OF course they are raising the fee. PG&E needs to be able to retain their spending on such important activities like sponsoring SF Giants games, TV commercials, and the list goes on. The State PUC and PG&E are heavily tied to each other as proven in numerous prior lawsuits. This is one more step where the PUC agrees to help PG&E. Going green is band for the utility. Is it any wonder why Tesla's off the grid generator and the vast rise on solar power will replace PG&E.

PG&E cannot and should not be replaced. Think it through. What we are seeing is a shift from energy utilities as generators to energy utilities as distributors. PG&E keeps complaining that new developments in renewable and distributed energy sources disrupt its (last-century) business model. PG&E's "solution" is to have the PUC and its political friends in Sacramento stamp out the disruptions by imposing burdensome fees on innovators while continuing to subsidize the old model. This is bound to fail in the long run. The new business model should make PG&E responsible for the delivery systems, mainly gas pipelines and the electrical grid, as well as the billing for consumers' energy use (and reimbursement for consumers' surplus energy generation!). PG&E should NOT be a market maker in energy prices. Consumers should be able to order energy from any supplier that can connect to PG&E's distribution systems, and shop around for the best rates and/or social attributes.

The PG&E Attorney who made the filing is CHARLES R. MIDDLEKAUFF. He can be reached by telephone at (415) 973-6971 or by e-mail at CRMd@pge.com

To read the PG&E filing with the CPUC click on the link below.

Web Link