Demand response programs like Peak Day Partners help maintain reliable electricity service throughout California. Demand response programs can also reduce the reliance on new and existing fossil fuel facilities to meet electricity demand during peak demand periods. As solar generation decreases toward the end of the day, the grid experiences a sharp increase in the need for additional energy supply to meet peak demand, especially on the hottest days of the year. Demand reduction by our Peak Day Partners helps reduce the use of fossil fuel powerplants and prevent potential grid outages.

When we call an Event Day, customers may voluntarily reduce electricity use between the hours of 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. to earn a financial incentive. While participating in Peak Day Partners, your customer account will continue to be billed each month according to the account’s normal electric rate. After the season ends, we will calculate if your account earned an incentive. We calculatesyour incentive by comparing your account’s electricity usage between 4 and 9 p.m. on each Event Day relative to your account’s baseline, which is your expected electricity usage if an Event Day had not been called. For each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity your account reduced, your account is compensated by the per-kWh incentive rate of $1.50/kWh. If your account reduced electricity during more than 75 percent of the program’s total Event Day-hours in a season, we will also apply the additional bonus rate of $1.00/kWh.

1. Turn off or reduce discretionary and non-critical electric loads, e.g., inside and outside lighting, including decorative lighting.

2. Precool spaces, adjust thermostats, keep outside doors and windows closed, use fans, duty cycle air-cooled package units, and limit demand to chillers.

3. Avoid or limit use of electric vehicle charging from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

4. Modify automated building and other process and control strategies to reduce electric loads.

Always be safe and consult with your energy professionals to help plan and manage your efforts.

For more ideas, review our document for reducing energy usage.

1.  The Event Day baseline is calculated using the following method: The baseline is calculated on an hourly basis using the average of the 10 preceding non-holiday weekdays, excluding (a) days for when the customer was subject to an Event Day.

2.  The hourly baseline is then adjusted to more accurately reflect your account’s expected electricity usage based on the conditions of the Event Day. This is done by multiplying the baseline for each hour of the Event Day by the day of (DO) adjustment value for the Event Day.

3.  The DO adjustment value is determined by calculating the ratio of (a) the average load of the first three hours of the four hours prior to the Event Day to (b) the average load of the same hours from the preceding 10 non-holiday weekdays as described in #1. The DO adjustment value will be between 0.80 and 1.40.

We calculate your incentive by comparing your account’s electricity usage between 4 and 9 p.m. on each Event Day relative to your account’s baseline or "Event Day Baseline", which is your expected electricity usage if an Event Day had not been called. For each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity your account reduced, your account is compensated by the per-kWh incentive rate of $1.50/kWh. If your account reduced electricity during more than 75% of the program’s total Event Day hours in a season, we will also apply the additional bonus rate of $1.00/kWh.

Incentives are calculated after the season ends on October 31. To calculate your incentive, we will analyze the data to determine if your account earned an incentive. If your account earned an incentive, it will be applied as a bill credit to your account’s CleanPowerSF/PG&E electric bill. Incentives are usually issued early the following calendar year.

We will call Event Days only on weekdays; holidays and weekends will be excluded. Event Days occur when the day-ahead temperature is forecasted to be at or above 98 degrees Fahrenheit. (We use the National Weather Service forecast temperature data, which averages the temperatures of five locations: San Jose, Concord, Red Bluff, Sacramento, and Fresno.) We may call supplementary Event Days if we determine that additional Event Days are necessary based on alert notifications by the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), or based on market or weather conditions. We may also call Event Days to meet the six Event Day season minimum.

If you want to review or change the contact data for Event Days, call us at (415) 554-0773 or email cleanpowersf@sfwater.org.

Yes, you may cancel your participation in Peak Day Partners at any time. If you cancel participation before the end of the season, no bill credit will be applied to your account. To earn a bill credit, your account must be enrolled through the end of the program season.

If you had a load reduction of at least 100 kWh and avoided load more than 30% of Event Day hours during the last season, you will be automatically enrolled in the new season. You will be notified about any planned changes to rules or rates prior to the start of a new program season.

If you did not have an incremental load reduction of at least 100 kWh or did not avoid load more than 30% of Event Day hours during the last season, we will reach out to you about your interest remaining in the program. If we do not receive a response from you by July 1, we will unenroll you from Peak Day Partners.