PGE Peak Time Rebates Start for Winter 2022-23

November marks the beginning of Portland General Electric (PGE) offering winter Peak Time Rebates for its customers. This program is designed to encourage customers to use energy when demand is at its highest. By using this program, PGE’s residential customers can save money on their electricity bills this winter.

How Does the Peak Time Rebate Program Work?
First, PGE customers must sign up for the program to receive notifications. The Peak Time Rebate program is optional for residential customers and there are no penalties for customers who opt out. You can sign up for the program and learn more here, or by calling PGE’s customer service at 503-228-6322.

When PGE is holding a Peak Time Event, customers will receive an email or text message letting them know when to lower their energy use. If a customer uses less energy than they normally do during that time, they will get a credit on their next bill. PGE provides a $1 per kilowatt hour (kWh) rebate, which is an average customer savings of $2-3 per event.

When Are Peak Times?
In general, a peak time is any time when a lot of people are using high amounts of energy at the same time. Specific days have more energy use than others, like really hot or really cold days. During the winter, overall energy use goes up when households turn on their heaters, especially in the morning or evening. Peak Time Events typically occur on particularly cold days between 7:00-11:00 am or 4:00-8:00 pm.

Before each Peak Time Event, PGE will notify customers about opportunities to save energy and get money back for it. These events usually last three to four hours when PGE expects there to be more people using more energy during the day. There are up to ten events per season, with the winter season running from November 1 through February 28.

How Do I Reduce My Energy Usage?
Reducing your usage can be as easy as moving your energy-using tasks to before and after the event. If you typically use energy for a task at 5 pm, move that task to the early afternoon or later at night. Here are a few ways you can reduce your energy use:

• Cooling and A/C - Heating and cooling are the largest energy uses in most homes. Instead of turning on your heater up at the hottest time of the day (between 5:00-6:00pm), pre-heat your home earlier in the afternoon. Once the Peak Time Event starts, turn your thermostat down or off entirely. Pre-heating can be easy with a programmable thermostat, especially if you have a smart thermostat.
• Water heating - Water heating is the second largest energy use in most homes. To lower the energy used on heating water, avoid using hot water during the Peak Time Event. This includes washing dishes, showering, or other cleaning tasks. If you have a smart water heater, turn down the heating temperature during the event to save even more energy.
• Cooking - Cooking, especially with electric stoves or ovens, is a typical energy use around dinner time. Instead of turning on your stove or oven, try cooking outside on a grill or eating foods that don’t require much heat. Reducing the heat you’re creating in the kitchen will also help lower the energy needed to cool your space.
• Avoid using large appliances - Dishwashers, clothes washers/dryers, and ovens can use a lot of energy. Avoid using these appliances during peak hours.
• Unplug electronics - Use fewer electronics that plug in, avoid charging devices (including EVs), and unplug what you aren’t using. Many electronics, like TVs or microwaves, use electricity even when they are turned off. Anything with an on/off switch should be unplugged to save small amounts of energy. You can also use power strips to “unplug” many devices at once by turning off the power strip.

What Are the Benefits of the Program?
For individual customers, reducing energy use during Peak Time Events can add up over the season. With upwards of 10 events per season, even a few dollars saved per event can help a lot. With these rebates, CUB staffer Will Gehrke saved $40 on his PGE bill in a recent season!

This program also helps all PGE customers, not just those who are enrolled in it. On especially cold days, having higher than normal energy use means that PGE needs to pay for more resources to generate electricity. Reducing the amount of energy that is being used at peak times helps lower costs for everyone. It also helps PGE to avoid relying on regional gas and coal resources to meet peak system needs.

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