School District Will Help State Avoid Power Interruptions on Hot Afternoons

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced last week that Cascade Union Elementary School District in Anderson is now the largest North State participant in the utility’s SmartAC™ program, which helps spare the environment and prevent rotating outages during periods of peak summer demand.

PG&E has installed 120 energy-saving SmartAC™ thermostats and load control receivers in the district’s five elementary schools and the district office in Anderson. The devices and installation are free under the program.

PG&E’s voluntary SmartAC™ program helps California avoid power interruptions by signaling air conditioners to reduce their electricity use slightly during periods of peak energy demand, without sacrificing customers’ comfort or control. When multiplied by hundreds of thousands of air conditioners throughout the state, this program can have a tremendous cumulative impact to help reduce the possibility of system overload.

The program will also help PG&E avoid the need to build and operate expensive peaker power plants that run only during times of high energy demand. Currently, the 124,000 SmartAC™ devices in PG&E’s service area have the potential to reduce peak demand by nearly 100 megawatts, equal to about two peaker power plants.

PG&E plans to enroll up to 400,000 residential and small business customers in the program by the summer of 2011. This will reduce peak energy demand by approximately 305 megawatts – the equivalent of six typical peaker power plants.

While many schools may not qualify for the program because they generally do not use much electricity during peak summer hours, Cascade Union schools are year-round and their electric usage patterns made the district a good candidate. The SmartAC season runs May 1 to Oct. 31.

“Our participation in this program not only confirms our commitment to be a green school district and help protect the environment, but it also demonstrates our commitment to preparing our students to be responsible citizens” said district Superintendent Wes Smith. “We encourage all Anderson community members - business owners and residents alike – to join us.”

“By creating successful partnerships like the one we have today with the Cascade Union Elementary School District, we’re demonstrating the positive impact PG&E’s SmartAC™ program can have in communities across our service area,” said Steven McCarty, director of demand response programs for PG&E. “Cascade Union’s enrollment in PG&E’s SmartAC™ program will help the district manage energy use and lower energy costs in its buildings while helping demand when we need it most.”

PG&E customers can voluntarily enroll online at www.pge.com/smartac or call (866) 908-4916 to have SmartAC™ devices installed on or near their air conditioner.

Schools who enroll receive a “thank you” payment of $25 for each SmartAC thermostat installed. Cascade Union will receive $3,000 for the 120 devices. A $25 payment is available to any customer who installs a load control receiver. This is a switch device installed outside near the air conditioner.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation’s cleanest energy to 15 million people in northern and central California. For more information, visit www.pge.com/about/.