Energy bills rise with temps

Residents, charities expect the heat wave will be a drain on resources.

By Erik Lacayo / The Fresno Bee

(Updated Friday, July 28, 2006, 5:23 AM)

Tina Esqueda, with two of her children, Nathaniel Trejo, 4, and Destiny Trejo, 10, left, talks about her high PG&E bill Thursday afternoon at the Salvation Army on Fulton Street and seeks help paying it.

John Walker / The Fresno Bee

As the San Joaquin Valley continues to be smothered by a heat wave, the number of people seeking help with their utility costs is expected to skyrocket with next month's bills.

Air conditioners are expensive to run in typical mid-90s Valley temperatures; with record high temperatures comes the potential for record utility bills.

Tina Esqueda, who has been struggling to pay for electricity since last winter, said she has been trying to conserve energy with temperatures reaching 113 this week.

"It's difficult when you have children and you want to keep your kids indoors," said Esqueda, a mother of four. "We turn on the air conditioning only when we can't take the heat anymore."

Esqueda, who received a 48-hour shutoff notice from Pacific Gas & Electric, was at the Salvation Army in Fresno on Thursday hoping to keep her power on.

The Salvation Army administers PG&E's Relief for Energy Assistance through the Community Help program. The program gives low-income families who qualify a one-time helping hand of up to $300 toward their bills.

"I'm crossing my fingers and hoping they're going to help me," said Esqueda, who is unemployed.

Esqueda, who has been on a payment plan, said with the recent heat wave she doesn't know when she'll be out of the red with PG&E.

"My bill has been higher than usual," she said.

Paul Moreno, a PG&E spokesman, said a record amount of energy usage will result in higher energy bills. Four days in the past week have beaten the previous record of PG&E energy usage, set on July 14 of last year, he said.

PG&E usually recommends that people set the temperature on their air conditioners at 78 degrees, but during the heat wave they have been recommending 80 to 82 degrees, Moreno said.

PG&E has decided this week to give an additional $100,000 to Salvation Army branches in Northern and Central California because of the heat wave, Moreno said. And low-income families can receive a 20% discount on their monthly bills.

Shelly Zieglar of Fresno said her last bill was $258 and can't imagine how much her next bill will be. Zieglar, who lost her job in May, also was at the Salvation Army on Thursday.

"Hopefully, I have a job by [next month]," she said.

Salvation Army Capt. Richard Larson said people run into trouble when they budget for $200 and a bill comes back as high as $900.

"There's definitely a problem," he said. "It's been busy down at the office."

Paula Scribner, director of social services at the Salvation Army in downtown Fresno, said the office sees about 30 people per day seeking help.

Scribner said she anticipates that next month about 50 people a day will need help covering their bills. Those who are struggling often pay rent before paying the electricity bill, she said.

Sandi Fournet, a social worker with Catholic Charities in Fresno, said she also has been overwhelmed with calls for help. Catholic Charities receives about 80 requests per month and tries to give families $25 to $50 to help pay their electricity bills. Their funding for July has already dried up, she said: "Our summer has been frightening."