PG&E’s customers in Northern California are noticing higher-than-normal gas rates on their energy bills. West Sacramento resident Timothy Allen said his recent bill was about $662, with more than $400 spent on gas. He said he’s doing whatever he can to save money right now…for the winter,” Allen said. “Last month I was paying like $200 for both gas and electricity and suddenly it skyrocketed like a rocket ship. I’m like, ‘What’s going on?'” Allen’s situation is an extreme case, but he’s not the only one experiencing rate hikes. KCRA 3 reached out to PG&E spokesperson Paul Moreno to ask what’s going on and what’s being done to help customers deal with these enormous costs. I was. There are several reasons. It’s been a very cold winter. demand is higher. higher utilization. Unfortunately, on the supply side, supplies are a little tight, with natural gas pipeline issues also impacting supply. As such, increased demand and tighter supply have resulted in considerably higher wholesale prices for natural gas. This means that utility companies such as PG&E will not increase the price of natural gas they charge their customers. This is a simple pass-through and unfortunately this means your customers will be billed higher.Q: How much are your customers charged on average? Moreno: In the wholesale market Higher prices for natural gas mean consumers are paying, which is 32% higher than last winter. This equates to an increase of about $79 per month. Q: What is PG&E doing to help customers deal with rising gas prices? am. If the vote goes well, that could be about a month or two early. Every April and his October, her PG&E customers and other utility customers in California get climate credits applied to their bills for both gas and electricity usage. Typically, in a year he has about $91 for both gas and electric credits that appear on his bill twice. PG&E stores natural gas during the summer months when prices are lower. Natural gas utilizes underground storage. These can help keep your gas bills down. Q: What can you do to save on your electricity bill? Keep it below degrees and, if your health permits, turn off the heater when you’re not home. And the door is tightly sealed. Weather stripping can be used to keep cold air out. On sunny days, open the drapes and shades to let the sunshine into your home to warm it up a bit, make sure your heater is working properly, and replace your furnace filter at least every three months. What else can I do? PG&E also offers a discount program for those who qualify. Some of these programs are based on income and medical needs.
PG&E’s customers in Northern California are noticing higher-than-normal gas prices for their energy bills.
West Sacramento resident Timothy Allen said his recent bill was about $662 and more than $400 was spent on gas. He said he is now doing whatever he can to save money so he can pay for the energy in his West Sacramento home.
“I’m not going to just go out and be mean, because right now I need to keep myself warm in the winter,” Allen said. I was paying about a dollar, and all of a sudden it took off like a rocket ship and I was like, ‘What’s going on?’
Allen’s situation is an extreme case, but he’s not the only one experiencing rate hikes. KCRA 3 went straight to PG&E spokesperson Paul Moreno to ask what was going on and what was being done to help customers cope with these enormous costs. rice field.
Q: Why are PG&E customers getting high gas bills?
Moreno: Natural gas prices are high for several reasons. It’s been a very cold winter. demand is higher. higher utilization. Unfortunately, on the supply side, supplies are a little tight, with natural gas pipeline issues also impacting supply. As such, increased demand and tighter supply have resulted in considerably higher wholesale prices for natural gas. This means that utility companies such as PG&E will not increase the price of natural gas they charge their customers. This is a simple pass-through and unfortunately this means a higher bill to the customer.
Q: How much are customers billed on average?
Moreno: Consumers will pay about 32% more this winter than they did last winter, due to higher prices for natural gas on the wholesale market. This equates to about $79 extra per month.
Q: What is PG&E doing to help customers deal with high gas costs?
Moreno: PG&E is working with lawmakers, policymakers and regulators to find ways to help our customers. And one potential relief is the California Climate Credits, which are usually issued in April. If the vote goes well, that could be about a month or two earlier.
Every April and October, PG&E customers and other utility customers in California get climate credits applied to their bills for both gas and electricity usage. Both gas and electric credits, which typically appear on your bill twice a year, are approximately $91. PG&E stores natural gas during the summer months when prices are lower. Natural gas utilizes underground storage. We use them to help keep gas prices down for our customers.
Q: What can customers do to save electricity bills?
Moreno: To reduce usage, we ask customers to wash their clothes in cold water, set the water heater thermostat to 120 degrees, keep the heater thermostat below 68 degrees, and turn off the heater if their health permits. increase. When you’re not home…you certainly want to make sure your windows and doors are tightly sealed. Weather stripping can be used to keep cold air out. On sunny days, open the drapes and shades to let the sunshine into your home to warm it up a bit, make sure your heater is working properly, and replace your furnace filter at least every three months. .
what else can i do?
PG&E also offers a discount program for those who qualify.Some of those programs are based on income Also medical needs.
PG&E says it can also extend due dates on bills and arrange payments.
