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“California regulators on Tuesday released their findings on how the state could lower the cost of expensive electricity bills after Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration blocked the information from the public for weeks.
The recommendations were part of an executive order the governor signed on Oct. 30, directing the California Public Utilities Commission and California Energy Commission to take a look at state programs that could be cut or changed to help ratepayers save money.”
No number of studies are reports will fix the problem. We need more drilling, more refineries. It is not rocket science. Newsom has made it clear he wants to close down the State of California, make it unaffordable and force the middle class to flee the State in order to survive.
None of the recommendations will lower costs—some will just transfer them from one pot to another. Newsom energy policies are the problem.
California regulators release recommendations to address expensive electricity bills
Ashley Zavala , KCRA, 2/18/25 https://www.kcra.com/article/california-regulators-address-electricity-bills/63834747?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Email%20-%20Politics&utm_source=67b5dcdc07a4896dcbe793a88d8a4c83&brzu=&lctg=674ce1b2d702e32b6be02398&[email protected]
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
California regulators on Tuesday released their findings on how the state could lower the cost of expensive electricity bills after Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration blocked the information from the public for weeks.
The recommendations were part of an executive order the governor signed on Oct. 30, directing the California Public Utilities Commission and California Energy Commission to take a look at state programs that could be cut or changed to help ratepayers save money.
In an email to KCRA 3 on Tuesday night, the governor’s legal unit claimed the records were exempted from public disclosure under a part of state law that shields communications between the governor and his staff, but that the administration decided to release the reports in the interest of transparency.
Both agencies acknowledged in their reports that California utility customers are paying for the state’s environmental goals to significantly cut the economy’s reliance on oil and gas within the next two decades.
The 38-page report from the California Public Utilities Commission included a series of recommendations that mainly revolved around using other, non-ratepayer funds to pay for state programs including those related to wildfire prevention.
The commission did not specify what non-ratepayer funds could be used. Other funds the state has access to include the state’s general fund or special funds through voter-approved propositions. Taxpayers provide those funds. Another funding source could be the utility companies themselves.
The commission noted the funding shift could be especially helpful when it comes to the state’s Net Energy Metering program, which officials said is one of the largest contributors to rising electricity rates for customers who don’t have rooftop solar. The commission said in 2024, while most ratepayers don’t have solar panels, ratepayers spent $8.4 billion for the 15% of customers who do. The CPUC said using a non-ratepayer funding source for this could mean an immediate reduction of 15% in costs systemwide.
The commission broadly recommended state leaders review contracts and electricity mandates on utility companies. The CPUC also recommended state leaders consider redistributing the state’s climate credit to those who are most impacted by rising electricity costs.
Meanwhile, the California Energy Commission submitted a 10-page report, concluding the programs it oversees are overall working.
“The California Energy Commission (CEC) is a driving force in achieving the state’s goal to build an energy system that provides clean, reliable and affordable electricity,” CEC spokesperson Sandy Louey said in a statement. “The CEC works to address California’s energy challenges through innovative solutions that save energy and reduce costs.”
California lawmakers began reviewing the recommendations Tuesday afternoon.
“Our job as policymakers is to ensure safeguards are in place and the billion-dollar corporations are doing the right thing. The recent CPUC report clearly shows there is a transparency and accountability problem where the IOUs are concerned,” said Democratic Silicon Valley State Sen. Aisha Wahab. “Yet these corporations continue to make billions in profits from Californians. In fact, $24 billion has been collected from ratepayers since 2019 for wildfire mitigation; what have these corporations done to harden and prevent future disasters? Enough is enough. They need to do better and stop making massive profits when vulnerable populations on fixed incomes are paying more and more in their utility bills every month.”
KCRA spoke with Wahab last week about her proposal to limit rate increases for investor-owned utilities. Read more from that here.
“These reports from the administration are the definition of ‘too little, too late,” said Republican Santa Clarita State Sen. Valladares. “Unfortunately, all they do is confirm what Californians have known for years which is that the governor and legislative Democrats’ overzealous and misguided environmental policies have made life in this state unaffordable for too many.”
The State Senate has a hearing scheduled on Wednesday afternoon on utility affordability. Alice Reynolds, the President of the California Public Utilities Commission is scheduled to testify.
