SoCalGas partners with Google Nest, Southeast Community Development Corporation, Alma Family Services, and All Peoples Community Center to prepare customers for rising costs, also donating 500 energy efficient smart thermostats

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In anticipation of cooler winter temperatures, Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) is preparing customers with energy-saving tips, customer assistance programs and additional resources to help manage energy usage and utility costs.

"Having access to valuable educational resources and tools provides our community an opportunity to learn how to manage their energy usage and lower monthly costs," said City of Bell Mayor Monica Arroyo. "It's wonderful to see organizations take the lead towards a more sustainable future."

With the support of Southeast Community Development Corporation's (SCDC) Mobile Technology Center, SoCalGas helped seniors sign up for SoCalGas' Ways to Save Tool. The partnership focused on ensuring customers are better equipped to effectively manage their energy usage and harness cost-savings measures as winter approaches.

The Ways to Save Tool provides customers with:

• Personalized recommendations with individual customers' unique energy-saving opportunities,
• Rebate and incentive information,
• Bill comparisons to allow customers to analyze their gas usage over time, and
• Energy comparisons to determine how customers' energy use compares to that of homes in similar neighborhoods.

With the support of SCDC's Mobile Technology Center, a traveling mobile lab that features multimedia laptops and technology resources, SoCalGas staff was able to offer in-person step-by-step training for participating individuals to guide them through user-friendly online tools and resources like the Ways to Save Tool.

"SoCalGas is committed to helping customers prepare for and navigate the upcoming colder weather and the increasing cost of energy," said Don Widjaja, vice president of customer solutions. "It's important to make energy and cost savings easily accessible to everyone and our Ways to Save Tool is a free service designed to provide tips on how our customers can make minor behavioral adjustments, as well as maintain or upgrade equipment like installing a smart thermostat, that will equate to both energy and money savings."

As part of an ongoing commitment to sustainable and affordable energy, SoCalGas partnered with Google Nest to donate 500 ENERGY STAR® certified smart thermostats to families and individuals served by SCDC, Alma Family Services, and All Peoples Community Center. Smart thermostats are one of the simplest, most affordable ways to reduce energy consumption. Nest Thermostats are easy to use and have proven energy-saving features, like helping you create an energy-efficient temperature schedule.

"Our commitment towards sustainability can be seen throughout our operations and across our products and services. We are focused on implementing innovative features into our products to provide our customers with easy and accessible sustainable choices in their daily lives," said Aaron Berndt, head of energy industry partnerships at Google. "We are happy to partner with SoCalGas and local non-profit organizations to make sure individuals in need are provided with an easy and accessible choice to conserve energy."

While savings may vary depending on climate and personal preferences, among other factors, on average Google Nest thermostats can reduce an average of 10% to 12% on heating and 15% on cooling bills.

"Many individuals and families within our community struggle with enormous educational and financial barriers," said Emma Hernandez, executive director at SCDC. "I'm grateful to partner with organizations like SoCalGas and Google who have provided us with resources and materials to help overcome those barriers."

SoCalGas encourages customers to take advantage of energy-saving tips, customer assistance programs and additional resources, such as rebates and no-cost energy efficiency kits, to help manage utility costs this winter.

Tutorial Videos:
English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFkF5F8Ws5M
Spanish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riQ7XAdICv4&t=1s

*Independent studies showed that Nest thermostats saved people an average of 10% to 12% on heating and 15% on cooling. Individual savings are not guaranteed. Learn More.

About SoCalGas
Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas® is the largest gas distribution utility in the United States. SoCalGas delivers affordable, reliable, and increasingly renewable gas service to 21.8 million consumers across 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California. Gas delivered through the company's pipelines will continue to play a key role in California's clean energy transition—providing electric grid reliability and supporting wind and solar energy deployment.

SoCalGas' mission is to build the cleanest, safest and most innovative energy company in America. In support of that mission, SoCalGas aspires to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in its operations and delivery of energy by 2045 and to replacing 20 percent of its traditional natural gas supply to core customers with renewable natural gas (RNG) by 2030. Renewable natural gas is made from waste created by landfills, and wastewater treatment plants. SoCalGas is also committed to investing in its gas delivery infrastructure while keeping bills affordable for customers. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra (NYSE: SRE), an energy services holding company based in San Diego.

For more information visit socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas on Twitter (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas) and Facebook.

SOURCE Southern California Gas Company