Gas Company boosts funding for rebates

Southern California Gas Co. will pay up to $3.7 million in rebates this year to residential customers who buy energyefficient natural gas appliances- an increase of $1.1 million over last year.

"Our increased funding helps meet the state of California's Energy Action Plan, which gives top priority to energyefficiency and energy-saving programs for meeting the state's increasing demand for energy, " said Mark Gaines, the gas company's director of customer programs.

The following rebates are offered for qualifying energyefficient residential natural gas appliances: Energy Star furnaces, up to $200; clothes washers, $35; dishwashers, $30; storage water heaters, $30; attic/wall insulation, 15 cents per square foot.

Instant rebates are available for qualifying clothes washers, dishwashers and water heaters sold at The Home Depot, Snyder Diamond, L & D Appliance and South Bay Appliance. Visit socalgas.com/residential/ savemoney/instant.shtml for more information.

All rebates and incentives are subject to change without notice and will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis as long as funding is available. The programs are funded by California utility customers and administered by The Gas Co. under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission.

"Energy efficiency has become a major issue in California and elsewhere because it helps meet a variety of critical needs," Gaines said. "It does more than save money for energy users- it helps meet our future energy needs by preserving precious resources, stimulates our economy and protects the environment."

The Gas Company's energy-efficiency programs for business and residential customers in 2006-08 have a goal of saving about 58 million therms of natural gas- enough energy to serve about 107,000 homes for a year.