SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego Gas & Electric is asking for an 8.6% rate hike, and the request is drawing significant public pushback at a meeting about the proposal on Tuesday.
Data from the California Public Advocate's Office shows rates have gone up 98% in the last 10 years. The report says that the average customer pays around $140 for their electric bill per month.
I looked through the California Public Utilities Commission's (CPUC) decisions approving rate increases. Typically, every time SDG&E asks for more money, they get most of what they ask for — but rarely all of it. In a complex process that often spans around 18 months, the CPUC will weigh in on SDG&E's projected costs, and approve rate increases to cover those costs.
For an example, in 2016, the CPUC approved a revenue requirement of $1.8 billion, down from the $1.89 billion SDG&E requested.
This year, SDG&E says it needs more money for wildfire prevention and grid updates, among other things. The company made a similar case in an interview in September.
"There are safety protocols, there is wildfire risk, and we are really proud to be one of the most resilient grids in the country," Anthony Wagner said in an interview, when asked about rates.
Lawmakers recently put more rules into play around this process, making sure companies like SDG&E aren't making more than they should be. One of the things that jumps out is AB 2666 — a check to make sure the costs SDG&E forecasted are actually what they said they would be.
So will this rate increase be approved? Based on the track record, yes — but SDG&E might not get all the money they're hoping for.
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