Prepare Now for the Increase in Energy Use Associated with Hot Weather

Summer’s warm weather is coming, and Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) customers can benefit by participating in a variety of programs to prepare for the inevitable increase in air conditioning usage associated with hotter weather that typically drives up summer energy costs.

To prepare eligible customers are encouraged to take advantage of income-qualified assistance programs including:

• California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) Program saves 20% or more each month on energy bills.
• Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) Program offers a monthly discount on electric bills with three or more people in the household.

Customers who are not eligible for income-qualifying programs can sign up for the following programs to help manage energy costs:

• Medical Baseline provides a lower monthly rate for customers with special energy needs due to certain medical conditions.
• Budget Billing averages out energy costs for more predictable monthly payments and eliminates big spikes in bills due to seasonal changes.
• Bill Forecast Alerts are notifications sent by email, text or phone notifying the customer if their monthly bill is expected to exceed a specific amount set by the customer.

Another way to get a head start on managing summer bills is to run a personalized rate comparison to determine the best rate plan for the household.

Lastly, the air conditioner accounts for more than 40% of summer energy use. The following three simple steps will ensure the system works more efficiently ahead of extreme temperatures:

1. Schedule an annual safety and maintenance check by a licensed technician. A poorly maintained AC can unit consumes 10-30% more energy.
2. Clear away weeds and debris to ensure air circulates freely around the unit.
3. Shade the equipment to keep the system cooler, while ensuring the air flow isn’t blocked.

For more information on ways to save on your energy bill visit pge.com/summer and PG&E’s Safety Action Center.

About PG&E

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than 16 million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news.

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