Nearly a month after PG&E told customers they should expect higher gas bills this winter, residents are still worried.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Many residents in the Sacramento area contacted ABC10 about the dramatic changes to reduce their rising natural gas bills.

This comes a month after PG&E announced that customers should be prepared to pay more.

A PG&E spokesman said the price increase is partly due to increased demand for natural gas on the West Coast. PG&E also said they are not raising the price of natural gas.

“What we’re paying for is what our customers are paying for,” Sarkissian said.

According to a new report from the US Energy Information Administration, the average cost of wholesale natural gas in the US last year was the highest since 2008. Sacramento State finance professor, Sanjay Varshney, previously told ABC10 that globally, people will notice that natural gas prices have gone up. .

However, Sarkissian said there is one thing people can do right now to lower their bill.

“For every degree you lower your thermostat, you would save 2% on your heating bill. So we really encourage people to take advantage of that,” he said.

PG&E suggests reviewing your options online to see if you can save money on a different plan. Other tips include:

  • Make sure vents are clear at home
  • Set your water heater to 120 degrees
  • Open your curtains on sunny days

“PG&E recognizes our responsibility to serve our customers safely and reliably while keeping their energy bills as low as possible. We’re here to help all of our customers save money by working with them to find the best rate plan for their home or business, sharing free and low-cost actions to help them reduce energy use and better manage monthly bills, and offering assistance programs. for income eligible customers.

SEE MORE: California storm coverage | 20 Valley Springs homes ‘recorded’ after storms