Letters to the Editor: SoCalGas’ outrageous bills are a good excuse to electrify everything

To the editor: I had to stop heating my home, because for each of the last three months my bills from the Southern California Gas Co. have doubled. If I had continued to heat my home, I’d be living in fear of what I would have to pay SoCalGas in March. (“Angry about your gas bill? Spikes follow big raises for California utility executives,” Feb. 3)

But after reading about the salary and benefits for the chief executive of Sempra Energy, the parent company of SoCalGas, I would rather be cold than think I could be paying into his outrageous compensation.

Further, it has now given me the incentive to change to an electric stove top, put in solar panels to heat my water and to use an electric space heater only in the room I am occupying. If the natural gas utility is no longer economical, let’s get rid of it.

Ila Tanchuk, Sherman Oaks

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To the editor: I opened a mailer from SoCalGas saying that my bill was higher this month because I used more gas than efficient homes. It was my fault. There was no mention of cold-weather usage.

I was hoping SoCalGas would also include information on the recent indulgent raises for its parent company executives compared to their many customers’ outrageous bills during the past months.

Of course the executives would have us believe that our bills and their compensation are not their fault. Our bills are our fault because we’re not efficient, and their compensation isn’t their fault because the shareholders decide what they make.

No worry though; we taxpayers will get some relief from the state. Will Sempra’s top executives receive a downward adjustment in compensation to contribute to the cost of our rebate, or will they keep their money?

Mary Sikonia, Manhattan Beach

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To the editor: I support Gov. Gavin Newsom’s call for an inquiry into the cost of natural gas.

I just received a nice letter from SoCalGas noting that my gas use for the month was “good,” and that our gas use had decreased from the same time last year. Nevertheless, our monthly bill increased from about $270 then to more than $800 now.

And this from a “regulated” industry.

Joe Hilberman, Westwood

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To the editor: Following my most recent monthly gas bill of $515.53, SoCalGas has generously offered the helpful advice that “reducing average shower time by one minute” can save me up to $10 per year.

Trevor Thompson, Echo Park