Californians Can Be Paid to Conserve Power During Energy Shortages
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California is experiencing an ongoing heatwave, with triple-digit temperatures expected in cities across the state over Labor Day weekend. Millions of Californians are asked to conserve power to prevent blackouts and power shutoffs. There’s also an additional incentive to use less energy: Utilities companies are paying consumers to unplug when demand is high.
The Power Saver Rewards program allows participants to earn $2 for each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of energy saved when the state’s grid operator calls for the state to conserve energy (also known as a FlexAlert). According to Southern California Edison, a typical customer who lowers energy usage during eight events over an annual season could earn $40 in bill credits.
“Consumers should absolutely take advantage of this program,” said Sander Kushen, an advocate with CALPIRG Education Fund. “Californians can save money while simultaneously reducing the likelihood of potentially catastrophic blackout events.”
The three major California utility providers offer their customers access to the program. Utility customers can learn more about the program and sign up to save on these web pages: