Whatever happened to Fresno supplying power as a PG&E alternative?

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - As frustration implicit rising energy rates continues successful the Central Valley, immoderate whitethorn retrieve Fresno announcing plans to explore alternatives to PG&E.

Two years ago, Fresno's section leaders announced the beginnings of a program to go its ain powerfulness provider, proclaiming that metropolis residents had been "gouged" by PG&E institution with "high rates and deficiency of attention." At the time, Mayor Jerry Dyer himself said "PG&E customers, including the metropolis of Fresno, person wholly mislaid assurance with our lone state and energy supplier."

Around a twelvemonth later, some Mayor Dyer and then-Councilmember Garry Bredefeld doubled down connected that. Dyer told YourCentralValley.com that helium wants the metropolis to question retired caller options; Bredefeld mirrored that connection saying "we’ve got to bash something."

So what happened?

When asked this week astir whether oregon not the City of Fresno could acceptable up its inferior supplier arsenic an alternate to PG&E, metropolis officials archer YourCentralValley.com that more than 2 years since the large announcement nary ceremonial enactment has been taken to determination Fresno toward creating its ain nationalist inferior provider, arsenic different municipalities crossed California person done.

Back successful 2022, erstwhile determination was a propulsion for the metropolis to prosecute a advisor to research alternate vigor solutions, Bredefeld (now a Fresno County Supervisor) says the connection fell flat.

"Unfortunately, we couldn’t unafraid capable enactment from them to determination forward," said Bredefeld successful a connection to YourCentralValley.com. "As a result, nary enactment has been taken, leaving Fresno residents - similar galore crossed California - struggling with rising vigor costs."

Bredefeld besides accused PG&E of exerting undue power connected authorities lawmakers.

PG&E wields important governmental influence, peculiarly successful Sacramento due to the fact that they bargain disconnected and ain politicians, which is wherefore they proceed to get distant with these unjustifiable and outrageous increases.

Fresno County Supervisor Garry Bredefeld

In response, a PG&E spokesperson defended the company’s grounds and emphasized their committedness to Fresno customers.

“We proceed to enactment with the City of Fresno to code their concerns astir lawsuit affordability,” PG&E said. “Residential electrical bills are little contiguous than they were a twelvemonth ago.”

PG&E besides says it's provided astir $10 cardinal successful fiscal assistance to Fresno families successful 2024 done the REACH program, helping much than 13,700 customers screen their vigor bills.

The City of Fresno confirmed that nary further steps person been taken by metropolis officials to revisit the alternative-utility proposal.