Touted as helping the Central Valley, the proposal would raise rates for most Valley customers.
SAN FRANCISCO – This Thursday, the California Public Utilities Commission is scheduled to consider a Pacific Gas and Electric Co. proposal to increase electricity rates for low-income customers and those who use lower amounts of energy, while giving a break to the highest energy users.
Last month, the CPUC issued draft decisions to approve three PG&E residential rate proposals, each of which would hike electricity rates for low-income customers and customers with low or moderate levels of energy use. The changes would immediately add a $2.40 monthly customer charge to every low-income customer’s bill and a $3.00 customer charge for all other customers.
Advocates are most shocked by PG&E’s proposal to create a brand new, higher rate category, “Tier 3,” for low-income customers who qualify for reduced rates under the CARE (California Alternative Rates for Energy) program. These new, higher rates would kick in when CARE customers use roughly 30 percent less power than the average customer, adding an additional $18.00 monthly to the summer bills of Central Valley CARE customers who use a moderate amount of energy. All of PG&E’s rate proposals would lower rates for customers with the most extreme level of power usage.
Greenlining’s full comments on the proposal are available online here. Greenlining legal counsel Enrique Gallardo will attend the CPUC meeting and be available to speak to reporters.