Residents ease up on use in anticipation of a 40 to 50 percent
rise in gas and electric bills this month
Gilroy – When the Gorman family received their Pacific Gas & Electric Company bill this month, they were prepared. Since the warnings first came out about soaring heating and electric bills this winter, the Church Street residents did all they could to avoid turning up the thermostat.
“When we heard about the fact that it was going to jump so high it was sweaters and the fireplace,” said Traci Gorman. The thermostat is programmed to switch on once the house goes below 60 degrees and the family uses gas for almost everything they own – the dryer, the oven, the stove – “because gas was cheapest at the time…” Gorman said.
Nevertheless, their heating bill increased about 50 percent and their electric bill was even higher. Their bill went up from $115 in November to more than $200 in December.
They aren’t the only ones feeling the pinch.
Many of PG&E’s 4.1 million natural gas customers in California will notice a spike in their gas bills this month.
“The primary reason for the increase that customers are seeing on their bills is a result of the hurricanes that hit last year,” said Jeff Smith, a PG&E spokesperson. “When all the natural gas production went off-line in the Gulf Coast, it created competition and has driven up the market prices … The bills are expected to be 40 to 50 percent higher than last year.”
The total average January gas bill is $156.42, however, the rate peak occurred in October with rates about 70 percent more than in the same time in 2004. According to Smith, consumers didn’t notice the October increase as much because they aren’t usually turning on the heat until later in the winter season.
To lower bills, PG&E officials recommend turning the thermostat down to 68 degrees during the day, and to 56 degrees at night or while outside the house.
“If you can lower the thermostat to those temperatures, it will do wonders,” Smith said.
Ted Uchida, owner of Zen Flower Garden, is one individual who has taken conservation advice to heart.
Though he leases out most of his greenhouses, the one on Monterey Street isn’t the balmy atmosphere one would expect. Uchida’s gas bill nearly doubled compared to last year.
“We’re not even heating this greenhouse this month. It’s just not worth it,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, we’re just trying to make sure that our plants don’t freeze – that’s all we can do.”
Small heaters have been placed in the 10,000-square-foot greenhouse to prevent temperatures from dropping below 40 degrees.
“As far as growers are concerned, it is not worth putting (the heat) on in greenhouses,” Uchida said.
City hall officials are also doing what they can to tighten purse strings.
A 10-year-old energy conservation plan has been revived with new vigor in lieu of the price spike.
Employees are encouraged to layer clothing, turn off computers and lights when not in the room, and reduce the thermostat in their offices by a few degrees, said Environmental Programs Coordinator Lisa Jensema.
Space heaters are not allowed.
“We were talking about putting locks on their (thermostat) boxes so people couldn’t go two degrees higher or lower for efficiency,” she said. “Sometimes just small tweaks to your thermostat and you don’t even know it … People don’t mind so far.”
The city’s Energy Conservation Committee will meet next week to discuss additional options to save energy.
Jensema didn’t turn on the heat in her house until Dec. 1 in anticipation of the price hike.
“This time of year is difficult, because people will be getting their (holiday) credit card bills at the same time,” she said. “Normally, we have all these lawn ornaments with lights, but we didn’t even put them out this year … it wasn’t worth it.”
But even the rising energy costs couldn’t stop Orchard Drive resident Larry Pierotti from decking out his home for the Chamber of Commerce’s holiday home decorating contest. He even added a few this year.
“It’s for fun, it’s for the kids, I didn’t want to be the Grinch. You just bite the bullet and pay it,” he said.
Pierotti paid $450 to $550 in December last year. This year, he anticipates the cost to rise.
“We’re expecting it, we just don’t know what the damage will be yet,” he said.
Energy Conservation Tips
– Insulate your home.
– Turn down the thermostat on your hot water heater and use less hot water. Insulate your hot water heater.
– mReplace single-pane windows with double-pane windows.
– Open your curtains on sunny days and let the sunshine naturally heat your home.
– Buy energy-efficient products labeled ENERGY STAR.
– Run dishwashers and dryers when full, let dishes dry naturally.
– Set computers to energy savings mode that turn off when not in use.
– Fix defective plumbing or dripping faucets.
– Caulk windows and shades to prevent air from coming inside.
Online
PG&E offers a number of rebates and incentives for those who reduce their energy usage. For more information, go to www.pge.com
