Think it's keen to be green? Not if you're California's Pacific Gas & Electric, according to a recent report.

Utility provider PG&E, in documents filed with the state, is seeking a five percent rate increase for its most energy-efficient customers. The increase is reportedly so the company can give it's highest-volume customers a price break.

"[The] company, with profits up 4.6 percent in the third quarter of this year, said they’re just trying to be fair," California blog Mission Local noted.

“It’s necessary to avoid the continued shifting of costs associated with utility services to a limited set of residential customers,” PG&E spokesperson told blogger Heather Duthie.

That "limited set of residential customers" the company refers to are those who use between 131 and 300 percent of average customers, Mission Local added. Under the proposal, they can expect future savings between 2.5 and 5.7 percent on their electric rates.

Meanwhile, the company is promoting energy efficiency through its residential Web portal, even launching a flash-based renewable energy promotion on the domain wecandothis.com.

If approved by the California Public Utilities Commission, the rate increases for energy efficient users would take effect on Jan. 10, 2010.

The Utility Reform Network, otherwise known to Californians as TURN, filed a protest on Thursday with the utilities commission, objecting to the rate increases.

When PG&E went bankrupt in 2001, the company was carrying over $9 billion in debt and had listed assets of up to $36 billion


Comments to “Calif. power company seeks higher rates for energy efficient customers”
1consumetheconsumer
Re: “limited set of residential customers” who “use between 131 and 300 percent of average customers” . . . tell the rich folks and the indoor pot growers that paying for energy is the cost of doing business. This, frankly, is insane.



2jackspace
Oh hell no.

I spent over $20,000 putting solar panels on my roof and getting my home set up to be more efficient to AVOID giving PG&E all my hard-earned money. So they're going to jack up MY prices because I invested in reducing my carbon footprint? They're going to penalize me because I have to give large volume customers like Chevron or AT&T MORE of a fucking discount?

PG&E, you'd better watch your step here because the enxt one is going to be a fucking doozy.



3luschnig
Americans are idiots. They put up with all sorts of exploitation. Health insurance companies exploit them; utility companies exploit them; banks exploit them. And all along Americans foolishly think their enemy is Al Qaida. Everyone knows that if they had half a brain and two balls among them they would immediately nationalize the utility companies, institute single payer universal health care, while imposing draconian regulations on the financial industry.



4peterlawrence
Fuck that! Ima start leaving shit plugged in and become an electric hog so I can get a price break!



5morphula
More socialism for the rich.
Begley is gonna be pissed about this.



6lousgirl84
This is so fucked. Last year I was so disgusted with my gas bill, I turned off the pilot to my furnace (old and inefficient) and turned off the gas pilot on my stove since I use a counter top convection over to cook. My bill went from $65.00 to $17.00, even though the gas company tried to convince me by turning off the pilot to the furnace and the stove wouldn't save me much.

So now they don't like the fact that I am on to their scheme, so folks like me who aren't using as much will have to pay more.

I hate these utility companies



7lousgirl84
I agree totally. I just posted on this.



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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by joshua, greychampion. greychampion said: newStream ©: Calif. power company seeks higher rates for energy efficient customers http://bit.ly/39CStU [...]



9buckqjohnson
What a transparent lie. They are raising your rates because THEY the power company is losing money from the consumer. So I guess if I cut off my lights I'll get charged for not using power etc. etc.. If you use power from them you get charged, if you don't use power from them you get charged. Heads they win tails they win, what a fair market for everybody.



10Jimthebeam
I am a PG&E customer. I think that the quote about using between 131 and 300 percent of average customers may be wrong. We have rate tiers: “baseline”, 101%-130% of baseline, and 131%-200% of baseline.
Baseline does not reflect the use of an “average customer”. It is just base rate. I live in a small 900sq ft house. I use compact florescent bulbs everywhere in my house. I have a new refrigerator. I have an electric stove/oven. My electricity usage is always in the top tier. Baseline usage is only 232KW! I don’t know the details of what is proposed. But the quote used is very misleading.



11Savantster
So, let me get this straight.. If you’re smart and prudent and find ways to cut your energy costs, you’re to be PENALIZED now? .. so the lazy glutton rich who use 3 times as much as normal can get a price BREAK?

WTF is wrong with America? How does it make sense to punish people for using less while benefiting those that take more?

This country is totally fucked.



12SFDennis50
That's our PG&E!



13justjoeindenver
Makes perfect sense. We should also charge skinny people more for their meals so the fat can save a buck or two. Then, we should put a much higher tax on economical cars so those poor fuckers with their Hummers can get a price break. While we're at it, let's put a surcharge on all of the purchases at the $1 store so that the consumers who can still afford Macy's etc can get a discount. The meek shall inherit the earth*.
*With an acceptable surcharge so that the corrupt don't have to pay for all that excess.



14voreason3
Basically this is incentivizing waste.

Insanity.



15captainfrank
Hey guys, if you hate them so much either quit paying your bill, or disconnect from their services.



16tdoff
If anyone noticed, two weeks ago a story was on this site about Saudi Arabia wanting us to pay more for oil to counteract for increased efficiency and the move to other forms of energy. They would use this money to shift to other sources of income as Oil decreased. What BS. We get what we deserve in this country. I say go 100% solar and wind. Cut PG&E out of the loop entirely. Want to jack up you profits. How does Zero sound. Off grid is the only way to kill the beast.



17ilona taylor
unbelievable … how do they expect people to go green , when they get punished for it … Germany is # one . Why? … because in lot of cases they get rewarded… with money … of course only Corporations get it here …



18guest1138
Nationalization and Socialism= NAZI



19Prattvictory
Sempra Energy is attempting to do the same thing to San Diego rate payers. They want to increase the rates for those using less and reduce the amount for those using the most.



20cjcitizen
This is such incredible bullshit. If I lived there I'd immediately find out who is on the Public Utilities Commission and organize groups to demonstrate in front of their houses.

We're not being simply exploited – we're being gang raped.



21Agit
you are thinking NATIONALISM honey, get yer shit straight.



22Calif. power company seeks higher rates for energy efficient customers « NWO News
[...] From Raw Story: [...]



23texasaggie
This is but another example of how other countries, in this case Mexico, are light years ahead of the US. In Mexico there are three levels of electricity use, basic (150 kWh in two months), intermediate (the next 150 kWh in two months), and exceeds (above 300 kWh in two months). The first 150 kWh gets charged at a ridiculously low rate, the next 150 kWh gets charged at about 3/2 of the first 150 and everything above 300 kWh gets charged at about 2.5 times the intermediate rate. It is an excellent way to get people to turn off lights and disconnect the always-on appliances when they aren't in use.



24davidrvelasquez
Oh yes, …having a 10% super wealthy elite profiting off the hardships of others struggling to pay for essential services is soooooo much better …and so unlike fascism???



25bopomunch
The Nazi were fascists, not socialists.



26Gary
The corporate mind never fails to amaze me.
It’s like the health insurance industry. They know
they’re ripping off millions of Americans but believe it’s their
God-given right to do so. Republicans give it their blessings.

http://rawstory.com/2009/11/calif-power-company-seeks-higher-rates-...