CAISO and PG&E Urge Conservation as State Remains in Stage 3 Electrical Emergency for Third Day.

News and Business Editors

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 18, 2001

The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) and Pacific Gas and Electric Company are urging customers to conserve energy for the next several days to help prevent rotating block outages from happening again.

Conservation is still needed because energy supply remains limited and there are a number of power plants down for maintenance (more than 10,500 megawatts). Yesterday, the CAISO ordered rotating block outages and has said that outages are a "strong possibility" today.

To help the CAISO meet electricity demands and reduce the possibility of rotating block outages in California, Pacific Gas and Electric Company is asking its customers to conserve energy at both at home and in the office. Following are some ways customers can reduce electric demand:

-- Install a clock thermostat. You can program it to keep the temperature
automatically set at 68 degrees or cooler when the house is occupied and,
health permitting, 55 degrees or off at night and when you're not at home.

-- Turn off PCs, monitors, printers, copiers, and lights when not in use or not
needed. If you cannot turn off the whole computer, turn off the monitor and the
printer.

-- Shut off lights in unoccupied rooms.

-- Cook in your toaster oven, microwave or broiler oven. They use half the
energy of a regular oven.

-- Caulk and weatherstrip around doors, windows, and areas where pipes come
into the home.

-- Keep the furnace clean, lubricated and adjusted. Clean a washable furnace
filter or replace a disposable filter each month in winter.

-- Insulate your water heater, turn down its temperature to the "warm" setting
or about 120 degrees, and avoid wasting hot water.

For more energy saving tips, please contact the Smarter Energy Line at 1-800-933-9555.

For more information about Pacific Gas and Electric Company, please visit our web site at http://www.pge.com