![]() The company received fewer than 100 complaints, Marshall said. PG&E isn't sure how many SmartAC switches failed. The company later determined that the malfunctioning units had been incorrectly programmed at the factory. But on July 1, the utility activated all 160,000. PG&E typically activates the SmartAC switches of specific blocks of customers, rather than all of them at once. Together, their cycling air conditioners can cut the state's peak electricity demand by 90 megawatts, roughly the output of a small power plant. But 160,000 PG&E customers have signed up. They switch air-conditioning compressors on and off in 15-minute cycles, usually for an hour or two. Whenever the state's power supplies are strained, the utility activates some of the devices. The utility installs its remote-controlled device - a small, nondescript rectangular box - on the air conditioners of customers who volunteer. Launched in 2007, SmartAC is one of several programs California utilities use to save power on hot afternoons. "We obviously very much regret that this happened with any of our customers." "We've done extensive lab testing, so we're confident this fix will do the job," said PG&E spokesman Jonathan Marshall. The company remotely reprogrammed all of the faulty devices on Wednesday, transmitting a software patch over the air. With triple-digit temperatures forecast to return this weekend, PG&E says it has solved the glitch. "With 3,000 homes out, if this had been Las Vegas, with 118-degree temperatures, you'd see a death or two," said Parent, 48. ![]() and spent the rest of the day - and much of the night - on the phone, trying to get the problem fixed. The software engineer lost air conditioning at his home around 12:30 p.m. This is critical infrastructure," said Sean Parent of Morgan Hill. "To me, it almost doesn't matter if it was just one person. PG&E wasn't able to reset many of the devices until the following day. You'll find a detailed guide on how to calculate your savings here.But on July 1, a software glitch within some of the devices caused air conditioners to switch off and stay off, even as temperatures across much of California topped 100 degrees. However, if you know how to read your bill and you do the math, she insists there is no way anyone's bill is actually higher this month that it would have been with PG&E. There were also seasonal increases in the cost of gas which shows up on the same PG&E bill as the new energy charges. While the savings are small, the switch came just as temperatures dropped and people started using more energy. There are detailed tutorials online and frequent in-person educational events where people can bring in their bills.įor those who are still suspect, Henderson points to the posted rate comparison on PG&E's website which confirms that East Bay Community Energy's rates are actually cheaper by 1.5 percent. She notes the bills are generated by PG&E.ĮBCE and the city of Livermore continue to provide educational tools to help people decipher their bills. "The bill is honestly very confusing," admits East Bay Energy's Annie Henderson. But East Bay Community Energy stresses that these higher bills are slightly less expensive than they would have been under PG&E. ![]() Next month's bill will likely lead to even more confusion and bills will be even higher due to the January drop in temperatures.
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