New Eligibility Guidelines Open SoCalGas Energy Savings Assistance Program to More Customers

Rhea-AI Summary

On July 1, 2022, Southern California Gas Co. (SRE) announced expanded eligibility for its Energy Savings Assistance Program. New guidelines raise income limits to 250% of federal poverty levels, allowing more customers to qualify for no-cost energy-efficient home improvements. This change could benefit families earning up to $69,375 annually. The program offers services like furnace repairs and insulation, potentially saving customers up to 20% on their natural gas bills. However, the program's budgets often remain underutilized, with hundreds of millions unspent each year.

Positive

• Expanded eligibility for the Energy Savings Assistance Program allows families earning up to $69,375 to access no-cost energy improvements.
• Customers could save up to 20% on their natural gas bills with energy efficiency upgrades.
• More than 1.6 million homes have already benefited from the program since its inception in 2002.

Negative

• Program budgets are frequently underutilized, with hundreds of millions of dollars going unspent annually.

Recently enacted California law increases customer access to no-cost energy-saving home improvements which support SoCalGas' efforts to lead the transition to a clean energy system

LOS ANGELES, July 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) announced that as of July 1, 2022, more customers will now be eligible for no-cost energy-saving home improvements through the Energy Savings Assistance Program. The new guidelines expand eligibility criteria for customers whose income is up to 250% of federal poverty guidelines, compared to the previous criteria of up to 200%. A family of four that earns up to $69,375, will now be eligible for no-cost energy efficiency upgrades. The previous income eligibility guidelines were up to $55,500 for a family of four. 

The ESA program provides attic insulation, furnace repair or replacement, clothes washer, water heater repair or replacement, water heater blankets, door weather stripping, caulking, low-flow showerheads, faucet aerators, minor repairs to doors and windows, and other services to eligible customers.

Customers could save up to 20% annually on their natural gas bill depending on the energy efficiency upgrades performed. More than 1.6 million homes have been enrolled in the program since 2002.

Customers can qualify for the Energy Savings Assistance Program based on having one individual in the home who falls under the income guidelines or participates in a public assistance program like Medi-Cal/Medicaid, CalFresh, the National School Lunch Program, among others. The program is open to renters and homeowners, and income levels are updated annually to adjust for federal poverty guidelines.  

"SoCalGas is leading the transition to a more resilient energy future by providing customers with affordable, more sustainable energy. Through the Energy Savings Assistance Program, we can offer long-term, energy-efficient home improvements to customers that will lower their costs and reduce a household's environmental footprint. The program's expanded guidelines will allow more SoCalGas customers to save energy and save money and help us collectively reach clean energy goals," said Brian Prusnek, SoCalGas' Director of Customer Programs and Assistance.

The Energy Savings Assistance Program's revised income guidelines were the result of Senate Bill 756, authored by San Diego Senator Ben Hueso (D-40). "The ESA program is an important tool for our state in the fight against climate change," said Senator Hueso. "Energy efficiency upgrades reduce energy utility bills, increase a family's quality of life and comfort, support economic development, and move the state closer toward its climate goals. However, the ESA program budgets are routinely not fully expended – often with hundreds of millions of dollars remaining unspent each year. This new law will remedy that by expanding eligibility to include more low-income customers."

"My family and I are very happy and grateful for the weatherization repairs SoCalGas and their contractor ACSGROUP provided to our home," said Veronica Medrano, a SoCalGas customer from Montclair. "We received a new furnace, and they installed a new water heater and we also qualified for a new washing machine. Our home is now more energy efficient. This program has changed our lives."

Another SoCalGas customer assistance program is the California Alternative Rates for Energy (CARE) program, which will continue to provide a 20% discount on the monthly natural gas bill for customers who participate in certain public assistance programs or fall within 200% of federal poverty guidelines. A family of four that earns up to $55,500 is now eligible for the discount.

To learn about SoCalGas' customer assistance programs, including the CARE program, or to sign up for the Energy Savings Assistance Program, visit socalgas.com/assistance  or call (800) 331-7593. Information is available in the following languages: Chinese, Hmong, Korean, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

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 dairy farms, 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. 

 

 

 

 

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SOURCE Southern California Gas Company

FAQ

What are the new eligibility guidelines for SoCalGas Energy Savings Assistance Program as of July 2022?

The new guidelines allow customers with incomes up to 250% of federal poverty levels to qualify for the Energy Savings Assistance Program, up from the previous limit of 200%.

How much can customers potentially save on their natural gas bills through the Energy Savings Assistance Program?

Customers could save up to 20% annually on their natural gas bills depending on the energy efficiency upgrades performed.

What types of home improvements does the Energy Savings Assistance Program offer?

The program offers services such as attic insulation, furnace repair or replacement, and low-flow showerheads, among others.

How many homes have enrolled in the Energy Savings Assistance Program since 2002?

More than 1.6 million homes have enrolled in the program since its launch in 2002.

Who qualifies for the SoCalGas Energy Savings Assistance Program?

Customers qualify if their income meets the new guidelines or if they participate in certain public assistance programs.