California copes with high heating expenses

 Los Angeles Times:

Since the end of 2022, most of the words you've read in this space have been edited or written with stiff, frigid fingers. As with most people in Southern California who rely on fossil fuels to heat their homes — and as someone who does most of his work from home — I have been hit by higher bills from the Southern California Gas Co. So, I've set the thermostat to 55 degrees during the day and turned it off at night, only running the heater around the time my children wake up for school in the coldest part of the morning. It's unpleasant but manageable.

Over the last several weeks, readers have shared similar tales of donning down jackets and gloves indoors and still receiving shockingly high SoCalGas bills. Their letters are still coming in, though they've changed from mostly expressing only dismay to assigning blame.

Personally, I've channeled much of this angry energy into researching the cost of replacing my gas furnace with an electric-powered heat pump (which both heats and cools). Perhaps in three more Februarys, I'll be able to shed a layer.

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Paul Thornton
Sat, February 18, 2023 at 5:00 AM CST·4 min read




Long Beach resident Brent Eldridge, 48, received a $907.13 gas bill in January. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Since the end of 2022, most of the words you've read in this space have been edited or written with stiff, frigid fingers. As with most people in Southern California who rely on fossil fuels to heat their homes — and as someone who does most of his work from home — I have been hit by higher bills from the Southern California Gas Co. So, I've set the thermostat to 55 degrees during the day and turned it off at night, only running the heater around the time my children wake up for school in the coldest part of the morning. It's unpleasant but manageable.

Over the last several weeks, readers have shared similar tales of donning down jackets and gloves indoors and still receiving shockingly high SoCalGas bills. Their letters are still coming in, though they've changed from mostly expressing only dismay to assigning blame.

Personally, I've channeled much of this angry energy into researching the cost of replacing my gas furnace with an electric-powered heat pump (which both heats and cools). Perhaps in three more Februarys, I'll be able to shed a layer.

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To the editor: This recent price shock on our gas bills represents a failure of the free market.

In a genuine free market, consumers make choices about what they buy based on affordability. But hardly anyone was in a position to choose not to use natural gas as the prices shot up.

We simply don't have any other option. We're captive consumers, the suppliers' favorite kind, but it means the market is very much not free.

We absolutely need a better way. I suggest transitioning away from gas as soon as possible.

Cullen Davis, North Hollywood

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To the editor: A basic tenet of economics is the law of supply and demand. Our outrageous gas bills are the result of a shortage of natural gas at a time of peak demand.

Why is there a shortage? After all, California has plenty of natural gas in the ground, so why are we buying it from other states at high rates? The politicians who run our state are responsible for the shortage and the unbearable prices. The governor has waged war on fossil fuels.

The government officials and SoCalGas representatives I've contacted say lower my thermostat, use cold water in the laundry and turn down my water heater. They make it seem like it's our fault.

It's not our fault, it's theirs, and as a result many Californians are suffering through cold nights and high gas bills. So why do we keep reelecting the same people?

Jim Blumel, Newhall

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To the editor: After the sticker shock of December's natural gas usage, I turned the thermostat down from its usual 68 degrees and lowered the hot water heater. My January usage dropped by 25%, but my bill went up by 38%.

At the very least, public officials should reduce the taxes consumers are paying on natural gas usage until the price crisis is over.

Jo Pitesky, Studio City

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I suspect that California is largely responsible for its high gas prices which are much higher than the prices in Texas.  Wearing sweaters and jackets is one way to deal with the problem.  Rather than switching to heating the whole home, people should consider buying small electric space heaters that can be focused on the part of the house they are working in.  At night they can add extra blankets and quilts to the bed and turn off the heaters.