SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) today submitted to state
regulators its 2017-2019 General Rate Case (GRC), which proposes an
average increase of less than 3 percent in typical residential customer
energy bills to support upgrades to technology and electric and gas
infrastructure.
With the increase, typical residential bills are expected to remain well
below the national average while funding investments to make energy
safer, cleaner and more reliable for 6.3 million customers and their
families.
“Our customers want us to be the safest and most reliable energy
provider in the country while also supporting California’s goals to be
the leader in renewable energy and emerging energy technologies. This
proposal supports these goals while also balancing the need to keep
customer bills as low as possible,” said PG&E Corporation Chairman and
CEO Tony Earley.
Customer Benefits
In addition to funding current operations, PG&E's proposal would fund
investments to support:
-
Smart grid technologies that better integrate and manage more rooftop
solar and renewable energy, as well as enable a growing array of other
technologies, from electric vehicles to smart appliances and battery
storage;
-
Emergency preparedness for major disruptions like earthquakes,
including construction of a backup gas control center;
-
Stronger prevention and management of wildfires through increased
patrols and new laser-based technology;
-
Advanced mobile technology to provide field workers with the tools to
get work done more effectively and efficiently; and,
-
Faster response times to customer calls about possible gas leaks.
Process for Review and Bill Impact
Every three years, PG&E submits a request for funding to the California
Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), which conducts an open and
transparent review of the request along with several public hearings
across the state with input from all interested parties. The CPUC then
determines what revenues are necessary to maintain and upgrade the
electric and gas systems. The CPUC’s decision forms the basis for
customer rates.
Customers and other interested parties can learn more about the
investments and upgrades that PG&E plans to make to enhance safety and
reliability, and the requested rate changes, by visiting www.pge.com/grc.
PG&E’s proposal would increase a typical residential customer bill by $4
month, which includes $3 per month for electricity and $1 a month for
natural gas service. PG&E’s typical bills would remain approximately 25
percent below the national average bill according to the most recently
available data.
About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E
Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas
and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco,
with more than 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the
nation’s cleanest energy to nearly 16 million people in Northern and
Central California. For more information, visit www.pge.com/
and www.pge.com/en/about/newsroom/index.page.
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Source: Pacific Gas and Electric Company