LOS ANGELES, March 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) today announced its customers saved $56.1 million in 2018 on their annual natural gas bills through SoCalGas' energy efficiency programs. The energy savings also reduced greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to removing more than 57,000 cars from the road for a year.
"SoCalGas prides itself on providing affordable energy. By giving our customers the programs and tools they need to purchase high efficiency gas appliances and make their existing gas appliances more efficient, customers can both lower their bills and curb carbon emissions," said Dan Rendler, director of customer programs and assistance at SoCalGas.
SoCalGas energy efficiency programs include offering rebates on hundreds of home appliances and products that help conserve energy and reduce costs. Customers can apply for rebates quickly and easily from a mobile device.
An energy efficient appliance, over its lifetime, will save customers thousands of dollars in energy bills. A tankless water heater can save about $1,500 over its lifetime and a traditional water heater about $200. An energy efficient furnace will use about $550 less natural gas over its lifetime. Smart thermostats, which can learn a customer's schedule and temperature preferences to adjust the temperature in the home accordingly, can save $125.
Customers can use the website SoCalGas Marketplace to find and compare energy efficient products. The site points users to rebates of $75 on select smart thermostats and Energy Star natural gas dryers, $200 on select water heaters and furnaces and up to $75 on select washing machines.
SoCalGas continues to be a leader in researching and developing new technologies that improve energy efficiency and protect the environment. Between 2013 and 2017, SoCalGas energy efficiency programs delivered more than 154 million therms in energy savings, enough to power 309,000 households a year, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) by more than 820,000 metric tons, the equivalent of removing nearly 175,000 cars from the road. These advances have also helped save SoCalGas customers more than $164 million in utility bill costs.
To learn more about SoCalGas energy efficiency programs and services, visit socalgas.com or call 800-427-2200.
About SoCalGas
Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas® is the largest natural gas distribution utility in the United States. SoCalGas delivers affordable, reliable, clean and increasingly renewable natural gas service to 21.8 million customers across 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California, where more than 90 percent of residents use natural gas for heating, hot water, cooking, drying clothes or other uses. Natural gas delivered through the company's pipelines also plays a key role in providing electricity to Californians— about 45 percent of electric power generated in the state comes from gas-fired power plants.
SoCalGas' vision is to be the cleanest natural gas utility in North America, delivering affordable and increasingly renewable energy to its customers. In support of that vision, SoCalGas is committed to replacing 20 percent of its traditional natural gas supply with renewable natural gas (RNG) by 2030. Renewable natural gas is made from waste created by dairy farms, landfills and wastewater treatment plants. SoCalGas is also committed to investing in its natural gas system infrastructure while keeping bills affordable for our customers. From 2014 through 2018, the company invested nearly $6.5 billion to upgrade and modernize its natural gas system to enhance safety and reliability. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (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
