Tensions run high at PG&E rate hike meetings

CHICO — It was standing room only at the Butte County Association of Government Chambers on Thursday, while the California Public Utilities Commission heard public comment on Pacific Gas & Electric Corp.’s request to charge its customers nearly $2 billion more over the next three years.

The utility company says it plans to use the money to help pay for wildfire safety improvements and other costs.

“The 2020 GRC proposal, which is the focus of Thursday’s public participation hearings, does not include costs associated with the 2017 and 2018 wildfires, said PG&E spokeswoman Kristi Jourdan in an email the day before the meeting. “PG&E has the authority to track costs from these fires, including costs associated with repairs, restoration, damages and third-party claims, in memorandum accounts but would have to seek authorization from the (public utilities commission) through a separate application to recover those costs.”

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Tensions run high at PG&E rate hike meetings, By Robin Epley, Chico Enterprise-Record, July 18, 2019.