To:   SVMG CEO's and Principle Officers, Energy Committee members and
Liaison Representatives:

Looks like we dodged this bullet.

Great Job!  Keep up the great work.

Have a GREAT 4TH!

Based on information we have just received we are on the verge of a Stage
III alert with a shortfall of several hundred megawatts.  Please apply
aggressive load curtailment strategies to see if we can avoid outages
scheduled for Block 1.  www.caiso.com.

You may find further information on conservation tips and incentive programs
at http://www.svmg.org/epowerpages/home.htm.

Thanks for doing your part.

Justin Bradley
Director of Energy Programs
SVMG


Turn off PCs, monitors, printers, and copiers when not in use or not needed.
If you cannot turn off the entire computer, turn off the monitor and the
printer.
Disable the screensaver on your monitor, and enable the power management
tool on your PC.
Turn off lights in unoccupied rooms, and "half-dim" lights in occupied
rooms.
Send documents via email instead of fax.
Remove excess lights. Many older office and warehouse buildings have more
lighting then needed. In many areas, half the light may be sufficient to
light the area. When removing excess fluorescent tubes, remember to
disconnect the ballasts that serve them.
In the winter, keep draperies and shades on south-facing windows open to
allow sunlight to enter your home; and close them at night to reduce the
chill from cold windows.
For cell phone users, charge your phone using a car adapter that hooks into
the cigarette lighter, instead of using the charger that plugs into a wall
outlet.
Retrofit incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient compact fluorescent
(CFL) light bulbs. Seventy percent of what comes off the 100-watt bulb is
heat, not light.
If possible, avoid using major household appliances (washer, dryer and oven)
during the peak periods of energy demand.
Install a clock thermostat. You can program it to keep the temperature
automatically set to 68 degrees or less when the house is occupied and,
health permitting, 55 degrees or off at night.
Turn down the water heater temperature to the "warm" setting or about 120
degrees, and try to avoid wasting hot water.
Use cold-water wash cycle for more loads of laundry.
An electric toothbrush does not need to be plugged in all the time, and will
remain charged for days after being unplugged.
Connect your PC, monitor, fax machine and computer "peripherals" to one
power strip, and then turn off that power strip when not in use and every
night.
Install separate switches for smaller areas. Often in large buildings,
dozens of lights are controlled by a single switch, and not all of them need
to be on. These lights can be rewired into smaller groups of lights on
independent switches. This way only those that are needed can be turned on.
Make sure warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators are not
blocked by furniture, carpeting, or drapes.
Switch off the "drying" cycle on your dishwasher.
Line dry your clothes instead of using a clothes dryer.
Reduce heating costs by closing a door to an unoccupied room or area that is
isolated from the rest of the office or house.
Dust off light bulbs. Dirty, greasy, smoky light bulbs can reduce light
output by as much as 10 percent. You,ll avoid the tendency of switching to a
stronger bulb, which will use more energy.
Maintain the right temperature in your refrigerator and freezer.
Refrigerators can use up to 20% of the total electricity in your home. The
refrigerator should be set between 38F (3C) and 42F (6C). The freezer
should be set between 0F (-31C) and 5F (-26C).
Clean the condenser coils at least twice a year. Dust and pet hair can build
up and cause the refrigerator motor to work harder. The coils are located on
the bottom or the backside of most models.
Take a shower instead of a bath. The average bath uses twice as much hot
water as a five-minute shower.
Fax and copy only when really necessary. Sometimes we take advantage of
these common luxuries, but there was a day when we didn,t have them. If you
must make copies, make all you need in one batch, then turn the machine off
if you know it won,t be needed again soon.
Open freight doors only when needed. When trucks are actively being loaded
or unloaded, leave the doors open. As soon as the job is done, close the
doors to conserve energy.
Take the stairs; instead of the elevator. You,ll save energy and get a
little exercise to boot.
Turn your heater(s) down when you're using your fireplace, and don't forget
to close the damper when you're not using the fireplace.
Replace incandescent bulbs with fluorescent lamps, and save on approximately
30-38 percent of your lighting costs
Always wash full loads in the dishwasher and air-dry dishes on the "energy
saver" setting.
Shorten the pumping cycle on your outdoor pool and shift it to off-peak
demand times.
Enter and exit quickly. Every time an exterior door opens, a large amount of
heat escapes, and cold air replaces it. Open outside doors as little as
possible, and when you do, do so quickly. You also can use this as an excuse
to send door-to-door solicitors on their way.
Switch off instant water heater in kitchen sink.
Circulate heated air. Since warm air rises, it tends to be trapped in the
highest areas of your home. A ceiling or portable fan running at a very low
speed can help distribute warm air more evenly and reduce the desire to turn
the heat up.
Use task lighting. If you,re working diligently at a desk or workbench,
other light in the room could be turned off or dimmed.
Defrost food in the refrigerator. Instead of defrosting food on the counter
where it may spoil, or in the microwave where it will use extra energy,
place it in the refrigerator 24 hours before you need it. This will help
keep the temperature down in the refrigerator while it thaws.
Use microwaves for most cooking. A microwave does small and medium cooking
jobs more efficiently than an oven or range top. Follow a recipe for
suggested cooking time and don,t cook foods longer than needed.