Why do some California customers pay twice as much as the rest of the U.S. for their electricity?

Californians pay 1.6 times the national average price for electricity, and PG&E’s customers pay double the national average. Brandon Rittiman explores why California's rates are so high, what’s going to drive them up even more, and what it means to household budgets of the 16 million people who live in PG&E’s monopoly turf.

[valeriestevens]

PG&E also contributes heavily to Gov. Newsom's campaign fund. Follow the money.

[scientificapproach]

The more PG&E wast the more they can charge. PG&E charges 3x what I pay in Utah.

[Chuck-]

The UNELECTED state Public Utilities Commission are the ones who are signing-off on PG&E's rate increases, THREE rate increases in the last year alone. The commissioners are appointed by the governor, are the generous campaign contributions by PG&E to state offices and to the legislature greasing the wheels for rate hikes? Many think the state is too chummy with PG&E and want to know more about the relationship but California state offices in Sacramento vehemently shuns transparency and has fought the release of documents, makes you wonder why?!

[waynerice]

It's Gavin Newsom and his five man appointed commission that are raising rates.

[yivette]

They should have interviewed someone in a 750 sqft apartment (rent is $2, 100) paying $200 (for an electric bill) who hardly ever has the air on and when it is on it's set to 80. TAKING ADVANTAGE IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.

[erikkovacs]

Wow 38 cents peak and 28 cents off peak!? Must be nice. We're paying 50 peak and 48 off peak. Thanks Bay Area!

[LightofBankai]

Sacramento residents were so fed up with PG&E that the residents voted for its own municipal electric utility governed by the people. We call it SMUD. Back in the early 2000s, YOLO County, the county next over, was attempted to be annexed by SMUD. PG&E pushed an aggressive campaign and fooled the voters not to be annexed by SMUD. Now they are paying with their votes. I live in Sacramento. My home is 2, 300 sqft. On the hottest days at 100 degrees with my thermostat set to 79. My monthly bill from July to August is roughly $250 per month. Vote for a municipal electric company and kick out PG&E.

[jessiej-theinfomaniac]

I'm a single mom, no child support, working full time and barely making above 40k a year...and I didn't qualify for their CARE program. And my electric bill last month was almost 800 bucks, which is half of my mortgage. How are we Californians supposed to pay these outrageous bills?!?!

[mikeverrett]

If I were burning up 3100 kwh every month, my bill would be high too!

[AA-ctcb]

How can she live in a home like that and be low income?

[NathanDelaney]

The CPUC keeps approving rate increases, which is ridiculous.

[yaohuali]

Over 3000 kWh per month for 3 people? It's crazy

[Garth]

Double ? Try 4 X higher than hundreds of other electric distribution utilities. In Nevada, their power rates start with a .06 cents per kWh in tier 1 and move to .08 cents per kWh in tier 2.
Southern CA Edison charges .26 cents per kWh and .34 cents in tier 2. So, in a month of power usage say 1, 200 kWh's Nevada would charge about $96 and Southern CA Edison would be about $408 for the same amount of power ! How is that ? All power comes from the same sources and yes it will travel different distances to serve customers however, how is it that CA is entitled to that much more money when Nevada can operate just fine on profits from 8 cents ?
Something isn't right with CA...is that because of the State of California and their CA ISO power grid operation and their demanding focus on renewable energy sources ? Seems as though politics has entered the cost factors with power rates in CA and that the state is collecting sanctions from its people for power that is sold from nonrenewable generation plants. So, why is the state entitled to intervene with businesses who generate and sell power? It's like a huge tax burden on the public and where and what do they do with all of that money?
As far as the CPUC goes, they are also basically run by the Governor who just happens to run (or give orders to) CA ISO and so far, PG&E in how they operate. CPUC is not for the rate payers like it used to be 40 years ago...it's now closely run and managed by Governor appointed management with little education and experiences with power and gas utilities.

[KnowledgeMaster]

Called IBEU. People who get paid $200 to $300k to take their time. They get massive OT.

[apow]

The lady needs to downsize her home if possible. 3000 sq ft for 3 people? Regardless, PG&E shouldn't be increasing their prices like the liar CEO states. Pay to get the smart meter off your home. You will save money, even paying the penalty of having an analog meter.

[geraldarcuri]

Everything is ridiculously expensive in California. And politicians in Sacramento are to blame. They just never want to admit it. And the Public Utilities Commission is in on the games.

[ccfries]

There should be more companies to choose from. Why arent politicians putting pressure on PG&E to lower prices??

[cmills]

Absolutely.Ihave southern California Edison Even with medical so call discount pricing my bill doubled since last year

[greglane]

I want to thank California for providing so much entertainment to the rest of America. The laughs are endless. And they don't come from Hollywood.

[jkbrk]

Just realized this is 4 years old. Things havent gotten better.