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PRIME Resources
Access documents and information about PRIME
Key Documents | Energy Tips | ELRP | Power Sources | Programs
Key Documents
Policies + Guidelines
PRIME Supplemental Documents
Energy Tips
Everyday Tips
Don’t waste money on electronics or appliances not in use. Turn off and unplug TVs and DVD players, computers, phone chargers, coffee makers, etc. Wash full loads of laundry using cold water. Today’s modern detergents work great in cold water, and about 90 percent of the energy used by clothes washers goes to water heating. Use your clothes dryer for consecutive loads. The built-up heat means less energy spent. Make sure the lint trap in the clothes dryer is clean before you press start. Add a tennis ball or clean, dry towel to improve air circulation and reduce drying time. Don’t let the hot water run. Turn it off when it’s not needed while brushing teeth, shaving or doing dishes. Install energy-saving showerheads, faucets, or flow restrictors. Use dimmer switches or timers on your lights. Turn them off when you exit a room. Defrost your refrigerator or freezer whenever ice builds up more than one-quarter of an inch.
Avoid using the oven on hot days. Instead, cook on the stove, use a microwave oven, or grill outside. Clear the area around where your air conditioner vents to the outside to ensure the best possible ventilation. Save on cooling costs by setting your thermostat to 75-78°F when you’re at home, health permitting. Set it to 85°F when you’re away for more than a few hours. Wait until cooler times of the day to do tasks that make your house warmer, like laundry and cooking. Hang laundry outside. Take advantage of late sunsets and warm evenings to bypass your dryer and let your clothes air dry. Open your windows and let cooler air flow into your home in the morning and at night. Cover your windows during the day to block the hot sun. Check the filter on your air conditioning system and clean or replace it if it’s dirty. If you use air conditioning, a ceiling fan will allow you to raise the thermostat setting about 4°F with no reduction in comfort.
Warm Weather
When using the fireplace, turn down your heater. When you’re not using it, close the damper to prevent cold air from coming in. Open curtains on your south-facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat your home, and close curtains, shades, and blinds at night to help prevent warm air from escaping. When you’re at home, set the furnace thermostat at 68°F or lower, health permitting. Three to five percent more energy is used for each degree the furnace is set above 68°F. When you leave the house, set the thermostat to 56°F. By turning your thermostat back 10-15 degrees for 8 hours; you can save 5-15 percent a year on your heating bill. Seal the air leaks around utility cut-throughs for pipes (“plumbing penetrations”), gaps around chimneys and recessed lights in insulated ceilings, and unfinished spaces behind cupboards and closets. Add caulk or weather-stripping to seal air leaks around leaky doors and windows.
Cold Weather
Emergency Load Reduction Program (ELRP)
To Enroll Online: Click Here
For Questions: 1-800-GOPRIME
Southern California Edison offers a flexible way to get incentives for using less energy.
Southern California Edison’s (SCE) Emergency Load Reduction Program (ELRP) is a flexible Demand Response (DR) program. When you participate in ELRP, not only do you conserve energy and help the environment, you also receive financial incentives to use less energy during grid emergencies. While you’re relieving stress on the grid to help prevent shortages in your community, you’ll earn $2 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) reduced during ELRP events, with zero penalties if you can’t participate.
Who Can Participate?
If you’re a non-residential (commercial, industrial, or agricultural), individual SCE bundled-service customer, a Community Choice Aggregation Service customer, or a Direct Access customer, you’re eligible and encouraged to directly enroll in ELRP. For more information on eligibility, visit https://elrp.sce.com/
How Does ELRP Work?
As a business customer, you’re empowered to take advantage of cost and energy savings when you reduce load during grid emergencies.
The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) activates ELRP events. You’ll typically be notified of Day-Ahead events by 5 p.m. the day prior, and shortly after CAISO issues its notice for Day-Of events. If you’re enrolled in BIP, you’ll only be compensated for overlapping ELRP/BIP events. You’ll find more details on how ELRP events are activated in the Customer FAQ under “What will trigger an event?”
Get started today to help manage your company’s energy use and benefit from earned incentives. To directly enroll, click Enroll Now and complete your application. Once confirmed, you’ll be able to start receiving opportunities to reduce your energy use in response to ELRP events.
ELRP runs between May and October each year, and events may occur any day of the week from 4 – 9 p.m. Events last one to five hours, and may be called on consecutive days based on grid conditions – but you won’t be asked to participate for more than 60 hours per year.
One of the best features of ELRP is its flexibility. Participation is completely voluntary, with no financial penalties if you can’t meet (or if you exceed) your load reduction nomination. You’ll still earn $2 per kWh for all the incremental load you reduce during events, even if you exceed your nomination amount.
If you’re directly enrolled, your compensation will come as bill credits. If you participate through an aggregator or third-party DR provider, contact them for information on how you’ll receive your incentives. Enroll now to start reducing your energy use in exchange for financial benefits.
Power Sources
Where does PRIME get its electricity?
Pico Rivera Innovative Municipal Energy gets its electricity from suppliers that have gone through a rigorous qualification and selection process. These suppliers, much like Southern California Edison, source their electricity from a variety of generation sources. At a minimum, 35% of our PRIME Future option comes from renewable sources such as wind. The PRIME Partner program provides electricity from 100% renewable sources.
How does PRIME procure power?
PRIME contracts with private firms to procure energy. Moving forward, we plan to incorporate steadily increasing amounts of renewable energy, with a goal of incorporating locally generated power.
Where does PRIME get its electricity?
We are required to report to the California Public Utilities Commission and California Energy
Commission on an annual basis to verify the amount of renewable energy procured for our
customers. This is the same standard used by other California utilities, such as Southern California Edison, for verification purposes.
Custom Programs and Offerings
At PRIME, we strive to make it easier for our customers to transition to clean and local energy while reducing monthly energy bills. We’ve designed specific offerings to simplify the pathway for you to become more energy efficient, reduce carbon emissions from buildings and transportation, make your home or business more resilient in a power outage, and more.
Residential
Electric Vehicles and Charging
PlugShare provides the most complete map of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations worldwide. With PlugShare’s Trip Planner feature, you can easily map out a trip, prioritizing conveniently placed EV charging locations. PlugShare also offers charging tips for all-electric vehicle owners to use.
Rebates & Incentives
PRIME is committed to advancing the adoption of clean energy and encourages you to explore the various rebates and incentives available exclusively to PRIME customers. Want to make smarter choices for the environment while saving money? Learn more about incentives and rebate opportunities.
Commercial
Energy Efficiency Incentive Programs
CalChoice has partnered with Olivine Inc. to offer CCA commercial customers an opportunity to join the ClimateResponse Virtual Power Plant (VPP), designed to help nonresidential customers mitigate the grid impacts of climate change while earning revenue. The program, which runs from May to October 2023, offers financial incentives to commercial customers for temporarily reducing energy use when the electric grid is constrained due to restricted energy supplies, high prices, extreme weather conditions, or other grid emergencies. ClimateResponse VPP is free to join, there are no penalties, and enrolled customers will always be in control of their own buildings and resources.
