A utility company in El Paso, Texas, now offers a program that pays homeowners to install backup battery systems and take pressure off the grid.
As KFOX14 reported, El Paso Electric's home-battery grid support program offers the opportunity to install whole-home backup batteries free of charge.
The purpose of the program is to relieve local strain on the power grid, especially on hot summer days. The utility company aims to make electricity more reliable amid growing demands without building new infrastructure.
Even if you don't live in El Paso, you can save significantly on energy costs and protect yourself from power outages by going off-grid with backup battery storage. EnergySage helps homeowners across the country explore their battery options and access competitive installation estimates.
If successful, the El Paso Electric program, in partnership with the energy company Base Power, will help reduce power outages caused by high heat, extreme storms, and rising electricity demand.
"El Paso Electric will be dispatching capacity from those battery systems to support grid outages or times of high demand, particularly when the grid is heavily strained in the summer months," said Liz Aragon from El Paso Electric.
During high-demand periods, the utility would gain access to homeowners' stored energy to support the grid. However, the company insisted that at least 20% of homeowners' batteries will be reserved for their own use. If a battery is well-charged when the grid power goes out, participating homeowners can receive up to 48 hours of outage protection.
El Paso Electric isn't charging homeowners anything to participate in this pilot program. In fact, it is offering additional incentives to qualifying customers, including up to $500 for two batteries with the standard setup.
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To help homeowners in other areas, EnergySage has partnered with the electrification company Qmerit to secure the best prices on home battery storage solutions.
Pila is another company that offers affordable battery backup options, including its plug-and-play batteries that are a fraction of the cost of whole-home backup systems.
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Save $1,000 this year 💸 In El Paso, despite some skepticism, there's a growing interest in the local utility program, with residents looking to learn more and get involved.
"They're gonna have to pay me monthly to install that on my property," one KFOX14 reader commented on the news. "Not just a one-time fee."
"It sounds like a really good idea, especially if there's a $500 incentive and it's free," one El Paso resident said. "It almost sounds too good to be true."
Local homeowners can check whether they qualify for the program and apply through the Base Power website.
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