HAVE YOU LEARNED? AND ALSO WHAT ARE CUSTOMERS TELLING YOU? YEAH, EDIE THE REPORT SHOWS THAT PG&E IS RESIDENTIAL ELECTRICITY PRICES ARE MORE THAN TWICE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. THE PUBLIC ADVOCATE’S OFFICE TELLS ME THERE ARE A LOT OF REASONS WHY, BUT THAT’S NOT MUCH COMFORT TO THE CUSTOMERS WHO CAN BARELY AFFORD THEIR BILLS. IT’S LIKE, I DON’T HAVE A CHOICE. I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT BECAUSE I NEED ELECTRICITY AND THINGS. WEST SACRAMENTO RESIDENT TAYLOR JACKSON IS FED UP WITH HER PG&E I DO FEEL LIKE I PAY A LOT, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I’M NOT HOME A LOT DURING THE DAY. BUT MY BILL IS STILL PRETTY HIGH. LIKE I MIGHT AS WELL HAVE BEEN AT HOME. IT’S NOT JUST CUSTOMERS WHO ARE NOTICING THIS. THE PUBLIC ADVOCATE’S OFFICE AT THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION RELEASING NEW DATA THURSDAY OF WHAT IT CALLS A TROUBLING TREND. THE NUMBERS SHOW THAT PG&E IS AVERAGE. RESIDENTIAL ELECTRIC RATES WENT UP 38% OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS AND OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS THEY WENT UP 92%. THAT’S EXTREMELY ALARMING FOR MIKE CAMPBELL WITH A PUBLIC ADVOCATE’S OFFICE. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE GENERAL TREND OF THE DIRECTION THAT RATES ARE GOING AND HOW MUCH FASTER THEY’RE INCREASING BEYOND INFLATION. CAMPBELL SAYS THE HIGH RATES ARE DUE IN LARGE PART TO PG&E SPENDING ON WILDFIRE MITIGATION WORK TO STRENGTHEN TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIUTION LINES AND ROOFTOP SOLAR INCENTIVES. SO WHAT CAN BE DONE THERE IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TO SELL MORE ELECTRICITY, WHICH ODDLY CAN REDUCE PUT SOME DOWNWARD PRESSURE ON RATES. FINDING A SOLUTION IS ESPECIALLY CRITICAL NOW WITH PG&E ASKING REGULATORS FOR ANOTHER RATE INCREASE. THE UTILITY SAYS SOME OF THAT MONEY IS FOR THE LONG TERM INVESTMENT OF BURYING THOUSANDS OF MILES OF POWER LINES IN HIGH RISK AREAS TO PREVENT WILDFIRES IN A STATEMENT TO KCRA 3 PG&E SAYS IN PART, WE RECOGNIZE OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO SERVE OUR CUSTOMERS SAFELY AND RELIABLY WHILE WORKING TO STABILIZE BILLS FOR THE LONG TERM. IT ADDS THAT THIS WORK IS UNPRECEDENTED AND REPRESENTS THE LARGEST EFFORT IN THE US TO UNDERGROUND POWER LINES FOR CUSTOMERS LIKE JACKSON, SAY WITH THE NEW REPORT SHOWING PG&E RATES ARE ALREADY HIGHER THAN MOST UTILITIES, THERE’S GOT TO BE ANOTHER WAY. IT’S GREAT TO TRY AND PREVENT WILDFIRES LIKE I’M ALL FOR IT, BUT IT’S COMING TO THE COST OF US. THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION HAS PROPOSED TWO OTHER OPTIONS, WHICH THEY SAY WILL COST CUSTOMERS LESS. THOSE INCLUDE CUTTING BACK THE WORK TO BURY POWER LINES. THE CPUC COULD VOTE
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New data shows PG&E rates going up as utility asks regulators for another rate hike
The quarterly rates report details that the rates went up 38% from Jan. 2021 to Sept. 2023, and from Jan. 2014 to Sept. 2023, the rates went up by 92%
Pacific Gas & Electric Co. residential electricity prices are more than twice the national average, according to new data released Thursday by the Public Advocates Office at the California Public Utilities Commission.The numbers also show that the average residential electric rates for PG&E customers have gone up over time. The quarterly rates report details that the rates went up 38% from Jan. 2021 to Sept. 2023. From Jan. 2014 to Sept. 2023, the rates went up by 92%.The report lists wildfire mitigation, transmission and distribution investments and rooftop solar incentives as the three primary statewide drivers for the 10-year average residential electric rate changes.Mike Campbell, a program manager with the Public Advocates Office, said the rates are alarming.“We are very concerned about the general trend of the direction that rates are going and how much faster they’re increasing beyond inflation,” Campbell said. “Unfortunately, that trend seems to be continuing and that’s very troubling for our affordability and our interests in promoting electrification.”Campbell said the high rates are due in large part to PG&E’s spending on wildfire mitigation, transmission and distribution investments and rooftop solar incentives.So, what can be done?“There is an opportunity to sell more electricity, which oddly can reduce, put some down pressure, on rates,” Campbell said. “We can do that with electrification, but only if we get electrification right, meaning that the timing of when that energy is used doesn’t actually create additional burdens or strains on the grid.”In response to the new data, PG&E sent KCRA 3 a statement saying, in part:“We recognize our responsibility to serve our customers safely and reliably, while working to stabilize bills for the long term. We are working to keep overall customer costs at or below assumed inflation, between 2 and 4%. We reduced our operating costs by 3% in 2022, and are currently managing 125 projects companywide to further reduce costs… We’re here to help all of our customers save money by working with them to find the best rate plan for their household, sharing no- and low-cost actions to help them reduce energy usage and better manage monthly bills, and offering assistance programs for income-eligible customers.”Finding a solution is especially critical now, with PG&E asking regulators for another rate increase. The utility said some of that money is for the long-term investment of burying thousands of miles of power lines in high-risk areas to prevent wildfires. PG&E would need CPUC approval before they can raise rates to pay for that.Regarding this initiative, PG&E sent KCRA 3 the following statement:“Since 2018, PG&E has invested on behalf of customers to make our energy system safer, more reliable and resilient. This includes investments in wildfire mitigation, system hardening and undergrounding, gas and electric risk reduction, and customer and connections. We are undergrounding 350 miles of powerlines by end of this year alone as part of our commitment to underground 10,000 miles of electric lines to help reduce the risk of major wildfires and address the challenge of climate change. This work is unprecedented and represents the largest effort in the U.S. to underground power lines as a wildfire risk reduction measure.”PG&E customers said there has got to be another way to foot the bill for those projects.“It’s great to try to prevent wildfires, like I’m all for it, but it’s coming to the cost of us,” PG&E customer and West Sacramento resident Taylor Jackson said.Jackson said she feels especially strong about having to pay more, given the Public Advocates Office’s new report showing that PG&E rates are already higher than most utilities. She said she is fed up with her PG&E bill.“I do feel like I pay a lot, especially because I’m not home a lot during the day, but my bill is still pretty high. Like, I might as well have been at home,” Jackson said. “It’s like, I don’t have a choice. I have to pay for it because I need electricity.”The CPUC is also weighing two alternative plans to PG&E’s proposal. Campbell said both options would cost customers less, which means there would be a reduction in the work to bury power lines. The CPUC could vote on those plans next month.
Pacific Gas & Electric Co. residential electricity prices are more than twice the national average, according to new data released Thursday by the Public Advocates Office at the California Public Utilities Commission.
The numbers also show that the average residential electric rates for PG&E customers have gone up over time. The quarterly rates report details that the rates went up 38% from Jan. 2021 to Sept. 2023.
From Jan. 2014 to Sept. 2023, the rates went up by 92%.
The report lists wildfire mitigation, transmission and distribution investments and rooftop solar incentives as the three primary statewide drivers for the 10-year average residential electric rate changes.
Mike Campbell, a program manager with the Public Advocates Office, said the rates are alarming.
“We are very concerned about the general trend of the direction that rates are going and how much faster they’re increasing beyond inflation,” Campbell said. “Unfortunately, that trend seems to be continuing and that’s very troubling for our affordability and our interests in promoting electrification.”
Campbell said the high rates are due in large part to PG&E’s spending on wildfire mitigation, transmission and distribution investments and rooftop solar incentives.
So, what can be done?
“There is an opportunity to sell more electricity, which oddly can reduce, put some down pressure, on rates,” Campbell said. “We can do that with electrification, but only if we get electrification right, meaning that the timing of when that energy is used doesn’t actually create additional burdens or strains on the grid.”
In response to the new data, PG&E sent KCRA 3 a statement saying, in part:
“We recognize our responsibility to serve our customers safely and reliably, while working to stabilize bills for the long term. We are working to keep overall customer costs at or below assumed inflation, between 2 and 4%. We reduced our operating costs by 3% in 2022, and are currently managing 125 projects companywide to further reduce costs… We’re here to help all of our customers save money by working with them to find the best rate plan for their household, sharing no- and low-cost actions to help them reduce energy usage and better manage monthly bills, and offering assistance programs for income-eligible customers.”
Finding a solution is especially critical now, with PG&E asking regulators for another rate increase. The utility said some of that money is for the long-term investment of burying thousands of miles of power lines in high-risk areas to prevent wildfires. PG&E would need CPUC approval before they can raise rates to pay for that.
Regarding this initiative, PG&E sent KCRA 3 the following statement:
“Since 2018, PG&E has invested on behalf of customers to make our energy system safer, more reliable and resilient. This includes investments in wildfire mitigation, system hardening and undergrounding, gas and electric risk reduction, and customer and connections. We are undergrounding 350 miles of powerlines by end of this year alone as part of our commitment to underground 10,000 miles of electric lines to help reduce the risk of major wildfires and address the challenge of climate change. This work is unprecedented and represents the largest effort in the U.S. to underground power lines as a wildfire risk reduction measure.”
PG&E customers said there has got to be another way to foot the bill for those projects.
“It’s great to try to prevent wildfires, like I’m all for it, but it’s coming to the cost of us,” PG&E customer and West Sacramento resident Taylor Jackson said.
Jackson said she feels especially strong about having to pay more, given the Public Advocates Office’s new report showing that PG&E rates are already higher than most utilities. She said she is fed up with her PG&E bill.
“I do feel like I pay a lot, especially because I’m not home a lot during the day, but my bill is still pretty high. Like, I might as well have been at home,” Jackson said. “It’s like, I don’t have a choice. I have to pay for it because I need electricity.”
The CPUC is also weighing two alternative plans to PG&E’s proposal. Campbell said both options would cost customers less, which means there would be a reduction in the work to bury power lines. The CPUC could vote on those plans next month.
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New data shows PG&E rates going up as utility asks regulators for another rate hike - KCRA Sacramento
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