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SoCal Gas Lifts Advisory Urging Customers To Reduce Natural Gas Usage

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Southern California Gas Co. announced Tuesday that it has lifted an advisory that asked customers to reduce natural gas usage amid concerns of gas and electricity shortages.

SoCal Gas issued the advisory Sunday night in response to stepped-up demand due to the recent cold weather, along with shortages due to a continuing moratorium on gas injections at the Aliso Canyon storage facility near Porter Ranch that experienced a massive four-month leak.

During the advisory, residential customers were urged to reduce natural gas use by lowering thermostats to 68 degrees or below, waiting a day to use natural gas appliances and washing clothes in cold water when possible.

SoCalGas also issued a system-wide curtailment watch to large commercial and industrial customers advising them they may receive a notice to curtail service.

More than 95 percent of Southern Californians use natural gas to heat their homes and about 60 percent of electricity used in homes comes from natural gas power plants, according to the utility.

SoCal Gas said Tuesday it advises customers to continue being mindful about their gas usage this winter.

"We may face more of these types of challenges this winter," Lisa Alexander, SoCal Gas vice president for customer solutions and communications said in a statement. "Conservation should be part of everyone's daily routine."

(©2016 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

 

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