SAN DIEGO, Dec. 11, 2013 – A combination of factors eased the strain on Southern California’s natural gas supplies, prompting San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) to lift the strong request for customers to conserve energy.

“We would like to thank our customers for taking steps to conserve energy, especially natural gas, to help ensure we had adequate natural gas supplies to get us through this extremely cold weather pattern without any disruption to natural gas or electricity services,” said Caroline Winn, vice president of customer services and chief customer privacy officer for SDG&E.

While the immediate need for conservation has been alleviated, SDG&E customers can continue to take simple measures to save on their winter heating costs while staying warm this winter:

1. Lower the furnace thermostat 3 to 5 degrees, health permitting. 
2. Clean or replace furnace filters before and during the heating season or according to manufacturer recommendations.
3. A gas fireplace is not an efficient primary heating source of a whole home. Limit use of a gas fireplace and be sure the gas is turned off when not in use.
4. Have home air ducts tested for leaks and sealed, if needed.
5. Caulk and weather-strip drafty windows and doors.
6. Close curtains at night to help keep heat indoors and open them during the day to let the sun in, to naturally heat the home.
7. Water heaters also consume a lot of natural gas, so using less hot water means savings on your energy bill.  Customers can save by using energy-efficient water heaters, taking shorter, cooler showers and using cold or cool water when washing clothes.
8. Fix leaky faucets to prevent hot water from being wasted and run the dishwasher only when full.
9. Install low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators.
10. Visit sdge.com/rebates to apply for available rebates on highly-efficient water heaters, and wall insulation when purchasing new home appliances or upgrades. 

Additionally, residential customers can sign up for a weekly energy-use summary email to see how much energy they used each day during the previous week —log into My Account, click on My Energy, and click on “Sign Up for Energy Use Alerts” under “Related Links.” Customers can also view gas usage and monthly comparisons on My Account.  For more winter safety and savings tips, visit sdge.com/winter.

SDG&E is a regulated public utility that provides safe and reliable energy service to 3.4 million consumers through 1.4 million electric meters and 861,000 natural gas meters in San Diego and southern Orange counties. The utility’s area spans 4,100 square miles. SDG&E is committed to creating ways to help customers save energy and money every day. SDG&E is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), a Fortune 500 energy services holding company based in San Diego.  Connect with SDG&E’s Customer Contact Center at 800-411-7343, on Twitter (@SDGE) and Facebook.

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