LOS ANGELES, Oct. 27, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Southern California Gas Co. (The Gas Company) 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 212,000 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.
The Gas Company is working to help natural gas customers manage their bills in what may be record-high 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 natural gas bills," said Anne Smith, senior vice president of customer services for The Gas Company. "We applaud the CPUC for acting so quickly to help us expand our efforts."
Among the approved actions, The Gas Company 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, The Gas Company CARE customers saved, on average, $75 annually with the discounted rate. More than 1 million customers throughout The Gas Company's service area have enrolled in the CARE program.
The CPUC also approved The Gas Company'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 The Gas Company to increase the replacement of low-efficiency natural gas forced-air furnaces 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 The Gas Company's natural gas-hedging plan that will help lessen the impacts of severe price spikes this winter. The Gas Company 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, The Gas Company 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.
The Gas Company 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 The Gas Company's Web site at www.socalgas.com/residential/assistance/care.
To apply, customers can call The Gas Company's toll-free assistance lines: For English, (800) 427-2200, for Spanish language assistance, (800) 342-4545, for Mandarin language assistance, (800)-427-1429, for Korean language assistance, (800) 427-0471 and, for Vietnamese language assistance, (800) 427-0478.
The Gas Company 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.
The Gas Company is the nation's largest natural gas distribution utility, providing safe and reliable energy to 19.5 million consumers through 5.5 million meters. The company's service territory encompasses approximately 20,000 square miles in most of central and Southern California. The Gas Company strives to provide exceptional customer service to enhance the quality of life in the community. The Gas Company 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.socalgas.com.