SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Though people constantly chanted and urged officials not to approve yet another PG&E rate hike, prices are still going up.
After two rate increases with a possible third hike this year, customers are fed up.
Viewer Autum Thomas from Butte County sent 10 On Your Side an email saying “with a mortgage of $2,250 per month and a family of four, it's really hard to make ends meet when your PG&E bill is $1,421.98. But what can we do? We're seriously thinking about selling and moving to Texas or North Carolina. We'd take a pay cut, but at this point I think we'd be better off.”
It’s something some lawmakers say is on their radar and they can empathize with.
"It's outrageous. I know folks that are paying in some months more to PG&E than they're paying in their rent or their mortgage,” said Rep. Josh Harder.
But people don’t want empathy, they want change.
Back in March, the California Public Utilities Commission approved the second rate hike this year on top of a rate increase that already went into effect on Jan. 1.In response, Harder says he's introduced the Stop the Rate Hikes act that would essentially prevent utility companies like PG&E from raising rates more than once per year.
"We have to make it clear to PG&E that their feet are held to the fire. There's an agency that should be regulating them. They're not doing their job. They're more like lap dogs than watchdogs,” said Harder.
ABC10 reached out to PG&E about the hikes to which they insisted they’re temporary rate changes saying “so far in 2024, including the Jan. 1 rate change, typical residential combined gas and electric bills have increased by about $40/month. While prices increased in 2024, we are working to decrease prices in 2025 and 2026.”
They say these increased funds will go to wildfire risk reduction, electric reliability and capacity, new electric customer connections and gas safety work.
"But again, this is a company that made $2 billion in profits. They have more than enough money already to upgrade their infrastructure,” said Harder. “This is plain and simple price gouging."
The Stop the Rate Hikes Act now heads to committee.
Do you have an issue and don’t know where else to turn? Email Onyourside@abc10.com.
