LOS ANGELES, Nov. 30, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern
California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) today announced a new conservation
notification program designed to reduce consumers' natural gas use
to lower the risk of possible natural gas and electricity shortages
this winter. Beginning December 1,
2016, a "SoCalGas Advisory" will be issued by SoCalGas under
specific conditions, such as when demand for natural gas is
projected to potentially exceed supply. Similar to the "Flex
Alert" program used by the California Independent System Operator
(CAISO), which issues calls for consumers to reduce electricity
usage during high-demand periods, SoCalGas Advisories will ask
customers to reduce their natural gas use. The program was launched
to help address state agencies' concerns about regional energy
reliability this winter due to the moratorium on injection
operations at Aliso Canyon.
"With the limited availability of natural gas from the Aliso
Canyon storage facility at this time, there is less natural gas
locally to heat homes and produce electricity, particularly during
high-usage periods," said Lisa
Alexander, SoCalGas' vice president of customer solutions
and communications. "This new conservation program can not only
help families save money, it could also help address the risk of
regional electricity and heating outages this winter."
SoCalGas customers will be asked to sign up to receive SoCalGas
Advisory notifications by email or text. If a SoCalGas Advisory is
called, customers will be asked to conserve by lowering their
thermostats to 68 degrees or below, waiting a day to use natural
gas appliances and washing clothes in cold water when possible.
In Southern California more
than 95 percent of homeowners use natural gas for heat and hot
water. In addition, approximately 60 percent of electricity used in
Southern California is generated
with natural gas. In past years, Aliso Canyon storage
facility has played a key role in supplying reliable, low-cost
natural gas to both small and large customers in the LA Basin. Gas
withdrawn from Aliso also fuels 17 Southern California power plants, making this
facility vital to electric grid reliability. Aliso Canyon helps
reduce the risk of interruptions that could impact a wide range of
customers during the winter season. Thus, the California Public
Utilities Commission called for the SoCalGas Advisory program as
part of the state's ongoing efforts to promote natural gas
reliability this winter.
In addition to alerts, the program will also include a pilot
test to evaluate the effectiveness of offering rebates as
incentives to motivate customers to use less natural gas during a
SoCalGas Advisory; the pilot program will be offered on a limited
basis to select groups of customers.
SoCalGas is also encouraging customers to save energy and money
by using its online analysis tools. To understand their energy
usage and charges, customers can log in or register for My Account
at socalgas.com and visit the "Ways to Save" section where they can
compare bills, analyze their gas usage, and create customized
energy savings plans.
The more than 5.7 million SoCalGas customers who have Advanced
Meters are able to access even more detailed information about
their hourly and daily gas usage and costs through the company's
"Analyze Usage" online tool available within the "Ways to Save"
section of My Account. These customers are also eligible to sign up
for weekly Bill Tracker Alerts—texted to their phones or sent via
email—to track their projected gas bill during their billing cycle.
More information on enrolling in Bill Tracker Alerts and other
billing tools is located at
socalgas.com/pay-bill/my-account.
More information on the SoCalGas Advisory program may be found
at socalgas.com/advisory.
About Southern California Gas Co.
Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) has been delivering
clean, safe and reliable natural gas to its customers for more than
145 years. It is the nation's largest natural gas distribution
utility, providing service to 21.6 million consumers connected
through 5.9 million meters in more than 500 communities. The
company's service territory encompasses approximately 20,000 square
miles throughout central and Southern
California, from Visalia to
the Mexican border. SoCalGas is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra
Energy (NYSE: SRE), a Fortune 500 energy services holding company
based in San Diego.
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SOURCE Southern California Gas Co.