October 2009 Bill Inserts
Each month, PG&E offers important information on rebates, saving energy and safety in printed inserts that accompany your bill. Now, access this information online whenever you wish.
- Breathe easy with CARE during these challenging economic timesSave money on your PG&E bill every month with CARE/FERA. Applying is free, easy and confidential.
California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) Program provides a monthly discount on electric bills for income-qualified households. Learn more or download an application.
Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) Program provides a monthly discount on electric bills for income-qualified households of three or more. Learn more or download an application. - Proposition 65—Public WarningThe Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986
The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, commonly referred to as Proposition 65, requires the governor to publish a list of chemicals “known to the State of California” to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. It also requires California businesses to warn the public quarterly of potential exposures to these chemicals that result from their operations.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company uses chemicals in its operations that are “known to the State of California” to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.
For example, Pacific Gas and Electric Company uses natural gas and petroleum products in its operations. Pacific Gas and Electric Company also delivers natural gas to its customers. Petroleum products, natural gas and their combustion by-products contain chemicals “known to the State of California” to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.
A warning odorant is added to natural gas so that leaks of unburned gas can be quickly detected. If gas odor is detected, Pacific Gas and Electric Company should be contacted immediately at 1-800-PGE-5000 (1-800-743-5000).
For additional information on this Proposition 65 warning, write to Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Prop. 65 Coordinator, 77 Beale Street B23H, P.O. Box 770000, San Francisco, CA 94177. - Notification of Application Filing by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E): Wildfire Claims Cost Recovery A09-08-020On August 31, 2009, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), with Southern California Edison Company, San Diego Gas and Electric Company and Southern California Gas Company (the Utilities), jointly filed Application No. 09-08-020 requesting authority from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to approve a mechanism to allow the Utilities to recover uninsured costs associated with wildfires. In the face of a potential insurance crisis that may limit the Utilities’ ability to obtain insurance coverage, the Application asks for CPUC approval for each Utility to establish a Wildfire Expense Balancing Account (WEBA) to record for future recovery all costs of third party claims resulting from wildfires that would have been covered by insurance, as well as costs that would not have been incurred if insurance were available, including: (1) payments to satisfy wildfire claims, including any deductibles, co-insurance and other insurance expense paid by the Utilities, but excluding costs that have already been authorized in the Utilities’ General Rate Case; (2) outside legal costs incurred in the defense of wildfire claims; (3) premium costs not in rates and (4) the cost of financing these amounts. Insurance proceeds, as well as any payments received from third parties, will be credited to the WEBA as they are received. The Application requests that amounts recorded in the WEBA be included in rates after review and approval by the CPUC. However, while requesting approval of the mechanism, the Application does not request increases in current rates.
THE CPUC PROCESS
The CPUC’s Division of Ratepayer Advocates (DRA) will review this Application. DRA is an independent arm of the CPUC, created by the Legislature to represent the interests of all utility customers throughout the state and obtain the lowest possible rate for service consistent with reliable and safe service levels. DRA has a multi-disciplinary staff with expertise in economics, finance, accounting and engineering. DRA’s views do not necessarily reflect those of the CPUC. Other parties of record will also participate.
The CPUC may hold evidentiary hearings where parties of record present their proposals in testimony and are subject to cross-examination before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). These hearings are open to the public, but only those who are parties of record can present evidence or cross-examine witnesses during evidentiary hearings. Members of the public may attend and listen to these hearings, but are not allowed to participate.
After considering all proposals and evidence presented during the hearing process, the ALJ will issue a draft decision. When the CPUC acts on this application, it may adopt all or part of PG&E’s request, amend or modify it or deny the application. The CPUC’s final decision may be different from PG&E’s proposed application filing.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
For more details, call PG&E at 1-800-PGE-5000
You may request a copy of the application and exhibits by writing to: Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Wildfire Claims Cost Recovery Application P.O. Box 7442, San Francisco, CA 94120.
You may contact the CPUC’s Public Advisor with comments or questions as follows:
Public Advisor’s Office
505 Van Ness Avenue, Room 2103
San Francisco, CA 94102
1-415-703-2074 or 1-866-849-8390 (toll free)
TTY 1-415-703-5282, TTY 1-866-836-7825 (toll free)
E-mail to public.advisor@cpuc.ca.gov
If you are writing a letter to the Public Advisor’s Office, please include the number of the application (09-08-020) to which you are referring. All comments will be circulated to the Commissioners, the assigned Administrative Law Judge and the Energy Division staff.
Reviewed by the California Public Utilities Commission - Notification of Application Filing by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E): To Recover in Rates Costs Involved with 2011 Gas Transmission and Storage (T&S 2011)The "Gas Accord" market structure, approved by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC ) in 1998 by Decision (D.) 97-08-055, set the rates, terms and conditions of service for Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E)’s natural gas transmission and storage services. The currently effective rates were approved by the CPUC in September 2007, for a three-year term (2008-2010), under a previous all-party settlement known as “Gas Accord IV” (D. 07-09-045). Thus, the rates have been in effect since 2008.
On September 18, 2009, PG&E filed an Application with the CPUC requesting changes to its Gas Transmission and Storage (GT&S) rates, effective January 1, 2011 (the Application). In this Application, PG&E proposes a four-year adjustment to rates for 2011 through 2014. PG&E also presents its forecasts of expected demand and system usage for 2011 through 2014, as well as how the costs to operate its transmission and storage business will be assigned to each customer class.
Will Gas Rates Increase?
Yes, if approved, gas rates and bills will increase. Rates for bundled residential gas customers, (customers who receive gas distribution and natural gas procurement services from PG&E), will increase by 1.4 percent, and bundled small and large commercial gas rates will increase by 1.6 percent and 1.7 percent, respectively.
For 2011, PG&E is seeking to collect a total of $529.1 million, an increase of $67.3 million, or less than 1 percent compared to the 2010 total company projected revenues, in gas transmission and storage revenue requirements from all of PG&E’s gas customers. PG&E also requests gas transmission and storage revenue requirements for 2012, 2013 and 2014 of $561.5 million, $592.2 million and $614.8 million, respectively. This money will be used to operate PG&E's gas transmission and storage assets in a safe, reliable manner, comply with government regulations and provide a reasonable return to investors. The requested $67.3 million increase in gas revenue for 2011 would be collected from customers as described in the table below:
If the CPUC approves PG&E’s request, a typical residential customer using 37 therms per month would see an average monthly gas bill increase of $0.74, from $51.26 to $52.00. A typical small business customer using 286 therms per month would see an average monthly gas bill increase of $5.50, from $341.15 to $346.65. Individual customers’ bills may differ.
THE CPUC PROCESS
The CPUC’s Division of Ratepayer Advocates (DRA) will review this Application.
DRA is an independent arm of the CPUC, created by the Legislature to represent the interests of all utility customers throughout the state and obtain the lowest possible rate for service consistent with reliable and safe service levels. DRA has a multi-disciplinary staff with expertise in economics, finance, accounting and engineering. DRA’s views do not necessarily reflect those of the CPUC. Other parties of record will also participate.
The CPUC may hold evidentiary hearings where parties of record present their proposals in testimony and are subject to cross-examination before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). These hearings are open to the public, but only those who are parties of record can present evidence or cross-examine witnesses during evidentiary hearings. Members of the public may attend and listen to these hearings, but are not allowed to participate.
After considering all proposals and evidence presented during the hearing process, the ALJ will issue a draft decision. When the CPUC acts on this application, it may adopt all or part of PG&E’s request, amend or modify it or deny the application. The CPUC’s final decision may be different from PG&E’s proposed application filing.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
For more details, call PG&E at 1-800-PGE-5000.
You may request a copy of the application and exhibits by writing to: Pacific Gas and Electric Company, (Gas Transmission and Storage 2011 Application), P.O. Box 7442, San Francisco, CA 94120.
You may contact the CPUC’s Public Advisor with comments or questions as follows:
Public Advisor’s Office
505 Van Ness Avenue, Room 2103
San Francisco, CA 94102
1-415-703-2074 or 1-866-849-8390 (toll free)
TTY 1-415-703-5282, TTY 1-866-836-7825 (toll free)
E-mail to public.advisor@cpuc.ca.gov
If you are writing a letter to the Public Advisor’s Office, please include the name of the application to which you are referring. All comments will be circulated to the Commissioners, the assigned Administrative Law Judge and the Energy Division staff.
Reviewed by the California Public Utilities Commission.
