SAN DIEGO, Oct. 27, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) today received approval from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for the utility to expand its efforts to help low-income customers this winter. An additional 47,500 customers will be eligible to receive a 20-percent rate discount on their natural gas bill under the money-saving California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) program.
SDG&E is working to help customers manage their energy bills and what may be record-high natural gas prices this winter, caused by a very tight supply-demand balance in the national market.
"Today's CPUC action will help us do even more to help protect customers this winter from expected higher energy bills," said Anne Smith, senior vice president of customer services for SDG&E. "We applaud the CPUC for acting so quickly to help us expand our efforts."
Among the approved actions, SDG&E will raise the income guidelines for eligibility in the CARE program, which is based on household size and annual income. More customers now qualify for the program. The new income guidelines are based on the federal poverty levels adopted by the CPUC. For example, any customer living alone or with another person could have a maximum household income of $27,700 per year and qualify for CARE, up from $24,200.
Last year, SDG&E's CARE customers saved, on average, $185 annually with the discounted rate. More than 196,000 customers in SDG&E's service area are currently enrolled in the CARE program.
The CPUC also approved SDG&E's request to streamline the enrollment process by suspending requirements for certain customer documentation and expanding outreach efforts, in order to expedite and increase customer participation in the CARE program. Expanded CARE outreach includes a targeted campaign to enroll eligible customers by phone.
The CPUC will allow SDG&E to increase the replacement of low-efficiency natural gas forced-air furnaces and refrigerators with high-efficiency units to provide energy and cost savings for customers eligible for its Direct Assistance Program (DAP). DAP is an energy-efficiency program that provides home weatherization services at no cost to income-qualified customers.
The CPUC also approved SDG&E's natural gas-hedging plan that will help lessen the impacts of severe price spikes this winter. SDG&E will dedicate a portion of its hedging plan, which is like an insurance policy, to its CARE customers. This hedging-insurance plan is needed to help protect customers against price run-ups if unforeseen conditions develop in the market.
Meanwhile, SDG&E will initiate for the winter flexible credit procedures for low-income customers experiencing difficulties paying their bills, including a no shut-off policy for those customers who make minimum payments and the waiver of certain fees, and increasing its contribution to funds to help needy customers pay bills.
SDG&E continues to urge all customers to conserve the use of energy, and take advantage of all available programs and services it offers to assist customers in managing energy costs this winter.
To learn more about CARE and to download an application, customers can visit SDG&E at www.sdge.com. To apply, customers can call SDG&E at 1-800-411-SDGE (7343).
SDG&E offers a wide variety of residential programs offering bill-payment assistance, appliance and home improvement rebates, and energy audits to help customers save money and energy.
SDG&E is a regulated public utility that provides safe and reliable energy service to 3.3 million consumers through 1.3 million electric meters and more than 800,000 natural gas meters. The company's service territory encompasses 4,100 square miles in San Diego and southern Orange counties. Exceptional customer service is a priority of SDG&E as it seeks to enhance the region's quality of life. SDG&E is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE). Sempra Energy, based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company. To learn more, go to www.sdge.com.