One-on-one with PG&E CEO during her visit to Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- PG&E CEO Patricia Poppe sat down with Mayor Jerry Dyer successful downtown Fresno Thursday evening to speech astir vigor bills and ongoing efforts to marque prices much affordable.

Action News was capable to talk with her one-on-one aft their discussion.

"The information is, radical are having a hard time, whether residential oregon business, making hard decisions. Do they wage 1 measure versus PG&E rates?" Dyer asked Poppe.

He besides asked Poppe astir stabilizing rates and ways she is moving to bring them down.

She claimed rates are down this twelvemonth compared to last, and that they volition proceed connected the decline.

We were capable to inquire her to explicate that further.

"There are payers that look astatine their measure and they accidental they don't spot their prices lowering. What would you accidental to them that they've seen it lone rise?" Action News asked.

"I'd accidental look intimately astatine this twelvemonth implicit last, and enactment tuned for adjacent year's rates arsenic well," answered Poppe.

As we participate into the warmer months, vigor costs are apical of caput for galore surviving successful the Valley.

When asked however the institution volition modulate prices locally, Poppe says customers could beryllium much vigor efficient.

"So overmuch vigor is wasted done doorway jams and windows, and the ceiling connected a house. Let america assistance you, fto america help. To marque your location much vigor efficient," says Poppe.

Over the past 2 years, PG&E has brought successful implicit $4 billion, making it 1 of the astir profitable inferior companies successful the country.

Poppe tells america their erstwhile bankruptcy has caused them to wage much successful interest, creating a greater situation erstwhile it comes to lowering costs.

"When we are financially successful, we tin trim the outgo of the dollars that we get to amended service customers. 97% of our profits and our net spell close backmost into really serving customers. They don't spell retired the door," says Poppe.

"So, the maturation you've seen has not been capable to wage for the outgo of what you guys do? asked Action News.

"The maturation that we're seeing successful our net is truthful that we tin pull the low-cost superior to put backmost successful the business, which is precisely wherever those profits go," says Poppe.

The City of Fresno has looked into creating its ain autarkic utility, but Mayor Dyer says it would outgo upwards of a cardinal dollars.

He says helium volition proceed to advocator connected behalf of those helium represents.

"I deliberation radical person sent a truly beardown message.

They can't instrumentality immoderate much complaint increases. We're astatine the limit," says Mayor Dyer.

PG&E was approved for six complaint hikes past twelvemonth alone.

The Utilities Reform Network, oregon 'TURN', tells Action News they are highly skeptical that prices volition spell down, arsenic they assertion PG&E has 8 projected caller hikes connected the docket.

For quality and upwind updates, travel Brisa Colon connected Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.