CPUC set to vote on more PG&E rate hikes as utility receives federal loan

The California Public Utilities Commission is acceptable to ballot connected yet different complaint hike for PG&E customers Thursday.

If the 4 complaint hikes from earlier this twelvemonth are immoderate denotation of however they volition vote, we'll spot more.

Utility betterment advocates are encouraging radical to proceed to talk up against complaint hikes.

PG&E is connected way to get a $15 cardinal indebtedness from the US Government.

The inferior institution says the wealth could assistance modernize the powerfulness grid and little costs for customers.

In a release, PG&E said the backing could assistance to amended artillery retention and electrical vehicles and amended powerfulness lines, and grow and upgrade substations and transmission networks.

The institution submitted its indebtedness exertion to the U.S. Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office successful June 2023.

The company's CEO issued a connection connected the conditional loan, writing:

"Investments successful a cleanable and resilient grid for bluish and cardinal California volition person important returns for our customers successful safety, reliability and economical growth. The DOE indebtedness programme tin assistance america accelerate the gait and interaction of this work, which supports thousands of surviving wage jobs, astatine a little outgo to our customers."

In the agelong run, TURN (The Utility Reform Network) says the involvement complaint the inferior would person from the national authorities alternatively of a firm operation volition beryllium lower.

Before vigor customers get excessively excited astir the imaginable of little bills, TURN Executive Director Mark Toney warned costs could inactive deed your wallet.

"It's a indebtedness and conjecture who's going to wage it back. It is not going to beryllium the shareholders. It's going to beryllium you and maine connected our monthly bills," said Toney.

"So, by itself, this is not going to trim rates. It volition trim rates if the Commission says, you cognize what PG&E you person to usage immoderate of this wealth for complaint relief, that would beryllium an example."

The conditional indebtedness inactive has to beryllium finalized.

Toney said if it is his enactment volition beryllium pushing for due oversight connected however the wealth is spent.

Beyond the indebtedness rates could beryllium rising erstwhile again for PG&E customers arsenic the CPUC is acceptable to conscionable again connected Thursday.

"There are 2 much complaint increases for PG&E connected the agenda," said Toney.

"Now, if some of them get passed. that volition beryllium 6 complaint increases successful 1 year. Talk astir grounds breaking. People are already paying $60 much connected mean each period past astatine the extremity of past year."

Toney said customers request to be oregon telephone into the CPUC gathering astatine 11 americium Thursday, December 19th to advocator against further complaint hikes and to proceed to scope retired to their legislators and the governor's office.