Source: CBS News | By Steve Large

Mark Toney is the executive director of The Utility Reform Network, or TURN. Toney said that PG&E should be covering more power lines above ground. He said that PG&E's effort to put 10,000 miles of power lines underground is too slow and costly. The state has authorized the utility company to bury only 1,300 miles by 2026. "It's delaying safety and costing a fortune," Toney said. "If you are in a place that's waiting to be buried, maybe you're not in this four-year round. Maybe you'll be in the next four years or maybe after.”

With triple-digit fire weather top of mind, some people who live in wildfire-prone areas like Foresthill in Placer County are getting their power lines put underground by Pacific Gas and Electric—and some are not. Mike Howard owns a home on one acre of property in Foresthill. He's had several close calls and mandatory evacuations in the ten years since moving there.

Source: The Mercury News | By George Avalos

“A 9% rate reduction is a drop in the bucket for customers who have been slammed” by monthly bills that have soared, said Mark Toney, executive director with The Utility Reform Network, or TURN, a consumer group. Since Jan. 1 of this year, PG&E has submitted four fresh proposals for rate increases to the state PUC, Toney added. “It is disingenuous for PG&E to take credit for a rate reduction that they are required by the PUC to pass along to customers who have made the final payment on a portion of the billions of dollars in utility overspending on wildfire mitigation,” Toney said.

The utility will reduce residential electricity rates by about 9% starting July 1, the company said. The lower rates could reduce bills by $20 a month for a typical household that uses 500 kilowatt-hours per month of electricity, according to information provided by PG&E. As of April 2024, electricity bills averaged $226 a month for the typical residential customer, while gas bills averaged $74, according to PG&E.

Source: NBC Bay Area | By Jaxon Van Derbeken

“A significant portion of that loan is going to be turned into a gift to PG&E, funded by the taxpayers,” said Matt Freedman, an attorney with the ratepayer group TURN that has been critical of the deal. Freeman noted that even lawmakers who initially signed off on the loan have recently soured on the deal. Next year, ratepayers will start feeling the pinch of the deal – with a proposed $400 million rate hike. But the hike will not be spent on fixing the aging plant. Instead, Freedman says, the money will begin to pay the utility $2 billion worth of promised profits and other incentives over five years. “We don't understand why you need to bribe PG&E to keep this plant operating,” Freedman said, adding all the money the state is throwing into the plant would be better spent on bringing far cheaper clean energy alternatives on-line.

The cost of keeping the aging Diablo Canyon nuclear plant open five more years could be as much as double what PG&E had first estimated back when a deal was struck two years ago to run it longer to help assure grid reliability, experts say. The deal involved lending the utility $1.4 billion, which the state hoped to get back with a newly available federal grant. But when the grant was issued in January of this year, critics discovered that the amount available could be as little as half the sum originally advertised.

Source: San Francisco Chronicle | By Katy Morsony

Let me be clear — wildfi re mitigation work and ensuring our electric infrastructurecan withstand the challenges of climate change is crucial. PG&E’s utilityequipment has been responsible for some of California’s most destructive fi res.However, California has given the utilities little motivation to keep the costs downfor these initiatives. Utilities benefi t from charging customers as much as possiblefor infrastructure upgrades due to the guaranteed profi ts they earn on this work,known as a rate of return. The higher the total costs, the higher the utilities’ profits.

PG&E rates have increased a staggering 128% over the past decade, leavingCalifornians struggling to keep up with exorbitant utility bills. Part of this increaseis due to management failures by PG&E’s current and past CEOs. But the morealarming portion results from PG&E’s exploitation of the regulatory system tocharge customers for the most expensive infrastructure options, prioritizing utilityprofi ts over aff ordable alternatives , at the expense of your savings account.

Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel | By Editorial Board

Mark Toney, executive director of The Utility Reform Network, recently told CalMatters there not only needs to be a cap placed on utility rate hikes but that regulators should ensure utilities are not given a “credit card with no limit and a guarantee that someone else is going to pay.” TURN is backing the Utility Accountability Act, a bill that would require utilities to document and disclose their spending.

In a previous Editorial, we discussed the challenges PG&E is facing with increased demand for electricity and the cost of undergrounding power lines in fire-prone areas. We also noted recent rate hikes and how they are burdening ratepayers already having to deal with the high cost of living in California. Customers also are facing new fixed monthly fees — part of an energy bill passed by legislators in 2022 with little discussion. This charge is assessed to households each month in exchange for lower rates for every kilowatt hour of electricity they use. The California Public Utilities Commission approved the $24 monthly charge last month.

Source: NBC Bay Area | By Jaxon Van Derbeken

“It’s outrageous to charge customers for promotional advertising that only promotes the utility,” said Katy Morsony, an attorney with the ratepayer advocacy group TURN. “The number one thing that people complain to me about regarding their utility,” she continued, “is that they see all these PG&E advertisements and they assume that they, as customers, are paying for them – and they ask me, are they paying for them?”

PG&E recently acknowledged that it intends to have customers pay for an ongoing $6 million ad campaign, calling it “safety communications.” But critics say the utility shouldn’t be allowed to tap funds earmarked to help prevent wildfires on what they consider blatantly promotional commercials. In the ad campaign that began last year, PG&E’s CEO Patti Poppe says that “to make our power system safer and more reliable…we’re transforming your local utility from the underground up.”

Source: Sacramento Bee | By Ari Plachta

Matt Freedman, staff attorney at The Utility Reform Network, said it’s unclear that the plant is needed to keep the lights on especially as more clean energy sources come online. Yet the state’s bill to keep it open is growing. “Legislators were told that the $1.4 billion would be completely repaid by the federal government. That turned out not to be true, and the delta between the promise and reality is getting larger as time goes on,” he said. He called Newsom’s arrangement with PG&E back in 2022 a “last-second, stinky political deal that provided a series of benefits and protections to PG&E shareholders,” he said, including performance-based disbursements for investors. “Every dollar that goes to Diablo Canyon is a dollar that doesn’t go to some other essential government service.”

California lawmakers rejected Gov. Gavin Newsom’s bid to include another $400 million for Pacific Gas & Electric Co. in the state budget, in a political standoff that began in 2022 with a bargain to keep the Diablo Canyon Power Plant open. The budget process was a far more unworried affair in 2022, when, at Newsom’s urging, the Legislature approved $1.4 billion in loans to keep the Diablo Canyon plant open to help maintain reliability of the state’s power grid. PG&E had been preparing to shutter it in 2025.

Source: Los Angeles Times | By The Times Editorial Board

Ratepayer advocates in California have floated the idea of legislation that would prohibit utilities from increasing their rates faster than inflation. The Utility Reform Network ratepayer advocacy group has suggested tying a cap on rate increases to the Social Security Administration’s annual Cost-of-Living Adjustment, which in 2023 was 8.7%.

Californians pay some of the highest electric rates in the country. In the last decade households have seen their electricity rates nearly double even while their budgets are squeezed by inflation and rising temperatures from climate change mean they have to use more energy to cool their homes. And it’s only going to get worse. State greenhouse gas reduction policies are pushing residents to adopt electric cars and appliances that will only increase their electricity consumption. Rate hikes have become bigger and more frequent, rising even faster than inflation for customers of the big three monopoly utility companies whose rates include costs for expensive wildfire mitigation, grid infrastructure projects and disaster-related payouts.

Source: Lake County News | By Lake County News Reports

Instead of prioritizing cost-effective solutions, The Utility Report Network, or TURN, said utilities are incentivized to pursue the most expensive option — undergrounding power lines at a cost of up to $6.1 million per mile — because they can earn a lucrative rate of return. TURN said the consequences have been severe rate shocks for Californians. "SB 1003 and AB 2054 emerged from the suspense file today, an important step towards advancing oversight of utility spending in California,” Katy Morsony, legislative and assistant managing attorney at TURN, said Thursday. “For too long, utilities have treated customers like a credit card — passing along budget overruns without regulator approval and choosing the most expensive option for wildfire mitigation to maximize profits. Enough is enough. It's time for lawmakers to prove they're working for utility customers, not executives,” Morsony said.

Two bills that proponents say would move the needle on California's electricity rate crisis by increasing oversight of utility spending on wildfire mitigation and other infrastructure investments emerged from the Senate suspense file on Thursday, a key hurdle. SB 1003 (Dodd) would require utilities to demonstrate their wildfire mitigation plans prioritize affordable, timely solutions proven to effectively reduce risk. AB 2054 (Bauer-Kahan) would prevent utilities from automatically passing excessive project costs on to ratepayers for projects like wildfire mitigation.

Source: SF Chronicle | By Kathleen Pender

“The basic idea is, they don’t have control over how much electricity they need, especially in the summertime. When it’s 110 degrees, you have to have some air conditioning,” said Mark Toney, executive director of The Utility Reform Network, which supported the PUC’s decision. “Right now (consumers with solar) are not paying their share of the grid cost. They use it on a daily basis. At night, they need the grid. This makes it a little more fair,” Toney said.

The PUC says the plan “lowers overall electricity bills on average for lower-income households and those living in regions most impacted by extreme weather events.” It predicts that an average customer in Fresno would save $33 a month in the summer. Non-discount customers who are low-usage are the most likely to see bill increases, but they will be small, averaging $1.50 to $3 per month across all utilities, Toney said.

Source: Lake County News | By Lake County News Reports

“With temperatures soaring into the 80s and 90s this week, we are reminded of the importance of affordable electricity for Californians. Households shouldn't face financial strain just to stay cool during hotter days, especially those residing in Inland regions. By lowering the price of electricity for all and incorporating an income-graduated component, the CPUC is modernizing its approach and taking an important step to ensure electricity is affordable for all,” said Sylvie Ashford, energy and climate policy analyst, for The Utility Reform Network, or TURN.

The California Public Utilities Commission on Thursday approved a restructuring of electricity rates aimed at cutting bills for lower-income households and incentivizing the adoption of climate-friendly electric vehicles and heating systems.

Source: Silicon Valley Sun | By Reid Stone

Sylvie Ashford, an Energy and Climate Policy Analyst with The Utility Reform Network, applauded the move. “With temperatures soaring into the 80s and 90s this week, we are reminded of the importance of affordable electricity for Californians,” Ashford said. “Households shouldn’t face financial strain just to stay cool during hotter days, especially those residing in Inland regions. By lowering the price of electricity for all and incorporating an income-graduated component, the CPUC is modernizing its approach and taking an important step to ensure electricity is affordable for all.”

Changes are coming to how some California power companies calculate bills. The decision by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on Thursday will make it cheaper for people in the summer but increase prices for people who use less energy.

Source: KQED | By Alix Soliman, Guy Marzorati, and Kevin Stark

Right now, in California, if you use a lot of electricity, you pay more. If you live an energy-efficient lifestyle, you pay less. Sylvie Ashford, an energy analyst for The Utility Reform Network, or TURN, said that won’t change. The group supports the new fixed rate, which Ashford said will incentivize people to convert to clean energy. “Consumers report one of the biggest barriers to buying electric vehicles and electric heat pumps to be the high and rising cost of electricity,” Ashford said. “When it becomes 8% to 10% cheaper on each kilowatt hour, your operating costs on your electric vehicle or your electric heat pump become that much more competitive with polluting gas alternatives.” Ashford said that while fixed rates are a good first step, the state must do more to address California’s skyrocketing electricity fees, like keeping utility revenue requirements and shareholder profits in check.

Starting late next year, most California residents will see a new fixed charge of up to $24.15 on their monthly electric bill. In exchange for the new charge, the price of electricity will drop by between 5 cents and 7 cents per kilowatt hour.

Source: KCRA TV3 Sacramento | By Lysee Mitri

The regulatory agency that oversees PG&E, the California Public Utilities Commission, has said there are other more affordable ways to mitigate wildfire risk. And consumer advocacy organization, The Utility Reform Network, agrees. "We're trying to balance getting the safest, greenest electricity and gas that we can get to our California customers at the lowest possible price," said Katy Morsony, a legislative and assistant managing attorney at TURN.

PG&E's proposed four-year budget includes spending nearly $6 billion to bury 2,000 miles of power lines by 2026. It would add about $3.40 to a typical residential bill each month. The CPUC is considering two alternatives to PG&E's plan. Instead of burying 2,000 miles of the electric grid, one scaled-back proposal would allow the company to bury 200 miles of lines and another would allow for 973 through 2026.

Source: NBC Bay Area | By Terry McSweeney

The switch from PG&E could cost lots of time and money, according to Mark Toney, the executive director of the Utility Reform Network or TURN. He thinks it’s unlikely the Richmond City Council’s resolution will snowball statewide. “You have to buy out the investors. You have to pay for the wires, for the poles, for the whole infrastructure. It that's a years-long process,” Toney said. Toney added when the Sacramento Municipal Utility District took over from PG&E, it took decades and cost billions of dollars. He thinks a faster and cheaper fix is right now in the hands of state lawmakers. “We need to hold shareholders responsible for paying 50% of all cost overruns instead of rate payers paying 100%,” he said. Toney told NBC Bay Area that he is calling for a law capping rate hikes and for PG&E to choose the least expensive solution to wildfires, for example, insulating wires instead of burying them. “To put limits on PG&E’s spending ratepayer money for television commercials, for self-promotion,” he said.

The Richmond City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday night to ask California to replace PG&E, which has doubled its rates since 2019, with Golden State Energy, a nonprofit public benefit utility. “We want the needs of the people put first: safety, reliability, affordability, health and climate issues come first for communities and not profits,” said Richmond City Councilmember Gayle McLaughlin.

Source: ABC 10 Sacramento | By Becca Habegger

Sylvie Ashford is an Energy and Climate Policy Analyst at The Utility Reform Network (TURN), a consumer advocacy organization, which often comes out and fights PG&E rate increases. In this case, they’re in favor of the change. “This is revenue neutral; it's not a new fee being added to your bill,” she said. “I think there's a misconception that this will be contributing to the rate increases, and that's incorrect. It's just a bill restructuring.” TURN said “the proposal at the CPUC is a step in the right direction that will make electricity bills more affordable for low-income households, reduce bill volatility and promote beneficial electrification,” Ashford said. “But much more needs to be done to keep California skyrocketing rates in check.” She said, even with paying the proposed $24 per month, the average customer will see their monthly bill increase just $1.50 to $3. And low-income customers are projected to see their bill decrease, on average, $4 to $9 per month.

State regulators are about to make a decision on an important change to many Californians’ electricity bill. Whether the proposed change will raise or lower your monthly bill depends on how much money you make — and who you ask.

Source: San Francisco Chronicle | By Julie Johnson

“Customers have hit the breaking point and have passed it,” said Matthew Freedman, an attorney for ratepayer advocate group The Utility Reform Network, which supports the fixed charge plan. “People who live in the Central Valley have taken it on the chin as rates have gone up.” “You have to start somewhere,” Freedman said. “Doing nothing is a bad choice.”

California regulators are set to vote Thursday on a major change to utility bills that could raise costs for some residents already burned with soaring rates, while lowering costs for others. The California Public Utilities Commission will decide whether to approve a $24.15 fixed charge on utility bills in exchange for lowering the per-unit price of electricity. The rule would apply to customers of Pacific Gas and Electric Co., San Diego Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison.

Source: NPR Marketplace | By Janet Nguyen

“Other than to say untold millions, we don’t know because it’s very hard to document it. Utilities don’t want to let us know,” said Mark Toney, executive director of the California consumer advocacy group The Utility Reform Network.

Late last year, PG&E ran ads about its decision to bury 10,000 miles of power lines underground as a safety measure against wildfires. The company spent up to $6 million on TV ads like these over the past couple of years, The Sacramento Bee reported. PG&E asked the California Public Utilities Commission for a taxpayer-funded “fire risk mitigation account” to cover those costs, The Bee reported. When asked for comment on its advertising practices, a PG&E spokesperson stated that the company advertises to share with its customers what it’s doing “to improve safety and reliability.” “The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) allows the recovery of some costs related to safety communications on television. If not, then the costs are covered by shareholders,” the spokesperson stated. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to determine how much of your money utilities are spending on advertising.

Source: The San Francisco Standard | By Kevin V. Nguyen and Kevin Truong

Mark Toney, executive director of The Utility Reform Network, said just like property taxes and insurance costs, utilities are becoming a more significant part of the operating cost of homeownership. “A mortgage for the most part is predictable over time; you can budget for that,” Toney said. “The one thing you know about a utility bill is that it will escalate year after year.”

An analysis from Redfin found that the salary necessary to afford a median-priced home in the Bay Area is $404,332 a year, a nearly 25% increase from the year before. A scan through Zillow confirms that math—the average price for a single-family home remains stubbornly well over $1 million. Paying for the upfront price of a home is still a buyer’s primary concern. But now, because of factors mostly outside of homeowners’ control, auxiliary costs—like utilities, property taxes, home insurance and maintenance work—are threatening to overtake already hefty monthly mortgage payments.

Source: NBC Bay Area | By Jaxon Van Derbeken

PG&E rates are clearly insane right now,” says Matt Freedman, an attorney with the ratepayer advocacy group TURN. He says one reason is our rates pay for things other than the cost of producing power. His breakdown indicates ratepayers pay six cents per kilowatt hour for wildfire efforts – including undergrounding power lines -- six cents more to subsidize solar and two cents on top of that for low-income subsidies. “Low-income customers in PG&E service territory are really facing a crisis of affordability,” Freedman says. “We saw 180,000 customers disconnected for nonpayment last year, and about a third of PG&E low-income customers are late in paying their bills right now.”

With the hefty increase so far this year, PG&E’s rates are now approaching those of Hawaii, a state with the unfortunate distinction of having the most expensive power in the nation. Hawaii has long paid the highest of any state for power – in part because as an island nation, oil must be shipped in from as far as Libya and Argentina. The cost to generate power accounts for about half the average 41 cents per kilowatt hour price Hawaiian customers pay, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.