By Miriam Raftery, East County Magazine

Photo: Sunrise Powerlink high voltage lines in Lakeside, by Billy Ortiz

February 21, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) president Michael Picker has suggested that utilities be allowed to charge residents in high-fire risk areas higher rates for electricity.  The reason would be to cover costs of upgrades to prevent power lines from causing wildfires, including changes to meet tougher new fire safety rules approved by the CPUC in December, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. 

Picker’s proposal, made during a meeting on fire safety for utilities on January 31^st, has sparked outraged responses among East County residents, planners, and County Supervisor Dianne Jacob.

East County News Service

January 20, 2016 (San Diego) -- The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will hold a community forum in San Diego on Tuesday, February 2 at 6 p.m. to discuss and answer questions about the CPUC’s July 2015 decision to significantly change residential electricity rates, including the requirement that starting in 2019 all residential customers will be offered time of use rates as a default.  The event will be held at the Jacobs Center, 404 Euclid Avenue, San Diego 92114.