Article 1: Why are summer energy bills higher?
The first two weeks in August were the hottest on record with an average temperature of 86.5 degrees — a full 10 degrees higher than the average high. This extreme heat that we’ve all been experiencing has many of us using more energy than normal as we look for relief. The increased energy use combined with higher summer pricing has resulted in our bills being higher than normal.
Some residential customers are seeing an increase in their bills because they’re hitting the state-mandated High Usage Charge – the highest tier of electricity pricing, which went into effect in November 2017. The High Usage Charge was introduced to encourage energy efficiency. SDG&E doesn’t profit from the sale of electricity to our customers. The electricity purchased for your home is a direct pass-through to your bills. Visit sdge.com/highusage to learn more.
The High Usage Charge kicks in when your household exceeds four times its average daily use. This is also known as the baseline allowance, which varies by climate zone and season. Understanding your baseline allowance can help you manage your energy bill. Check out sdge.com/try-our-baseline-calculator.
Subscribe to energy alerts at sdge.com/alerts and you’ll know in advance when your usage will trigger the High Use Charge. These alerts will let you know both before and when you start getting charged for high usage. You can choose to receive email, voice or text alerts.
Also, you can choose a Time-of-Use pricing plan that allows you more control over your energy usage. You won’t incur a High Usage Charge on this plan. Learn more about pricing plans at sdge.com/whenmatters.
Visit sdge.com/summer for ways to save energy this summer. Another helpful starting point is to log into or sign up for My Account at myaccount.sdge.com. Within My Account, you can view your energy use, find out what your baseline is, compare pricing plans, and sign up for High Usage Charge alerts.
Article 2: Stay in-the-know
High-fire danger months are approaching so it’s critical to prepare now. If there’s a wildfire in your area, the power could be turned off for public safety. Stay informed and make sure your contact information is up-to-date.
- Go to My Account (sdge.com/MyAccount)
- Click on “Manage My Account” and update your contact information, including email address
You can also sign up for outage notifications in My Account.
- Click on the ‘Alerts and Subscriptions’ tab
- Select ‘Outage Notifications’ from the drop-down menu
- From there, choose the way you want to stay informed (email, text, voice)
Download our app at sdge.com/mobileapps to stay informed about outages.
The SD Emergency App will keep you and your family informed with emergency updates, interactive emergency maps and shelter locations. Download at readysandiego.org.
Article 3: Make and practice your emergency plan
If you suddenly had to deal with an emergency, such as a fire or earthquake, would you know what to do? Your safety may depend on how well prepared you are. Here are some resources to help you get started.
- Learn the basics in our video, “Emergency Preparedness: Make a Kit and a Plan,” at sdge.com/plan.
- Use our checklists to get ideas for family emergency and evacuation plans, training and drills, and emergency supply kits for home and vehicles.
- Protect your home in case of wildfire. Get Cal Fire tips and videos on creating defensible space around your home at ReadyforWildfire.org.
- For more tips on emergency preparedness, visit sdge.com/emergency or ready.gov/make-a-plan.