by Katy Grimes, E&E Legal Senior Media Fellow and California Globe Editor
As Appearing in the California Globe
Lawmakers still don’t get it – limiting energy sources causes high utility rates and energy shortages
“Ten Senators led by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) released a letter calling on the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to reject a utility-backed proposal that would raise energy bills for millions of Californians by $360-824 per year.”
You read that right.
“The proposed fixed charge is 4-6x higher than similar charges in other states, and removes the incentive for customers to reduce their bill by conserving energy. To date, the CPUC has not held public hearings on this proposal.”
My PG&E bill is double what it was last year.
“Californians already pay some of the highest electric bills in the nation and should not be forced to arbitrarily pay more to cover for a private utility’s poor business decisions,” said Senator Wiener. “The utility-backed proposal would place an unacceptable burden on millions of middle class Californians and remove a critical incentive to conserve energy. The CPUC must respond to public criticism and come up with a better proposal.”
