PG&E claims there is no connection between rate increases, $2.2 billion jump in earnings

PITTSBURG, Calif. (KGO) -- Nestled into a country of Pittsburg's Steeltown Coffee, PG&E is buying java for customers and answering questions astatine their ninth Coffee Connect lawsuit connected Friday morning.

Customers were invited successful to inquire immoderate questions they wanted, whether it was astir caller powerfulness outages, tempest harm oregon bills.

"It was conscionable a large mode to disarm them and pass them," said Rob Stillwell, a spokesperson for PG&E.

And portion the java mightiness person brough everyone together, it didn't lick everyone's problems.

"He was precise pleasant and answered questions arsenic champion helium could, but my complaint is not going to spell down arsenic a effect of visiting today. But I americium blessed that they were here," said Karen Schneider.

RELATED: After complaint hikes this year, PG&E announces astir 25% summation successful profits to $2.2B for 2023

Longtime ratepayers similar Schneider, a Lafayette nonmigratory of much than 34 years, came to find retired wherefore her PG&E measure went up again successful January.

Before important complaint hikes took effect Jan. 1, PG&E customers already paid immoderate of the highest vigor bills successful the country.

"I'm truthful aggravated with the full authorities of affairs," she said. "Just acold beyond what's tenable and giving wealth to stockholders and cutting backmost connected the star programme and what they wage out, which kinda killed the full star program."

A period aft bills went up, PG&E announced its profits for 2023 surged to implicit $2.2 billion, a leap of astir 25%.

But PG&E representatives astatine Friday's lawsuit said there's nary transportation to complaint increases and their earnings.

MORE: Undergrounding each utilities successful SF is astir impossible, according to officials: Here's why

"A financially steadfast inferior is simply a bully happening for our customers, due to the fact that we tin get and bash these infrastructure projects astatine much affordable rates," Stillwell said. "But the conception that thing coming retired of our net study is successful nonstop effect of the complaint increase, is wholly false."

Those infrastructure updates see the undergrounding of lines, a large task successful the works aft PG&E's aging powerfulness grid caused dozens of wildfires, immoderate deadly.

But PG&E says the changes made astatine the authorities capitol are forcing hikes too.

"A batch of them are authorities policies that were enacted. There's a batch of nationalist enactment programs, determination are a batch of star programs that travel retired of the legislature and get enactment in, and we're the mediate portion of the equation," Stillwell said.

MORE: Here's however acold temperatures volition interaction PG&E rates with complaint hike successful effect

Still, galore customers aren't buying it.

"It's conscionable similar those ridiculous programs connected TV wherever you're similar 'oh PG&E's your friend,' you know. Like, you're not my person and wherefore are we paying for TV commercials and coffee?" Schneider said.

In the future, PG&E says they'd similar to get 1 of these Coffee Connect events going astatine slightest erstwhile a period successful antithetic communities crossed the Bay Area.

In the meantime, if you bash request assistance paying your PG&E bill, determination is help disposable here.

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