Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Celebrates SoCal Gas

SoCalGas became the first California utility to completely convert a mobile home park's privately-owned natural gas distribution system to a new SoCalGas-owned and operated system under a three-year statewide pilot program mandated by the California Public Utilities Commission. SoCalGas marked the completion of the first project with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Mt. Slover Trailer Village in Colton Nov. 6. Attendees included SoCalGas leaders, local and state elected officials, representatives from the CPUC, the owners of Mt. Slover, and mobile home park residents. "This new natural gas service upgrade will enhance safety and reliability for our mobile home park customers and provide them greater access to customer services, money-saving rebates and energy-saving programs. SoCalGas is delighted to complete California’s first project under the Mobile Home Park Utility Upgrade Program," said Jimmie Cho, senior vice president of gas operations and system integrity for SoCalGas. "This is an important milestone for SoCalGas in successfully meeting the goals set by the California Public Utilities Commission.” The CPUC approved the Mobile home Park Utility Upgrade Program in March 2014 and conversions are being monitored by the Commission's safety and enforcement division. Following the upgrade, residents become SoCalGas customers and are individually billed by SoCalGas. New customers will be eligible to sign up for customer programs that can help them save energy and money. Income-qualified customers will also now have access to a 20 percent rate discount through the California Alternative Rates for Energy (CARE) and no-cost weatherization services through the Energy Savings Assistance Program. SoCalGas staff will help new customers sign up for assistance programs. Anyone currently enrolled will continue without interruption. The upgraded systems offer SoCalGas’ advanced meter technology, which empowers customers to monitor their energy usage and helps them set and achieve savings and conservation goals. Customers get access to hourly natural gas usage information on a next-day basis, which can enable them to better manage their gas usage and save money. They also will have the added safety benefit of technology that can detect higher-than-usual gas usage. New SoCalGas customers can use “My Account” to view and pay their bills, schedule service and sign up for paperless billing.