“PG&E has prioritized political obeisance over safety.”
Unless California was willing to allow them to charge enough for both ‘political obeisance’ and safety, or make up the extra money some other way, then they really have NO CHOICE in the matter.
In 2018 PG&E spent $509 million on electric discounts for low-income customers in addition to $125 million for no-cost weatherization and efficiency upgrades for disadvantaged communities. Utilities also receive allowances from the state’s cap-and-trade program—$7.5 billion since 2012—to pay for other “ratepayer benefits” that reduce emissions. For instance, the Legislature in 2015 mandated that utilities spend $100 million annually on solar systems in low-income communities. This is on top of the $2.2 billion in customer rebates for rooftop solar installations, which utilities charged to ratepayers between 2007 and 2016. Under the state’s net-metering program, solar customers also get a break on their bills. And the list goes on and on...
Mandated $100 million annually on solar systems in low-income communities.
An easy fun target that sparks!