pg e sues recover uncollected costs pg e sues recover 3 billion exploring yet another legal avenue pacific gas electric co wednesday filed san francisco federal district court asking judicial ruling mandate recover nearly 3 billion uncollected wholesale electricity costs mounting since may price spikes califonia market left state major investor owned utilities vulnerable retail power rates frozen 1996 levels utility argued wholesale power costs federally approved therefore filed federal court earlier fall pg e appealed california supreme court asking overturn california public utilities commission decision summer limits ability recover wholesale costs passes customers without adding profit charge keeping legal options open said san francsco based utility spokesperson noting utility also attempting protect financial status challenged tuesday fitch placed another california utility rating negative watch state federal officials acknowledge part series ongoing investigations california current wholesale electricity market broken noncompetitive current state said roger peters senior vice president general counsel pacific gas electric however yet concrete action regulators provide recovery costs incurred purchase power customers must either refunds power sellers charged unfair prices retail rates costs continuing grow noting unfairness unpopularity skyrocketing wholesale charges pg e utility nevertheless said legal right recover charges almost four million customers reiterated five steps taken increase supply moderate customer demand repair broken wholesale market provide stable reasonable rates