Spring 2015
  
In This Issue
Helpful Links
Bring Your "Green" to Work
Did you know that energy use in commercial buildings and manufacturing plants account for approximately half of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, nearly 50% of energy consumption nationwide and costs almost $200 billion for electricity and natural gas each year?
  
Here are a few simple actions and tips that employees on every level within an organization can use to help improve the energy performance of the buildings and offices in which they work.
  
Employees
Unplug it - unplug electronics such as cell phones and laptops once they are fully charged. Adapters plugged into outlets use energy even if they are not charging. Use a power strip to turn off all office electronics at once.
  
Executives
Take it to your team - get your organization started on the road to saving energy. Consider instituting an official energy policy or setting up a team to get feedback from your employees on what ideas they may have to save energy within your workplace. 
  
Small Businesses
Change your lights - replacing lighting is typically one of the easiest, most cost-effective ways to start making energy efficiency improvements. Replace older light bulbs with newer CFL or LED versions that will save energy, provide the same amount of light, last longer and generate less heat than conventional light bulbs. Visit www.CityofRC.us/RCMU for rebates and incentives.
  
Building Managers
Give your building a tune up - regularly examine building equipment, systems and maintenance procedures to make sure your building or office is operating as efficiently as possible. Inspect seals around ducts, windows and doors for leaks and have a tune-up of your HVAC system done on a regular basis to make sure it is operating at peak performance.
Rates Comparison and Updates

RCMU electric rates are very competitive with other local utilities and continue to be 8% to 22% (depending on rate class) lower than Southern California Edison (SCE) since the beginning of 2015. We are dedicated to supplying clean and reliable energy for the good of our community and our environment.

 

The California Public Utilities Commission sets "profitable" rates for investor-owned utilities like SCE. Meanwhile, the City of Rancho Cucamonga has its own not-for-profit municipal electric utility and the elected City Council oversees the utility's policy and pricing. RCMU is able to keep rates lower than the competition without sacrificing quality and reliability. A comparison of the rates can be viewed here.

 

As a reminder, summer rates begin June 1st and continue until October 1st each year. Certain rate classes will see an increase on their bills due to the Time Related Demand Charge. This charge is only applied during the summer season and helps recover part of the higher costs of providing electricity during the high demand summer season. 
Celebrate Earth Day with Healthy RC
Come celebrate a healthy earth on Saturday, March 28th from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Bank of America Imagination Courtyard and Paul A. Biane Library at Victoria Gardens.
  
This free event includes educational fun with hands-on exhibits, workshops and activities the entire family is sure to enjoy. Back by popular demand is Shred Fest, sponsored by Burrtec Waste Industries, that will securely shred your personal documents for free.  View Event Flyer  
Tips to Prepare for Power Outages
Electricity is an important factor in our lives and sometimes we forget how much we depend on it, until there is a natural disaster or unexpected outage that takes the power out for minutes, hours or even days. Although RCMU strives to provide reliable and uninterrupted service at all times, it is still a good idea to think about what you can do to be prepared for the unexpected. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
  • Keep your cell phone or laptop charged.
  • Always try to keep some extra cash on hand and your vehicle's gas tank at least half full in case ATMs or gas pumps are not working.
  • Know where the manual release lever of your electric garage door opener is located and how to operate it.
  • Turn off or disconnect appliances, equipment or electronics in use when the power went out. Power may fluctuate as it returns and could damage appliances. Keep one light on so you'll know when the power comes back.
  • Communicate with your power company - report outages and report whether your neighbor has lost power too.
News and Reminders
Mailing Address Reminder
If you pay your bill online through a banking institution or third party, please take a moment to verify the RCMU mailing address they have on file is correct. The address should be:
  
Rancho Cucamonga Municipal Utility
PO Box 4499
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91729-4499
  
  
Customer Fraud Alert
RCMU would like to continue to warn all customers of an on-going scam which directly targets utility customers.
Fun Facts About Electricity
  • The first power plant - owned by Thomas Edison - opened in New York City in 1882.
  • The first electric service to the area was located in what is now Rancho Cucamonga. It was provided by a small hydroelectric plant built by George Chaffey in 1882, which powered the first electric light bulb west of the Mississippi River.
  • Electricity travels at the speed of light - more than 186,000 miles per second.
  • A spark of static electricity can measure up to three thousand (3,000) volts. A bolt of lightning can measure up to three million (3,000,000) volts, and it lasts less than one second!
  • There are two basic groups of energy: renewable energy (biomass, geothermal, solar, water, and wind power) and nonrenewable (fossil fuels coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear). Three quarters of the world's energy is generated by burning fossil fuels.
  • A Kilowatt (kW) is a unit for measuring electrical power. 1,000 watts = 1 kilowatt. What's a Kilowatt hour? It's the energy consumed when using 1,000 watts of electricity for one full hour. 

Rancho Cucamonga Municipal Utility
10500 Civic Center Drive | Rancho Cucamonga, CA  91730
PO Box 4499 | Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91729-4499