Southern California Edison customers could face higher electric bills as soon as October
KESQ News Team
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KESQ) – The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is meeting on Thursday, with Southern California Edison’s request for a rate increase on the agenda.
The CPUC will be deciding whether to allow Edison to raise electricity rates by 10 percent, starting October 1st.
The Commission says Edison’s plan would boost the average residential bill in California by around $17 a month – or about $200 a year.
Under the plan, Edison will get additional increases for inflation, and customers will see more hikes each year through 2028.
According to the CPUC’s “Fact Sheet on Proposed Decision in Southern California Edison’s Rate Case,” the CPUC issued a Proposed Decision in July, suggesting a reduction in the amount of SCE’s rate increase request. The Proposed Decision says increased rates would be to cover costs associated with wildfire safety, aging infrastructure, and future demands on the grid.
The Fact Sheet estimates a monthly bill for a customer using 500 kilowatt hours would jump from $171.17 to $187.83.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco sent a letter on Tuesday to the CPUC in opposition to Southern California Edison’s rate increase request, stating in part, “As Sheriff of Riverside County, I see firsthand the toll that California’s affordability crisis is taking on the people I have sworn to serve and protect. Edison customers in Riverside and across Southern California already pay some of the highest electricity bills in the nation. Adding another $200 a year on top of bills that are already crushing families is unacceptable.”
The CPUC will be meeting at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday at the CPUC Auditorium in San Francisco. The meeting is also available via webcast at www.adminmonitor.com/ca/cpuc, or by phone at 800-857-1917, passcode 9899501#.
Stay with News Channel 3 for updates.