STOCKTON, CA – Supervisor Robert Rickman and the San Joaquin Board of Supervisors continued to register their opposition to PG&E rate increases and instructed staff to seek and support legislative options to protect San Joaquin County energy consumers. They also directed staff to explore options for bringing in additional energy providers to increase competition and improve service.
“PG&E has failed to meet its stated core mission of providing safe, reliable, affordable, and clean energy,” commented District Five Supervisor Robert Rickman. “The California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) has failed California rate payers because they refuse to hold PG&E accountable for out-of-control costs that are hurting our working families.”
San Joaquin County residents continue to be hit from all sides by increasing costs and higher bills. At a time when grocery costs, housing costs, and inflation continue to place a heavy burden on families’ monthly budgets, the CPUC approved yet another rate increase for PG&E earlier this month. PG&E data shows residential utility rates have increased 54% since 2020, following the utility’s exit from bankruptcy. While Californians bear this hardship, PG&E profits soared during the second quarter. PG&E posted a profit of $520 million, up 28.1% from the second quarter of last year.
"The current system is broken and does not work for San Joaquin County consumers. We need new legislative guidelines to ensure that the CPUC is not a rubber stamp for big utilities like PG&E,” continued Supervisor Rickman. “Affordable utilities are not a luxury we can wait for. I have argued for years that the Governor and the State must look for safe, reliable and affordable options for all Californians, but especially for the lower income areas up and down the Central Valley. With the cost of living out of control, it is past time for action from Sacramento.”
With its action on Tuesday, the Board registered its official opposition to past and any future proposed rate increases and prioritized reducing electricity costs as part of its legislative platform. They also asked staff to evaluate the rate impacts of exporting energy to the Coast and Los Angeles. They directed staff to partner with the South San Joaquin Irrigation District (SSJID) to support their legal efforts against PG&E and allow them to bring competition to our County, along with lower energy costs for San Joaquin County consumers. The Board also directed staff to explore options for bringing in additional energy providers to increase competition and improve service.
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