DRA: Southern California Edison Rate Hike Imposes an Excessive Burden on Utility Ratepayers
SAN FRANCISCO, March 12, 2009 – The Division of Ratepayer Advocates (DRA), an independent consumer advocacy division of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), finds that today's CPUC decision on Southern California Edison's General Rate Case gives Edison excessive revenue increases
The decision grants Edison an increase of $495 million in 2009, which is an 11.43 percent increase for General Rate Case (GRC) related costs. This decision also authorizes Edison increases of $205 million (or 4.25 percent) in 2010 and $219 million (or 4.35 percent) in 2011. The cumulative revenue increases granted by the decision over entire three-year period total more than $2.1 billion above the current GRC revenue level.
“The cumulative amount of the increases and the resulting rise in electric rates increases will impose an additional financial burden on Edison's Southern California customers and households during these difficult economic times,” said DRA Deputy Director David Ashuckian.
DRA supported adoption of the Proposed Decision of the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) in the case, which would have granted lower increases of $309 million in 2009, $139 million in 2010, and $143 million in 2011. In this challenging economic climate, the increases in the Proposed Decision of the ALJ were reasonable and sufficient for Edison to operate and manage its system in a safe and reliable manner. Commissioner Dian M. Grueneich was the sole dissenting vote in the adoption of the CPUC decision.
More information on DRA's reports and analysis in this proceeding are available on the DRA Web site at www.dra.ca.gov.
Contacts:
Sepideh Khosrowjah
Policy Advisor
415-703-1190
Tom Hall
Information Officer
916-324-8685
DRA Press Room: http://www.dra.ca.gov/DRA/News/releases.htm
