SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — San Diego Gas and Electric customers are experiencing sticker shock after receiving their most recent monthly bill for the utility company.
So, what's going on?
Back in December, SDG&E notified its customers rates would be going up effective Jan. 1.
Officials cited a number of reasons for the hike including wildfire mitigation, growth of public benefit programs that give bill discounts to low-income families, as well as the higher cost of natural gas, which is a worldwide issue, as demand has outpaced supply.
On average, SDG&E customers are paying 7.8% more for electricity and 24.6% more for gas. Add in a cold December, and people's bills went up even more.
According to SDG&E's website, here are some helpful tips to save energy at home:
No Cost Tips
- Adjust the thermostat
- Switch to time use - consider switching to a Time of Use (TOU) pricing plan. With TOU, there's no High Usage Charge and each day is broken into on-peak and off-peak time zones, with energy costing less during the off-peak hours.
- Sign up for bill assistance
- Sign up for level bill pay
- Block direct sunlight in the summer
- Target your top opportunities - to save energy and money with the online energy management tools you'll fin in "My Account."
- Get alerts
- View one-minute tip videos
- Power down - turn off or set office equipment to power down when not in use. According to SDG&E, turning off one computer and monitor nightly and on weekends can save up to $80 a year.
- Lower the thermostat on your water heater - 120° F is sufficient for most common uses.
Low-Cost Tips
- Switching from A/C to fans
- Freshen A/C filers regularly
- Weatherstrip and caulk
- Use LEDs
- Filter your swimming pool for less
- Use a pool or spa cover
- Install occupancy sensors
- Install programmable thermostats
- Invest in energy-efficient equipment
WATCH RELATED: San Diego Gas and Electric raises rates; customers experiencing sticker shock (January 2022)
