CPUC WILL HOLD HEARING IN SAN DIEGO APRIL 5 ON SDG&E REQUEST TO CHARGE RATEPAYERS FOR WILDFIRE COSTS

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February 24, 2012 (San Diego)—San Diego County residents will finally have a chance to tell the California Public Utilities Commission what they think about San Diego Gas & Electric’s proposal to charge ratepayers $463.9 million for the utility’s uninsured losses due to the 2007 wildfires caused by its poorly maintained power lines.

Commissioner Timothy Alan Simon will hold a public participation hearing on April 5 from 4-9 p.m. at the Al Bar Shriner Auditorium , 4330 Kearny Mesa Road in San Diego.

The announcement follows a February 21, 2012 “Turko Files” KUSI TV investigative report which revealed over a dozen private meetings in which SDG&E executives wined and dined CPUC Commissioner Simon,  who is acting as a judge on this matter:  http://www.kusi.com/story/16988213/almost-anything-goes.

 “This is the opportunity SDG&E customers deserve,” said Diane Conklin, founder of the Mussey Grade Road Alliance in Ramona, which filed a motion seeking the hearing.  “This is their chance to make a difference. I encourage everyone to attend the April 5 meeting and tell the Commission why it is wrong to stick electricity customers with a blank check for uninsured fire costs, either in 2007 or the future. “

She said that SDG&E's proposed Wildfire Expense Balancing Account (WEBA) plan would provide no incentive for keeping lines safe and predicted, “More catastrophic wildfires ignited by the utility are foreseeable for the future if the uninsured costs of the fires the utility ignites are paid by somebody else—namely the customers they serve.”

Conklin added that Simon has indicated he may extend the April 5 hearing to April 6 if a high number of participants turn out.

The hearing follows a flood of requests from ratepayers for a public hearing, as well as requests from Supervisor Dianne Jacob and State Senator Christine Kehoe.

 


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