SAN DIEGO (CNS) - With record heat expected to send local electricity demand surging this week, San Diego Gas & Electric is activating a program that rewards customers for conserving power.
Participants in the utility's Reduce Your Use program who conserve energy Tuesday through Thursday are eligible to earn a bill credit of 75 cents to $1.25 per kilowatt hour, according to SDG&E.To qualify for the rewards, customers must lower their power usage below the average of the three highest-use days among the five days immediately preceding the Reduce Your Use period.
Information on how to sign up for the program are available online at sdge.com/reduceuse. SDG&E offered the following tips to save energy at home and help relieve stress on the regional power grid over the course of the hot spell:
-- Use a ceiling or portable fan instead of air conditioning if possible.
-- Set the thermostat at 78 degrees at home, health permitting.
-- Run the air conditioner early in the morning to pre-cool the home prior to the peak heat of the day, and close blinds, shades or drapes to block out the sun's heat.
-- Run major appliances early in the morning or late at night.
-- Unplug TVs, cable boxes, DVD players and gaming devices when they are not in use, or use a smart power strip.
-- Turn off pool pumps between 2 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Though SDG&E does not anticipate any problems serving the needs of its customers during this week's heat wave, conditions could change due to unexpected situations out of its control, the utility company advised.