SAN DIEGO — Governor Gavin Newsom said he wants to determine whether market manipulation or price gouging is at play when it comes to the dramatic price hikes Californians have experienced for natural gas.
From the local level to the federal level, Californians are demanding answers as to what is driving dramatic price hikes for natural gas.
On Monday, Newsom called on the feds to launch their own investigation.
Frustrated ratepayers demonstrated outside of SDG&E headquarters on Monday protesting soaring natural gas prices here in San Diego.
"Where is the public utilities commission in all of this?" demanded protester Eddie Jimenez. "They're supposed to be the watch dog!"
"We want dependable affordable energy delivered to our homes every single month!" shouted another demonstrator through a megaphone.
Meanwhile in Sacramento, Newsom also jumped on the bandwagon, now calling on federal regulators to investigate what is driving these price spikes.
He's requesting that the chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission launch an investigation to determine whether market manipulation or price gouging is at play.
"It's entirely appropriate and pertinent," said Edward Lopez, Executive Director of UCAN, the Utility Consumers' Action Network based in San Diego.
Lopez said an investigation out of Washington D.C. could provide insights that we don't currently have.
"A bigger picture might be found at the federal level in terms of the entire Western gas market," he told CBS 8, "what is going on in terms of the entire state."
For its part, SDG&E has said that the spike in gas prices is due to a number of factors, including colder weather driving up demand.
"We're with you, you don't have to do this alone," said SDG&E spokesperson Candace Hadley.
She encouraged customers struggling to pay their bills to contact SDG&E for payment options. She also said that SDG&E does not profit off the the rise in cost of natural gas.
"What our customers pay is what we are paying for that gas in the market," Hadley added.
Last week, state regulators approved a $104 credit on ratepayers' February and March bills - part of the state's Climate Credit Program - that usually comes later in the year.
"Giving focus to a tiny pittance of money that's going back to rate payers and ignoring the larger picture," said attorney Mike Aguirre, who represents SDG&E rate payers. Aguirre wants more action at the state level, calling on the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to examine the pricing of natural gas on the local level.
"Twenty years ago the public was outraged and did something about it," Aguirre added, "But right now, it seems like they're passing out tranquilizers and Pablum. And we don't need that, we need some hot sauce!"
The public will have that chance on Tuesday morning , when the CPUC will hold a virtual hearing on natural gas and electricity prices, which will allow for public comment.
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