Public forums were held at the Sherman Heights Community Center on Thursday to give San Diego Gas & Electric customers a chance to comment on the company’s rate requests that include an increase in revenue over the next four years.
SDG&E is asking regulators to approve about $3.6 billion in new revenue between 2024 and 2027. That’ll end up costing an extra $9 to $18 a month for customers next year alone.
Over 100 San Diego residents came to the event to oppose the rate hikes.
“People are really upset with the rate hikes that SDG&E is imposing on the people of San Diego. There's really, really a lot of unrest about this,” said San Diego resident Derek Cassidy.
The speakers were vocal about how they felt about the financial and potential environmental impacts.
“We should be able to have the right to warm our homes, warm our water. We feel that's an essential right to have. And with these increasing rates how are people going to be able to continue to do that?” said resident Rita Clement.
Scheduled increases could raise yearly bills between $400 to $850 by 2027 compared to current rates.
The public forum comes after January's record high natural gas prices caused SDG&E customers to pay among the highest energy bills in the country.
“We're hoping to convince the commissioner not to approve the SDG&E rate increase,” Clement said.
SDG&E said the revenue request allows the utility to prepare for a future transition to a grid that produces less carbon.
Company filings said that includes building energy storage projects, electric vehicle infrastructure and making the transition to a carbon neutral future.
“SDG&E is proud to meet a budget that meets the needs of 2045. We're going to look very different in 2045 — we have regional goals, we have state goals, we have climate action plans. And we are preparing an infrastructure to meet and exceed the demand of tomorrow,” said SDG&E spokesperson Antony Wagner.
Virtual hearings were held a few weeks ago, but Thursday afternoon was the first in-person meeting on the rate requests.
“We expect a decision from the California Public Utilities Commission mid-2024,” Wagner said.
He added that it is probable the rate increases will be retroactive to January 1, 2024 if approved.
