ACTION ALERT: Support California Legislation to Protect Ratepayers Against Greedy Utility Companies

May 20, 2024 | Press Releases

TAKE ACTION: Support California Legislation to Protect Ratepayers Against Greedy Utility Companies

FAIR California is urging the state legislature to support several bills that would protect California ratepayers against greedy utility companies, including PG&E.

This is critically important because PG&E’s profits increased by 25% in 2023, and its CEO received a 20% pay increase. In the last three years alone, PG&E residential customers have seen their bills skyrocket 38%, or an average of 12.7% annually, a rate three times as high as inflation. And over one million of their customers are now behind on their utility bills.

Equally harmful, under the latest California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) proposal, a single tenant making $40,000 per year will have to pay a utility tax of $24 per month to PG&E — regardless of how much electricity they use. This is on top of several rate hikes approved by the CPUC this year, amounting to a roughly $400 annual bump for the average household. The utility tax will go into effect in 2025 or 2026, depending on the ratepayer’s provider.

This is unacceptable. California consumers should not have to pay the price for the mistakes of a for-profit utility with a criminal record (resulting in loss of life and property and the destruction of Paradise, Calif.). It’s crucial to keep rate increases in check to protect Californians already struggling with a high cost of living.

Please consider joining us in holding PG&E accountable by supporting the following legislation:

Senate Bill 1210 (Skinner) 

The financial barriers imposed by high utility connection fees currently hinder housing development. By imposing a reasonable cap on these fees and enhancing the transparency of their calculation, SB 1210 would significantly reduce the financial burden on developers and homeowners alike. This is particularly important for individuals and families striving to build or secure housing in California’s competitive and expensive market. SB 1210 would also prioritize the expedited connection of utilities for new housing developments, which is crucial in ensuring homes are habitable and available to those in need without unnecessary delay. 

Assembly Bill 2054 (Bauer-Kahan) 

AB 2054 would impose a 10-year “cooling-off period” to curb the revolving door between regulators at CPUC and the California Energy Commission (CEC) moving to high-paying jobs in the utility industry. For example, PG&E’s current lobbyist used to serve as a CPUC commissioner. The legislation would also ease the pressure to approve unnecessary rate increases and curb conflicts of interest, which jeopardizes the integrity of California’s regulatory process. 

Assembly Bill 2847 (Addis)

AB 2847 would address soaring utility rates by increasing consumer transparency through new disclosure requirements when electric and gas utilities seek approval for long-term capital spending. The legislation would empower CPUC and ratepayers to more accurately assess whether any proposal to burden ratepayers with long-term debt outweighs the full cost of imposing the debt, and whether rate increases are reasonable and appropriate. 

ABOUT FAIR California

FAIR California is a diverse coalition of ratepayers, workers, environmental groups, housing organizations, small businesses, seniors, and cultural institutions who have had enough of rising utility rates and a lack of focus on safety. We seek to hold for-profit utilities accountable for how they spend California’s hard-earned ratepayer dollars. Learn more at fairca.org.