IID Expands Power-Saving Program to Reach More Customers

-Editorial 

The Imperial Irrigation District Board of Directors on Aug. 4 approved an expansion of its Shift & Save! program, continuing financial incentives for residential customers who voluntarily enroll in the district’s Time-of-Use electric rate while establishing a goal of reaching 6,000 participating customers.

The action authorizes the continuation of the program, which IID launched as part of its 2026 Summer Savings initiative to encourage customers to shift electricity use away from weekday peak demand hours. The program is intended to help customers lower their electric bills while reducing strain on the power grid during periods of high demand, particularly during the summer.

The board’s action continues a $250 bill credit for eligible existing residential customers who voluntarily enroll in the Shift & Save! program. Beginning Oct. 1, residential customers who have not previously enrolled will have the option of signing up for the Time-of-Use rate and receiving a one-time $100 bill credit or remaining on the district’s standard residential rate without receiving the incentive. Enrollment will remain voluntary, with no default enrollment for residential customers.

The board also approved the use of available 2026 Public Benefits funding and authorized up to $950,000 from the district’s Public Benefits Charge reserve to support the expanded program. In addition, directors authorized General Manager Jamie Asbury to take the actions necessary to implement the program.

Under IID’s residential Time-of-Use rate, electricity costs vary depending on when energy is consumed. Customers are encouraged to shift activities such as charging electric vehicles, running dishwashers, doing laundry and operating other major household appliances outside the weekday on-peak period of 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday. Weekends and eligible holidays remain off-peak throughout the day.

IID reported the program has exceeded initial participation expectations, with 3,706 residential customers currently enrolled in Shift & Save! Enrollment increased significantly following the launch of the district’s promotional campaign earlier this year, with thousands of customers signing up to participate.

According to IID, the current level of participation has reduced peak electricity demand by approximately 25 megawatts. Lowering demand during peak hours helps decrease the amount of electricity IID must purchase on the open market, resulting in estimated annual savings of $3 million to $4 million while improving system reliability during periods of extreme heat.

As part of the presentation, IID shared an example of a participating household shifting electric vehicle charging and other high-energy activities to off-peak hours. According to IID, the customer reduced monthly electricity costs by $72.42 in one billing cycle and accumulated total savings of $200.64 over the previous 12 months while reducing electricity use during peak demand periods.

The board first discussed the proposed expansion during its July 7 meeting. Staff revised the proposal before bringing it back for final approval on Aug. 4 after receiving feedback from board members.

IID said implementation of the expanded program will build on its existing enrollment process and include customer outreach through news releases, bill inserts, digital marketing, social media, community events and an online enrollment portal. A dedicated message area on customer bills will also be used to promote participation.

The expanded program is designed to provide customers with greater flexibility in managing electricity costs while helping maintain the reliability of IID’s electric system during periods of increased demand. IID’s goal is to increase enrollment from the current 3,706 participants to 6,000 residential customers in the Time-of-Use program.