There are many different ways you can
conserve energy and save money. Many of these tips are easy to
implement and resultsare
almost immediate.
Lighten Up Your Load
If you're not using a
light, turn it off!
Switch out your old
incandescent light bulbs with
compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and cut your energy use
for lighting by up to 75%. (IMPORTANT: Always treat CFLs
as electronic waste when they go out, and recycle them at
an e-waste collection center.)
Replace your old
incandescent holiday lights with
LED holiday strands which use 90% less
energy.
Around the house
Lower your hot water
temperature by setting the thermostat to "low," or below 120°F.
Install a water heater insulation blanket if your heater doesn't
have an "Energy Guide" label indicating it as energy efficient.
Insulate the first 3 to 6 feet of cold and hot water pipes near your
water heater. Insulating all hot water pipes is only necessary
where pipes are located in a crawl space or attic. Keep foam
insulation at least 6 inches from the flue of a gas water heater.
Turn
your water heater control valve to "pilot" when you're away from
home for a week or more.
Set
your thermostat to 78°F in the summer. Note: The house will not cool
down any faster if you crank up the thermostat past the desired
temperature. Besides, it is easy to forget to turn it back down,
which will waste energy dollars.
Turn
the air conditioner off when away all day and during the night. Open
the windows at night for natural cooling.
Regularly clean and replace filters to air conditioning units and
appliances.
Seal,
caulk and weather-strip the roof, walls, floors, around windows,
doors, chimneys and cracks to keep the hot air out and cool air in.
Insulate wherever possible, including attics, basement walls, crawl
spaces, water heaters and ducts. Insulation can reduce your heating
and cooling costs up to 30%.
Try to
use appliances before noon and after 7PM.
Set
your hot water heater thermostat at 120 degrees or "low". It's hot
enough for most needs and it cuts down on energy needed to keep
water hot in the tank.
Wash
when you have full loads. When drying clothes, use the proper
setting and load size.
Install a whole house fan. A new whole house fan installed between
ceiling joists in the house can help defer central air conditioning
use, and cut down on electricity bills.
In
the Kitchen
Whether or not you plan to buy a
new range or other cooking appliances, you can probably save some money
by modifying your cooking habits.
Whenever possible,
keep pots and pans covered. You will save fuel and shorten cooking
time as well.
Using the proper
flame height conserves fuel. The low flame setting is best for
delicate sauces and milk, melting butter and cooking for small
amounts of food. At a medium rate you can maintain a consistent
boil, simmer, cook, fry or brown foods.
The highest flame
setting should be reserved for a quick boil, stir frying or rapid
cooking.
Use
the microwave to provide a quick efficient alternative to oven
cooking. Foods cook for a fraction of the energy and time.
Turn
refrigerator setting to above 37°. Your refrigerator that is on 24
hours a day accounts for about 15% of the total home electricity
bill. Check and clean the coils on the back or bottom of your
refrigerator regularly, don't make it work harder than necessary.
See your appliance manual for maintenance instructions. If you have
an extra freezer or refrigerator that is nearly empty turn it off.
In
the Laundry Room
Unlike furnaces and
water heaters, dryers are not required to have Energy Guide labels.
However, new gas dryers use much less than older models, because they
light automatically without a continuous-burning pilot light and also
have better insulation.
Because of these new energy-efficient features, replacing an old gas
dryer with a new one can save over 50% in energy cost.
Wash Full loads or
adjust the water level accordingly
Wash with warm or
cold water, Always rinse in cold water.
Every so often,
check to see that the outside moisture exhaust vent of the dryer is
open and remove any lint that has collected.
Dry full loads of
clothes but don't overfill the dryer. One washer load is one dryer
load. Clothes should tumble freely.
Don't over dry
clothes - it wastes energy, causes shrinkage, and shortens the life
of the clothes.
Separate lightweight
from heavyweight fabrics for faster, more even drying.
Dry two or more
loads in a row, taking advantage of the heat still in the dryer from
the first load.
When drying only one
or two items, add several compatible items to ensure proper tumbling
and faster drying.
Don't open the dryer
door unnecessarily. Warm air escapes from the dryer into the room.
Clean the lint
filter before drying each load for quickest drying.
In
the Living Areas
When
replacing appliances or equipment, buy products with the Energy
Star® label, the symbol for energy efficiency.
Households that replace existing equipment with Energy Star®
products can cut annual energy bills by up to 30 percent. Call PWP's
AnswerLine at (626)744-6970 for details.
Activate your Energy Star® "sleep" feature on home office equipment
so that it automatically powers down when not in use to save up to
$70 annually in electricity bills and improve product longevity.
Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents that last ten
times longer and require less energy.
During
hot periods, close drapes and blinds to keep out direct sunlight.
Install glass doors
in front of the fireplace to help keep warm air in the home.
Along with gas logs,
add a cast-iron fireback to your fireplace to promote heat transfer
into the room. Positioned against the back wall of a fireplace, a
fireback protects the masonry of the back wall and radiates the heat
of the fire forward.
In
the Yard
Keep
your spa or pool covered when not in use and cut down the time the
filter runs to four or five hours a day.
Consider landscaping around the home: Plant evergreen trees on the
north side and leafy trees on the south side of your home to block
winter winds and the summer sun.
Keep your spa or
pool covered when not in use. Well-fitted pool and spa covers help
prevent heat loss for energy savings of 50-70% or more. They also
reduce water evaporation.
Consider a solar
cover for your pool; it lies on the water's surface and heats the
water from the sun.
Pool and spa combos
save energy because they share the same filtration and heating
systems.
Use a time clock to
pre-set the exact hours you want your pool heated.
When closing a pool
for winter, drain all the water from the heater, filter, pump, and
piping systems. Remove the pump motor and store in a dry place.
Inspect the spa
heater annually for scale, mineral deposits, or corrosion.
Are you too
"plugged in"?
With
more people working from home and the growth of new technologies,
products that require power in the average home have dramatically
increased.
Computer equipment is the fastest growing electric load in the
world. Unfortunately, much of the energy for computers is wasted
because they are often kept on while not in use.
Additionally, most idle appliances—TVs, VCRs cable boxes, CD
players, cordless phones, burglar alarms, microwaves—continue to use
energy when switched off. This energy keeps display clocks lit and
memory chips and remote controls working. These energy "leaks" are
costly. New technology in TVs and VCRs bearing the Energy Star label
will reduce wasted energy by up to 75 percent.
Useful Links
Here are two links to websites. The
first link is to The California Independent System
Operator website. Cal ISO is a not-for-profit public benefit
corporation charged with operating the majority of California's high
voltage wholesale power grid. Balancing the demand for electricity
with an equal supply of megawatts, the ISO is the link between power
plants and the utilities that service more than 30 million
consumers. The website includes real time energy supply and demand
statewide. The second link is to Flex Your Power, the site provides
important conservation measures would affect statewide demand during
peak periods.
Could my power be
out, but a neighbor across the street still have electric service?
Yes,
neighbors can be on different circuits. Two different circuits could
serve one street.
One
circuit can serve up to 2,000 customers. If electricity is out in
your house only or part of your house, then chances are that a fuse
has blown or a circuit breaker has shut off because of an overload
or a short circuit. To get service again, you'll need to replace the
fuse or reset the circuit breaker in your electric switch box.
How can I
choose a contractor for my energy efficiency retrofits?
Determine what type of measures you'd be interested in. Each of the
basic categories of lighting and HVAC require different types of
contractors and varying levels of expertise.
Pick
at least three companies, ask for local references and contact them.
Have them provide bids. Most of the experienced contractors are
knowledgeable about the new energy efficiency systems, and can
provide a free estimate of the job. Remember that a contractor who
is willing to educate you may ultimately provide more value.
When
checking references, be sure to ask the following:
Was the work done on
time? Were there any changes in the scope once the job began?Were
there any changes in the price, and if so, why?
I have
already retrofitted my home, how can I cut my bill even further?
Energy-efficient equipment is only part of the energy saving
equation: The other part relies on behavior.
Encourage everyone in the home to turn off lights when not needed in
storage areas, closets, and restrooms.
Turn
off all lights PCs, monitors, printers, copiers every night before
retiring and when away from home. Make energy efficiency a part of
your life!
Please
keep the following safety tips in mind if you are considering using
a portable generator:
Have a licensed electrician do any wiring needed to connect the
generator to your internal electric circuits.
Read and understand the manufacturer's instructions very
carefully before connecting the generator to your electrical
circuits.
Plug electrical appliances into the generator using a heavy-duty
extension cord.
Do
not connect the output of your generator directly to your house
wiring or service panel! This can create electrical backfeed to
the PWP distribution system and put field service crews in
jeopardy of receiving severe or fatal electric shocks.
To
notify PWP of a generator location, please call Customer Service
at 626-744-4005. Improper use and connection of a back up or
portable generator can be a safety hazard. If you have an
electric generator that is, or can be, connected to your
electrical wiring, state law requires you to notify PWP of its
location. Violators can be subject to fines up to $500 or six
months imprisonment (Section 119090 of the California Health and
Safety Code).
What is the
energy outlook for Pasadena?
PWP is prepared to meet our customers' needs.
We are developing a long-term resource plan to ensure
that we have adequate resources to meet the long-term energy
requirements in Pasadena.
Pasadena's generating station could supply 60 percent
of the City's electricity needs; however, present air quality
regulations limit the plant's generation production. Studies are
currently underway to determine what can be done to bring our local
generating facility up to modern environmental compliance standards.
We are pursuing partnerships with the cities of
Burbank
and Glendale to develop new energy resources.
What can I do
to help out during an energy crisis?
The
best way to avoid blackouts is for each individual to do what they
can to conserve electricity.
Behavioral changes such as turning off the lights when you're not
using them and some investments, such as buying and installing
Energy Star® appliances, can actually halve your energy bills.
PWP
offers many rebate programs that can help electric customers
conserve energy… just call the PWP AnswerLine at (626) 744-6970 to
take advantage of these energy-saving programs.
How do I deal
with a rolling blackout?
If a
curtailment is implemented in your neighborhood, remember that it is
a controlled event. The electricity is usually restored within two
hours. Until power is restored, please consider these helpful tips:
If you
are driving, avoid an outage area since traffic lights may not be
operating. Treat intersections as if they are four-way stops. If you
are a pedestrian, be extra alert, since normal traffic patterns are
disrupted.
Keep
at least one traditional phone linked by cord, since portable
(cordless) phones won't work without electricity.
Turn
off all major appliances to prevent circuits from overloading.
Leave
one light on to indicate when the power has been restored. Keep a
battery-powered flashlight and radio handy, with plenty of spare
batteries. If it is dark, use flashlights, never use candles since
they can start a fire.
Do not
burn charcoal for heating or cooking indoors.
Keep
refrigerator and freezer doors closed to keep food as fresh as
possible
Consider installing a surge protector to prevent sudden surges of
power that can damage computers, fax machines and other equipment.
Also, check your internet service provider's back-up strategy if
access is critical to you.
Learn
how to work your automatic garage door manually so you don't get
stuck without a car.
Protect your computer: Back up important data and files regularly.
During an outage: Remove the power plugs that belong to the
computer, monitor, printer and scanner from the wall socket. Power
surges can cause damage to your computer if it's still plugged into
the wall.
If you
have a security system, check to make sure the back-up batteries are
fully charged. Create a contingency emergency plan for your home and
business. (Note: The type of business you have and the type of
equipment you use should be reflected in your plan.) Everyone
concerned should be trained in safety precautions and emergency
procedures.
Why does
Pasadena have rolling blackouts if Pasadena Water and Power (PWP) has
its own generating station?
Pasadena is part of the state power grid and its
contract with the state's Independent System Operator (ISO) requires
that Pasadena
abide by ISO directives during power shortage emergencies.
Why did PWP
enter into a contract with the ISO?
To enhance overall system reliability that provides
24-hour backup for all of PWP's energy sources. And most
importantly, to enable PWP to operate its generating station more
efficiently.
Through this cooperative agreement with the ISO, in
the event that our generation plant suffers an outage during normal
operations or any of PWP's other resources become suddenly
unavailable, the entire western grid backs up PWP.
Another benefit of the ISO agreement is that PWP has
been able to sell power into the wholesale marketplace. Power that
PWP can generate from purchases through its long-term contracts that
is in excess of the requirements to serve Pasadena can be sold into
the marketplace. PWP uses revenues from selling excess power into
the spot energy market and from standby reserves to offset operating
costs thereby helping to keep rates stable for Pasadena electric
customers.
What is the ISO
Notification?
The California Independent System Operator (ISO)
controls 75 percent of the state's transmission grid and secures
power supplies for most of the state's customers. The ISO
continually monitors the state's electric system to ensure there is
enough supply. When there is a significant electricity imbalance
between supply and demand, the ISO may issue an Alert, a Warning or
a Stage 1,2, or 3 Emergency.
What are the
levels of notification?
Alerts: The ISO will inform PWP that operating
reserves in the
day-ahead market
are forecasted at less than 7%.
Warnings: The ISO informs PWP that operating
reserves in the
hour-ahead market
are forecasted at less than 7%.
Emergency Stage 1: The ISO informs PWP that
operating reserves are less than 7% in real time or are unavoidable.
Customers are urged to reduce their use of electricity.
Emergency Stage 2: The ISO informs PWP that
operating reserves are less than 5% in real time or are unavoidable.
The ISO can require PWP to reduce voluntary interruptible load. If
ordered to curtail interruptible non-firm load, PWP will implement
California Public Utilities Commission CPUC-approved programs in
which customers have voluntarily agreed to have their services
interrupted during these types of emergencies. These voluntary
interruptions are implemented to prevent a more severe condition.
Emergency Stage 3:
The ISO informs PWP that operating reserves are less than 1.5% in
real time or are unavoidable. The ISO can order PWP to curtail firm
load. If ordered to curtail firm load, PWP will implement its
CPUC-approved rotating outage plan in which controlled rolling
blackouts are rotated among groups
of customers. These outages will be implemented until the ISO
notifies PWP that the emergency has passed.
How does the rolling
blackout rotation work?
PWP has identified the circuits
available for use in rolling blackouts and has a rotating outage
plan approved by the California Public
Utilities Commission (CPUC). The amount of power the ISO designates
for curtailment will determine the number of groups that are
interrupted at any one time.
An outage is expected to last about one hour but can
last up to two hours depending on the severity of the situation. At
the end of the hour, service will be restored to the affected groups
and the next groups on the list will be interrupted.
The goal is to maintain the load curtailment
requested by the ISO.
What is a
circuit and how are they selected for rolling blackouts?
A
circuit is an underground or overhead electrical line that supplies
power to a combination of residential and/or commercial customer
groups within a given geographical area. Most of PWP's circuits are
subject to the rotating outages.
Each
group is made up of a number of circuits with approximately 3
megawatts of electrical usage per group. Each circuit generally
serves between 800 and 2,000 customers.
Under
the CPUC's regulations, only those circuits that serve specifically
designated classes of customers that provide critical public health,
safety, and security services (such as hospitals, fire and police
stations) are exempted from these outages. All remaining circuits
are arranged into groups that represent all customer types
(residential, commercial and industrial).
How will I be
notified about a Stage 3 Emergency and rolling blackouts?
When a Stage 3 Emergency is declared by the ISO, PWP
will contact all media and they will be encouraged to broadcast the
news immediately. There may be as few as10 minutes after a Stage 3
Emergency is declared before PWP will begin rotating outages.
Circuits serving residential customers on life sustaining equipment
who are registered with the Pasadena Fire Department will be
exempted from rolling blackouts.
How can I find
out the circuit that I'm on?
Your
circuit number is located on your PWP utility bill.
Call
Customer Service at 626-744-4005.
Call
the AnswerLine at 626-744-6970.
How do I know if
my circuit will be affected by a blackout?
Call
Customer Service at 626-744-4005.
Call
the Answer Line at 626-744-6970.
Check
PWPweb.com for daily updates.
Watch
KPAS, channel 3.
I am a PWP
“water only” customer do I get my circuit number from you?
Circuit numbers are only available to PWP electric customers. If you
are a "water only" customer, please contact your electric service
provider.
If my circuit is
the first one chosen for a blackout, does that mean that my circuit will
always be the first to lose power?
No.
PWP tracks the order of the groups of circuits that have been
interrupted and rotates them to make sure that the same groups will
not always be first.
Will we have
rolling blackouts any time soon?
The ISO determines how much power is needed to
safeguard reliability in California. In the event there is a Stage
III Emergency (generation reserves fall to 1½ % or less), the ISO
will notify PWP how much of its load (power) it is required to
blackout.
Because statewide power shortages can occur very
rapidly, the ISO provides very little advanced notice to cut load.
However, we will do our best to minimize blackouts and advise our
customers on the best ways to stay safe should they occur.
