PG&E Customers Say They Aren't Happy About Coming Rate Hikes

Source: NBC Bay Area  |  By Pete Suratos

The California Public Utilities Commission unanimously approved Thursday a monthly rate increase of nearly 13% starting next year. The money is set to help pay for wildfire risk investments, including undergrounding more than 1,200 miles of power lines. 

There are also other changes to look forward to after next year, according to the Utility Reform Network’s Executive Director Mark Toney. The consumer advocacy group is pushing for a cap on PG&E rate increases. The typical monthly bill will increase by nearly $33 starting next year, according to PG&E. In 2025, the increase will be around $4. And we’ll see a decrease of $8 in 2026. The exact monthly increase will depend on usage. Still, Toney feels the costs of PG&E addressing wildlife safety shouldn’t be passed along to consumers. “The shareholders want the ratepayers to pay everything,” said Toney. “We think it’s absolutely important that the shareholders put money in.”