energy use between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. on days when the state's power grid steward, the California Independent System Operator, issues a flex alert or an energy emergency alert watch.
"This new program is a win-win for our customers and the response was overwhelming," said Aaron August, PG&E's vice president of utility partnerships and innovation. "The financial reward for taking action not only lessened the demand on the grid, but it also ensured continued reliability and cleaner air."
The bill credits will be applied automatically to energy statements in February and March. Customers will receive a credit of $2 per kilowatt hour of lowered energy use.
Those who did not reduce their energy use during last summer's heat wave will also not be penalized, according to PG&E.
The 2023 rewards program will open May 1, 2023. Information about enrolling in the program can be found at powersaver.pge.com.
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