SAN FRANCISCO - Pacific
Gas and Electric Company today announced it is making its 2001 franchise
fee and franchise fee surcharge payments - on time and in full -
totaling $145 million to the 290 cities and counties in which it
operates. The payments total $72.3 million for gas and $73.1 million
for electric service franchises and surcharges.
The 2001 franchise fee and
franchise fee surcharge payments represent a 44 percent increase
over the 2000 payments. These increases are primarily due to the
higher energy costs that were part of the 2001 energy crisis.
"Pacific Gas and Electric
Company continues to meet its commitment to cities and counties
whose revenues depend in part on franchise fees paid by the utility,"
said Gordon R. Smith, president and chief executive officer of Pacific
Gas and Electric Company. "These revenues are used to support the
many important services residents expect from their local government
- police and fire protection, education, public health, and environmental
services."
A franchise fee is a percentage
of gross receipts that Pacific Gas and Electric Company pays cities
and counties for the right to use public streets to run gas and
electric service. The franchise fee surcharge is a percentage of
the transportation and energy costs to customers choosing to buy
their energy from third parties. PG&E serves as the collection agent
for the surcharges and passes the amounts to the cities and counties.
These payments are due on
or before March 31 or April 15, depending upon contracts and circumstances.
The cities and counties that receive March payments have all been
paid in full and those cities and counties with an April 15 payment
date will begin receiving payments the week of April 8, 2002.