Rising Number of Energy Customers Are Conserving

More utility customers are pulling the plug and qualifying for state conservation rebates, Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric said Tuesday.

Conservation slowed down among customers of San Diego Gas & Electric in the most recent billing period. Energy savings statewide have been sparked by cooler temperatures, higher electricity rates and a sluggish economy.

About 35% of residential customers of Southern California Edison reduced usage by 20%, Edison said. Those customers were billed July 13 to Aug. 17, the most recent available period, and received a 20% rebate on their bills, funded by a state program to thwart rolling blackouts through conservation.

Thirty percent of residential customers billed in the two weeks ended July 13, the first bills to reflect the rebate, managed a 20% reduction, Edison said.

Nearly 28% of Edison’s commercial and industrial customers qualified for the rebate in the latest period, up from 21% in early July, and nearly 25% of agricultural customers made the reductions, up from 23% in early July.

Cumulative numbers through Aug. 17 show that 33% of all Edison customers have received a rebate this summer.

In PG&E; territory, which is most of Central and Northern California, 38% of residential customers billed from Aug. 1 to Aug. 24 achieved 20% savings, PG&E; said. That compares with 28% of PG&E;’s residential customers in July. About 27% of commercial, industrial and agriculture customers qualified for the rebate, up from 24%.

SDG&E; customers must cut consumption by 15% to get the 20% rebate. Overall, about 29% of customers billed Aug. 1 to Aug. 27 got the rebate, down from about 40% on July bills, the utility said.