PG&E wants a 22% energy fee hike. Here’s how Fresno County leaders responded
Fresno County leaders took a unanimous stance Tuesday against a proposed utilities rate hike, aligning themselves with the city of Fresno against Pacific Gas and Electric.
The Fresno County Board of Supervisors formally voted to oppose PG&E’s proposal to the California Public Utilities Commission. The request is to push up residential rates in the central San Joaquin Valley and around the state by 22% from 2023 to 2026.
Utility costs from PG&E are already high. PG&E customers pay about 80% more per kilowatt-hour than the national average, according to a study by the energy institute at UC Berkeley’s Haas Business School with the nonprofit think tank Next 10.
Supervisor Steve Brandau said the proposed increase would be dramatic. “I know my residents, including myself, have a hard time with these massive energy bills,” he said.
PG&E customers pay an average of $215 a month for services compared to the national average of $132. The proposal would increase the PG&E average to $262.
The Fresno City Council and Mayor Jerry Dyer on Thursday also voiced opposition to the proposal. Assemblymember Jim Patterson, R-Fresno, has also expressed concerns, saying they align with Dyer.
Some Valley leaders have said people in the region are hit particularly hard because they buy more utilities during the scorching summers, which are predicted to only get worse with climate change.
Valley leaders have noted PG&E’s request would also affect low-income customers enrolled in the California Alternate Rates for Energy program, who would face an 18.3% increase in the first year.
State regulations
Perhaps complicating the energy outlook in the state is the plan to take the nuclear plant in Diablo Canyon offline in 2024.
PG&E determined it was too expensive to continue to use the plant, and argued that cheaper sources of energy could be developed. Since then, the state Legislature and the California Public Utilities Commission have approved that move.
In the meantime, PG&E has not developed any significant source to replace the plant, according to some experts.
Multiple members of the Fresno County board blamed poor policies at the state level as the reason whyCalifornia utilities so expensive.
“This is bad legislation that has gotten us into this position,” Supervisor Buddy Mendes said.
Supervisor Nathan Magsig pointed to Assembly Bill 32 and Senate Bill 375, which look to sharply reduce greenhouse gases and to plan communities that are more environmentally sustainable.
“All of these rate increases are really because of policies being set in Sacramento, and there are consequences,” he said.
Why PG&E wants an increase
PG&E has said the increase is necessary, noting the request will be examined transparently in public meetings.
The increase is important for making additional safety investments to help further reduce wildfire risk, enhance gas and electric safety and reliability, and further support the state’s clean energy goals, according to PG&E.
Officials have said PG&E has a number of programs for helping those who struggle to pay high bills, and that the company has also made efforts to help people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The utilities commission has scheduled public hearings later this year.
The commission takes public comments at 415-703-1584 or by email at PublicAdvocatesOffice@cpuc.ca.gov.
