From Watts Up With That?

Essay by Eric Worrall

As energy prices in coal states remain steady, California is continuing its green energy revolution plan to bankrupt residents with out of control price rises.

SoCalGas January Bills are Likely to Be Shockingly High. Here’s What to Know

Check your January SoCalGas bill: the company made the announcement right before the New Year, and customers should be seeing the surge right about now.

By Heather Navarro • Published January 6, 2023 • Updated on January 6, 2023 at 11:49 pm

Bad news, natural gas users — so basically everyone: SoCalGas announced gas bills would be more than double, going up 128% from December to January. 

…

Why is my SoCalGas bill so high?

SoCalGas said the reason behind the bills — which for one NBCLA digital producer went from $27 to $118 — is the unprecedented cold snap that drove up natural gas prices in the western region. 

SoCalGas also shared examples of bills customers might see. 

Residential peak bill last winter	Peak bill this winter
$65	$160
$130	$315

“We understand that our customers are starting to feel the pain caused by large changes in the natural gas market,” SoCalGas Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer Gillian Wright said. “And we also recognize that we owe it to our customers to provide them with as many tools and tips as possible to help them find ways to prepare for colder weather and higher winter bills, including financial assistance in some cases.”  

…Read more: https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/socalgas-january-bill-shockingly-high-heres-what-to-know/3068590/

Last September, ABC reported one in four SoCal customers can’t pay their energy bills.

More than one in four SoCal families are unable to pay energy bills. Heat waves may make it worse

During the early September heat wave, SoCal electricity prices rose to more than double prices in August, federal numbers show.

By Christiane Cordero and Grace Manthey 
Wednesday, September 28, 2022

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — With temperatures climbing yet again this week, the power grid isn’t the only thing strained.

According to an ABC7 analysis of the most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey, more than a third of families in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties had to reduce basic necessities, such as food or medicine, to pay an energy bill.

More than a quarter were unable to pay their energy bills in full at least once in the last year, and 24% kept their home at what they felt was an unhealthy or unsafe temperature.

…Read more: https://abc7.com/how-do-i-get-help-with-my-utility-bill-much-power-costs-increase-during-heat-waves-many-people-are-struggling-to-pay-their-electric-bills/12272588/

Back in 2021, California Governor Newsom announced a fracking ban by 2024 and an end to oil extraction by 2045. Even though these bans have not yet come into force, Newsom is not exactly laying out the welcome mat to new fossil fuel investment.

Remember back when California was the land of opportunity? Who in their right mind would set up an energy intensive business in California today?

All this pain is self inflicted. All Californians have to do to end the pain is vote for candidates who support energy sanity, welcome back fossil fuel extraction, and bring down energy prices.