November 29, 2001

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) today set aside part of the energy-efficiency incentive funds traditionally managed by utilities for programs proposed by other parties.  SCE Director of Customer Programs and Services Lynda Ziegler offered the following response.

ROSEMEAD, Calif., November 29, 2001- We are pleased that the new approach for delivering energy-efficiency programs to consumers and businesses adopted today by the CPUC recognizes the importance of a stable, proven core of utility-provided programs.  We will make every effort to maximize the success of the commission's plan.

We have received an unprecedented response to this year's rebate programs.  Thousands of our customers have switched to more efficient refrigerators, air conditioners and other energy-saving devices.  We believe their responsiveness is one of the reasons the state was able to avoid rotating blackouts this past summer. 

SCE 2001 Energy-Efficiency Program Details

  • Nearly 200,000 rebates paid to SCE's residential customers, totaling almost $20 million compared to approximately 50,000 residential rebates issued last year.
  • An estimated 550 million kilowatt-hours of power saved by the installation of energy-efficient devices (enough energy to power 83,000 average homes) 
  • An estimated one million customer inquiries processed, compared to 200,000 last year
  • 2001 residential rebates included such measures as air conditioners, refrigerators, heat pumps, whole-house fans, evaporative coolers, programmable thermostats, pool pumps, attic and wall insulation and windows

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An Edison International company, Southern California Edison is one of the nation's largest electric utilities, serving a population of more than 11 million via 4.3 million customer accounts in a 50,000-square-mile service area within central, coastal and Southern California.