Get Monthly Bill Credits for
Reducing your Energy

Help prevent power outages, protect the environment and even earn monthly incentives with SDG&E’s Base Interruptible Program (BIP).

BIP

The Base Interruptible Program is now closed.

On December 20, 2023, after a thorough review, the California Public Utilities Commission approved SDG&E’s request to discontinue the Base Interruptible Program. 

How It Works

The Base Interruptible Program provides a monthly bill credit to businesses that commit to reducing their energy consumption to a predetermined level when extreme temperature conditions are impacting the system or during an emergency situation. Monthly credits of up to $6.30 per kW are available. 

Participating customers are notified no later than 20 minutes prior to an event. Customers must reduce load to their designated Firm Service Level (FSL) to avoid paying an Excess Energy Usage Charge. While the program can be activated any time of the year, it is typically activated during the extreme hot summer days and only when an emergency call for energy conservation takes place by the California Independent System Operator (CAISO).

Program Eligibility

Businesses that can reduce their electric load by 15% of their monthly average peak demand are eligible to participate in BIP. To maximize your savings potential, we'll develop a load reduction plan by helping determine the number of kilowatts you'll be able to reduce during an activation. 

Requirements and Conditions

All non-residential SDG&E customers including bundled, CCA and Direct Access are eligible to enroll and participate in our Base Interruptible program who can commit to reducing at least 15% of their monthly average peak demand.

Participants cannot receive incentives from more than one program for the same load reduction.

How to Sign Up

Sign up for the Base Interruptible program with SDG&E or through one of our third-party Demand Response Aggregators. New customers are enrolled on the 1st of every month.

 

Enroll with SDG&E

  1. Contact Us: SDG&E’s Base Interruptible Program Manager will confirm that your business is eligible to participate via email [email protected] or phone 1-866-377-4735 or for businesses with an Account Executive, please contact them first.
  2. Develop a load reduction plan: SDG&E will assist you with developing a load reduction plan. This will be completed by determining how much energy your business can reduce.
  3. Complete enrollment documents: Fill out and submit the following documents via email to [email protected] or to your Account Executive.
    1. BIP Contract
    2. Insurance declaration
    3. Load Reduction Plan/Firm Service Level - Discuss the best way to submit this with your Base Interruptible Program/Demand Response program manager or Account Executive.
  4. Review and schedule test: SDG&E will review the documentation and contact you to schedule a pre-enrollment test event through our authorized contractor PL Energy.
  5. You're approved: You’ll receive a welcome letter with the signed contract.

 

Enroll with a Third-Party Aggregator

You may participate in BIP through a third-party aggregator and not SDG&E. An aggregator is a commercial entity that provides demand response services and is appointed by the customer to assist with creating a demand response strategy to reduce their electric load.

There are currently no BIP aggregators. 

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Program Information

 

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BIP Contract
BIP Contract
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BIP Fact Sheet
BIP Fact Sheet