December 2012 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.
WGS
- Do more, save more. Save up to 20% with PG&E’s Winter Gas Savings.See how little steps can add up with the Winter Gas Savings Progress Tracker.
A few small changes can add up to a whole lot of savings. Use our online Progress Tracker to keep track of your gas usage. With Winter Gas Savings, if you use just 10% less gas throughout December and January we’ll give you a 20% credit on your PG&E bill.
No need to sign up—you’re already enrolled. To track your gas usage and find a wide range of gas-saving tips. - Natural gas customers: Important gas safety information regarding inspection and maintenance of customer-owned pipingPG&E’s natural gas distribution pipelines connect to customer-owned piping near the gas meter. Customer-owned piping includes any above ground or buried pipe from where the meter “tee” connects to pipe leading into a building or house, to a fence or wall enclosing gas-fired equipment, to an appliance, or from the house to a swimming pool heater, spa or other building. Refer to diagram below.
PG&E does not own, maintain or inspect the gas lines beyond our meter. Customers* are responsible for maintaining any customer-owned piping on their property from the meter to the house or business.
*"Customer" refers to the owner of the gas piping system served by PG&E. This may be either the property owner or another party who owns the gas piping.
Customer-owned piping should be periodically inspected for leaks and if it’s metallic, for corrosion.
A licensed plumber or qualified contractor can locate, inspect and repair buried piping on your property. If corrosion or a dangerous condition is discovered, piping should be immediately repaired.
Damage from excavation is the most common cause of pipeline accidents. That’s why you must always call Underground Service Alert (USA) at 811 at least two working days before you dig—even in your own yard—to have underground lines located and marked.
USA is a free service that will notify underground utility operators in the areas of your planned work. PG&E will then locate and mark our underground gas and electric facilities. Customer-owned pipelines are typically not located by calling 811. Contact a plumber or licensed contractor to have customer-owned pipelines located before digging. Respect the marks and dig with care using hand-digging methods.
If you have questions about gas pipeline safety, please call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.
- Notice of application filing of Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s 2014 General Rate Case (GRC) A. 12-11-009On November 15, 2012, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) filed a proposed Application (12-11-009) with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) requesting authority to increase the base revenue that PG&E uses to operate and maintain its electric and gas distribution and electric generation facilities. The request also includes the cost of owning and building additional electric and gas distribution and electric generation facilities.
PG&E is requesting a total increase of $1.282 billion for gas and electric service, effective January 1, 2014
PG&E’s proposal would increase the monthly electric bill for typical residential bundled-service customers (those who receive electric generation, as well as transmission and distribution service from PG&E) using 550 kilowatt hours (kwh) per month by $4.61 or 5.2% from $89.36 to $93.97, and for typical residential gas customers using 37 therms per month by $7.06 or 15.3% from $46.13 to $53.18. The projected electric and gas rate changes by customer class are identified in the tables contained within this bill insert.
The proposed increase consists of the following:
An increase in electric revenues of $796 million over the currently authorized level for 2014. The increase is made up of two components: (1) the cost of delivering electricity to PG&E’s customers ($587 million); and (2) the cost of operating and maintaining PG&E’s power plants ($209 million). This increase does not include the cost of electricity procured for PG&E’s customers or the cost of fuel used in generating electricity by PG&E, which are recovered in a separate proceeding.
An increase in gas revenues of $486 million over the currently authorized level for 2014. The increase does not include gas procured for PG&E’s customers, which is recovered in a separate proceeding.
PG&E is also requesting approval for additional base revenues in 2015 and 2016 to cover additional infrastructure improvements and increased costs of labor, materials, supplies and other expenses. PG&E estimates that these increases will total $492 million in 2015 and $504 million in 2016.
Key reasons why PG&E is asking for increases: This funding request reflects PG&E’s commitment to provide its customers with safe and reliable service.
PG&E is building a safer and more reliable energy system that will continue to help California remain competitive on a national and global scale. The funding will be used to:- Assure a high level of public safety in the operation of PG&E’s gas and electric facilities;
- Invest in and maintain the system of power plants, poles, wires, pipes and equipment needed to deliver electricity and gas to PG&E’s customers; and
- Improve customer service and maintain the support structure necessary to keep PG&E operating and to provide PG&E’s customers with safe, reliable and responsive customer service.
Estimated impact of this proposed request on electric rates
PG&E estimates that, initially, the requested $796 million increase in electric revenues would be distributed as shown in the table to the right. The actual distribution of the increase to each customer class depends on how the CPUC ultimately decides all issues in the GRC, as well as in the separate electric rate design proceeding expected to be filed with the CPUC in the first quarter of 2013.
If the CPUC approves PG&E’s proposed request for an electric rate increase, the bill for a typical residential customer using 550 kilowatt hours per month would increase by $4.61 or 5.2% percent from $89.36 to $93.97. Individual customer bills may vary. Rates would become effective January 1, 2014.
Estimated impact of this proposed request on gas rates
PG&E estimates that, initially, the requested $486 million increase in gas revenues would be distributed as shown in the table to the right. The actual distribution of the increase to each customer class depends on how the CPUC ultimately decides all issues in the GRC, as well as in the separate gas rate design proceeding expected to be filed with the CPUC sometime during the first quarter of 2013.
If the CPUC approves PG&E’s request for a gas rate increase, the bill for a typical residential customer using 37 therms per month would increase by $7.06 or 15.3% from $46.13 to $53.18. Individual customer bills may vary. Rates would become effective January 1, 2014.
What is a General Rate Case?
Every three or four years, investor-owned utilities such as PG&E are required to file a General Rate Case (GRC) in which the CPUC sets annual base revenue levels. Annual base revenue is the total amount of money a utility collects through rates in a given year for specific purposes. PG&E’s GRC base revenues do not include fuel-related costs addressed in the CPUC’s Energy Resources Recovery Account proceedings, electric transmission-related costs addressed at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or gas transmission and storage costs which are filed in a separate application.
* Rates shown are for customers who are not on the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) Program, which provides a monthly discount on energy bills for income-qualified households and housing facilities.
After PG&E’s GRC proposal is reviewed in a public process, the CPUC then makes a decision on what is reasonable for customers to pay in rates.
While the GRC will determine the total amount of money PG&E can collect in rates, the design of the actual rates themselves (that is, the price charged to customers) will be determined in separate proceedings to be filed in the future with the CPUC. The GRC is publicly available to ensure transparency and opportunity for public involvement.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION HEARINGS
The CPUC welcomes the public’s participation. Before deciding on PG&E’s application, the CPUC will hold public participation hearings (PPH) to provide customers with an opportunity to express their views before a CPUC Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). Notification of these hearings will be sent to you either by a separate mailing or included as a bill insert in your monthly bill. The notice will identify all of the locations that the PPHs are being held for your convenience and planning.
Those customers who cannot attend a hearing may submit written comments to the CPUC at the address listed on the back. All such correspondence to the CPUC should reference PG&E’s 2014 GRC application (A.12-11-009).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
If you have questions regarding the GRC application or for more details, please contact PG&E at 1-800-743-5000. For TDD/TTY (speech-hearing impaired), call 1-800-652-4712.
If you would like a copy of the application and exhibits, please write to PG&E at the address below:
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
2014 General Rate Case Application
P.O. Box 7442, San Francisco, CA 94120
You can also view PG&E’s GRC application and exhibits online at www.pge.com.
A copy of PG&E’s 2014 GRC application and exhibits is also available for review at the CPUC, 505 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102, Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–noon. A copy of the application (without exhibits) is available on the CPUC’s website at www.cpuc.ca.gov/puc.
THE CPUC PROCESS
The CPUC’s Division of Ratepayer Advocates (DRA) will review this application. The DRA is an independent arm of the CPUC, created by the Legislature, to represent the interests of utility customers throughout the state and obtain the lowest possible rate for service consistent with safe and reliable service levels. DRA has a multi-disciplinary staff with expertise in economics, finance, accounting and engineering. The DRA’s views do not necessarily reflect those of the CPUC. Other parties of record will also participate.
Evidentiary hearings
In addition to public participation hearings, the CPUC will also schedule Evidentiary Hearings (EHs) for the GRC application in 2013 where parties of record present their proposals in testimony and are subject to cross examination before the ALJ. These hearings are open to the public, but only those who are formal parties of record can present evidence or cross-examine witnesses during EHs. Members of the public may attend, but are not allowed to participate in the hearings.
After considering all proposals and evidence presented during the hearing process, the ALJ will issue a draft decision. When the CPUC acts on the 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 the ALJ’s draft decision.
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 or 1-866-836-7825 (toll free)
Email 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 (A.12-11-009) to which you are referring. All comments will be circulated to the Commissioners, the assigned ALJ and the CPUC’s Energy Division Staff.
