Victories

Since its humble beginnings at Sylvia Siegel's kitchen table, TURN has racked up scores of victories for consumers, some of which continue to deliver savings on utility bills to this day.  Below are highlights from the past 35 years; click here for recent accomplishments by our telecommunications and energy teams.

2010 - TURN led the coalition opposing PG&E's Proposition 16 that would have locked the utility's high rates into the California Constitution.

2009 - Led a coalition that defeated the nomination of reckless deregulator  Rachelle Chong to the CPUC.

2009 - Successfully protected essential CARE and LifeLine services for low-income consumers that were under attack by big business at the CPUC.

2009 - Protected emergency phone service, especially important in earthquake and wildfire prone California.

2008 - TURN won a ruling preventing utility companies from expanding their use of payday lenders and has won commitments from utility companies to find alternative businesses to use as pay stations.

2008 - TURN supported legislation that expanded access to the CARE program for low-income heating and cooking fuel.

2008 - TURN defeated AT&T's one-sided service agreement by mobilizing members and AT&T customers to speak out against the unfair contract.

2008 - TURN stood up for rural and low-income communities by passing SB 780 and SB 1149 (Wiggins) to maintain telephone lines for all Californians.

2007 - TURN helped consumers unfairly kicked off of LifeLine phone service get reinstated and participated in coalition to improve Universal Telephone Service.

2006 - Dramatically expanded funding for emergency financial assistance to low-income PG&E customers.

2005 - Developed energy efficiency programs throughout California to be more economically and environmentally effective.

2004 - Attained privacy protections that ban publication of consumer cell phone numbers without consent.

2004 – At TURN’s urging the CPUC institutes the Family Energy Rate Assistance (FERA) program, substantially lowering bills for low to middle income customers with large households.

2003 - Stopped unfair subsidies to big gas companies, saving residential customers over $25 million.

2002 - TURN successfully advocates for the Renewable Portfolio Standard legislation requiring California to dramatically increase its use of renewable energy to 20% statewide.  The measure means not only cleaner air but also more stable electric prices in the future.

2001 - Achieved ground-breaking rules to protect phone customers from fraudulent charges.

2001 - Through a crucial legislative victory, TURN protects baseline electric usage from rate hikes, rewarding conservation and saving customers billions.

2000 - TURN thwarts a plan by Sempra to subsidize its corporate affiliates at customer’s expense while disadvantaging the competition that would have cost natural gas customers over $16 million.

1999 - TURN successfully opposes PG&E’s plan to continue ratepayer subsidies for its Diablo Canyon nuclear plant past 2002, saving consumers millions.

1996 - TURN is instrumental in getting the Legislature to pass a “universal service” bill, which sets up a CPUC fund to underwrite telephone service to remote areas.

1994 - A CPUC decision opening to the local toll market is rescinded after TURN blows the whistle on a CPUC commissioner who allowed a Pacific Bell manager to improperly lobby decision-makers. 

1988 - TURN convinces the CPUC to reject Southern California Edison’s proposal for a “customer charge”, which would have cost customers $4.65 a month regardless of whether they used any electricity that month.

1986 - TURN stops Pacific Bell’s proposed sale of residential customer’s names to direct marketing firms and high-pressure sales tactics uncovered after numerous complaints to the CPUC.  Refunds and corrections are ordered, and PacBell is required to pay penalties.

1982 - TURN succeeds in forcing the utilities to renegotiate long-term fuel-oil contracts, saving customers millions.

1980 - Due to TURN’s advocacy, the CPUC penalizes PG&E for imprudent gas purchases and dismisses its $569 million rate increase request.

1979 - TURN wins its first US Supreme Court case when the high court upholds a California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) order compelling Pacific Telephone and General Telephone to refund $351 million in taxes the companies collected from consumers but never paid to the federal government. California customers receive between $30. and $40. each. 

1975 - TURN’s proposal for “lifeline” electric rates is adopted by the California Legislature.