Welcome to the California Public Utilities Commission
voting meeting on the day, Thursday, November 16th
2023. Today's call is being recorded. If you have any
objections, you may disconnect at this time. President
Reynolds, you may begin. Good morning and welcome to
the California Public Utilities Commission voting meeting
I'm calling this meeting of November 16th 2023 public
agenda number 3536. To order we need to start by establishing
a quorum agenda clerk. Could you please call the roll
Commissioner Douglas, Commissioner John Reynolds.
Commissioner Hau here, Commissioner Sharaa here, President
Alice Reynolds. Here we have a quorum today. We are
welcomed by the Imperial County Office of Education
in El Centro California. Um I do wanna give a huge
thanks to the Office of Education for their assistance
and to the county for the for welcoming us here and
allowing us to use their facilities. It's really great
to be here. Um I do want to note that this meeting
will also be live streamed at www dot admin monitor.com/c
A slash CPUC. I'm gonna start with some housekeeping
information and then we'll move on to public comment
for those of you watching the live stream closed captioning
is available in English and Spanish to view the closed
captioning. Click on the green button beneath the webcast
video player and follow the instructions that appear
on screen Spanish interpretation is available during
the public comment portion of today's meeting for Spanish
interpretation dial 1 808 571917 pass code 379962 £7
and follow the instructions to be connected to the
Spanish line. I ask that my colleagues and today's
speakers speak clearly and slowly to allow for interpretation
at today's meeting. The public will have the opportunity
to make public comments either in person or by telephone
If you wish to make an in person public comment, please
visit the public advisor's office table located in
the lobby outside the doors uh to add your name to
the public comment list. If you wish to make a public
comment by telephone, please dial 1 808 571917 and
enter passcode 989950 £1 and press star one. You will
be placed in a queue and the operator will take your
name and information. You will then be called upon
to speak when we get to the public comment period in
today's agenda. Please note that if there are many
callers, the wait to speak may be long if you encounter
difficulties calling into the public telephone line
please email voting meeting help at CPUC dot C a.gov
For those of you who are not able to provide oral public
comments at today's public voting meeting or for those
of you who would like to provide more lengthy comments
you may submit written comments, written comments can
be sent to us in two ways. One via an online form
found in each proceedings, online docket card or two
directly to our public advisor's office at Public dot
advisor at CPUC dot C a.gov. For more information about
providing public comments, please contact our public
advisor's office and again, I'll read the email again
Public dot advisor at CPUC dot C a.gov. Or you may
call 18668498390. You can also visit our website and
click on the make a comment icon.
Ok. Before we get started, I did want to recognize
that November 1st through November 30th is Native American
Heritage Month. The California Public Utilities Commission
celebrates the Native American tribes of California
and the many distinct cultures, languages and traditions
that reflect the 179 tribal nations located in what
is now California and the 1.4 million people who identify
as Native American or Alaska native. Join me and my
fellow commissioners as we appreciate countless contributions
to our state by those in Indian country since 1990
when the first Native American Heritage Month was proclaimed
November has been a month to reflect upon and commemorate
the contributions of tribes and celebrate the unique
and widely diverse cultures of America's first peoples
here at the CPUC, we recognize the essential role that
tribal governments play in our mission to ensure safe
reliable and affordable utility services for all Californians
from expanding broadband services in rural areas to
partnering on projects that enhance energy infrastructure
reliability. We are proud to collaborate with and support
tribal communities. Our commitment goes beyond words
through initiatives such as tribal, the tribal land
transfer policy and our new equity and access grant
program. The commission actively supports and empowers
tribal communities to develop energy resilience initiatives
We're dedicated to standing alongside the first people
of our lands and honoring the profound importance of
our shared history
in the spirit of this month, we invite you to learn
more about the wide array of tribal affairs work taking
place at the puc. This work is aimed at addressing
utility challenges and repairing environmental and
social justice inequities that California's tribes
have endured for generations be on the lookout for
upcoming announcements about future lunchtime learning
events featuring native American leaders. These events
will offer a unique opportunity to expand our understanding
and appreciation of the invaluable contributions made
by those in Indian country. So join us in acknowledging
and celebrating the enduring legacy of Native American
tribes in California. Together, we can foster a spirit
of unity, appreciation and support
and now we will go to public comments So a few uh
instructions for folks in the room in person. Comments
will be taken first followed by comments on the public
comment, telephone line. And again, if you're attending
in person and would like to make a public comment,
please visit the table outside. Um going to uh instructions
for public comment by telephone. If you have already
dialed into the public comment, telephone line, please
press star one and unmute your phone. The public can
make comments, addressing items on the consent and
regular agenda as well as items that are not on the
agenda. But CPUC rules do not allow for parties to
proceedings to speak about open proceedings.
All speakers will have one minute to speak. You will
hear a bell sound when your time is up. Please be mindful
of other speakers waiting to speak and keep to your
allotted time. And as a reminder, please speak clearly
and slowly to accommodate Spanish interpreters. So
with that guidance in mind, I welcome today's speakers
So I'm gonna call the in person speakers. The first
um speaker is um we have the honor of having a member
of the County Board of Supervisors here, Ryan Kelly
So I'd like to call uh Mr Kelly up to the podium
Thank you, Commissioner.
Got it. All right. Thank you, Commissioner Reynolds
Ryan Kelly County Board of Supervisors. Welcome to
Imperial County. We appreciate you making the journey
here and having this process so that the public can
be able to address some of their concerns. Uh We, the
county board of supervisors have, uh, entered a letter
uh into the record. It's been mailed to the commission
It's in regards to the Golden State Water, the private
water service in Imperial County that serves three
customers. The city of Calipatria, the township of
Nyland and the Calipatria State Prison uh of California
Corrections. The rates in this valley or raw water
is sold at $20 an acre foot and Golden State treats
that water and sells it here for over $2000 an acre
foot. This is a disadvantaged community. And as you
mentioned in your opening comments that the right to
water or to public safety, fire or law enforcement
those um shelter and protection needs. Uh If you visit
Calipatria or Nyland, you will see the impact of those
rates as they've increased over the last decade significantly
and they are pooled with an area that is outside of
Imperial County in the L A basin, San Bernardino County
area. Uh The raw water um inexpensive cost in Imperial
County actually is subsidizing the rate increases across
this region. This District of Golden State Service
it should be looked at that. This area is significantly
different than Apple Valley, Monrovia or um Upland
So we hope that we will continue to have this good
dialogue. And the County of Imperial with the city
of Calipatria is exploring options of challenging that
right? For service for our community.
Thank you very much.
Our next speaker is Jesse Res
Good morning and thank you for allowing me to speak
Um My name is Jesse Revis and I would like, like to
comment on one of the biggest problems in the north
end is the cost of water and how it affects our community
Visitors may pass through our town and see that it's
very dry and why would I wanna visit this, this town
Because uh Nyland is, is there's no green vegetation
there. Um So it it affects how uh we are in the
community. Our landscapes of our homes are, are a lot
of them are dirt and uh we can't afford the water and
if it keeps going up, then what are we to do? Um
And why would, why would any other people want to live
here if the, if the city looks in the condition that
it does? Because um you know, it's not very green,
it's not uh healthy for the Children to play out. Um
because there's so much dirt in the air.
Um Thank you very much. I guess I couldn't finish.
Thank you very much. Our next speaker is Diane Juarez
Diana. Excuse me,
good morning. Is this on it? So, um my parents in the
seventies bought a dirt lot in Island and they worked
hard. They were working class people, they worked hard
They had a lot of pride, the American dream like for
everyone was to have a home, have a yard for their
Children have grass. They planted grass, they planted
trees. My mother was a gardener. She loved to garden
She would have calendula. She would, we learned the
names of these flowers because my mother would teach
us. She would show us, oh, I'm gonna plant this. So
I'm gonna buy this. I'm gonna, my father had a garden
in the back. He grew peanuts because he wanted us to
see how peanuts grew. Carrots, zucchinis, anything
he could grow, he would try to grow. We had um grapefruit
trees. We had lemon trees. They worked very hard and
they were very proud of what they accomplished. My
mother, her Easter lilies. She was so proud to take
them to church in Easter. Now you look out the backyard
It's just dirt, you look out the front yard, it's dirt
It's the dirt that my parents bought. That's what it
is now,
thank you.
Our next speaker is Ana Garcia.
Good morning. And thank you for having me. My name
is Anna Garcia. I'm a resident of Calipatria and a
Golden State Water customer.
I want to say that the Golden State Water Company is
a public utility California and is owned by American
State Water Company. Keep in mind these figures, Robert
J Sprawls. He is the chief executor at American States
Water made 3 million 483,000 $194 of this 899,000 $231
was received a salary. Now, listen, well to this number
1 million $133,100 was received as a bonus.
$1,421,725 was awarded as stock and $29,138 came from
other types of compensation. Keep in mind that Island's
poverty level is 61%. Calip pa poverty level is 29%
social security. For those of us that are on, it will
be raised by 3.2% next year, 30% less than Golden State
water increase. Thank you. Thank you. Our next speaker
is Eric Reyes.
Eric Reyes, a group, Los Amigos. And we help organize
this and we want to tell you that we were this armband
and symbolic of the fact of what state water is doing
to that community. It is, it is strangling and stifling
any type of group and slowly killing them as they are
in a non attainment area already. Epa for uh PM 2.5
PM 10 with the receding salt and sea for water transfers
that is continued to have an assault on their health
and human health environment and human health and exacerbated
by the fact that Golden State Water itself continues
to raise its water rates at astounding rates compared
to the region is serving here in our area. Uh Calipatria
and Island are $7000 per person per capita. Uh, 29,000
median income 12,000 in Island, 29,000 in,
in Calipatria, San Dimas where their, where their state
is, is that uh 3030 30,000 per capita and 100 and 1000
So we ask you to take all that into account and the
fact that they pay the lowest water rate per acre foot
in the nation, $20 versus 2200 that they charge these
people. Thank you. Thank you. Our next speaker is Sylvia
Chavez.
Good morning commissioners. Welcome to Imperial Valley
My name is Sylvia Chavez mayor pro temp for the city
of Calipatria. And with me is our city manager, Laura
Gutierrez. We're requesting your reconsideration for
the previously approved Golden State water rates as
they are severely impacting our community. The city
of Calipatria is a small rural community with a 29%
poverty rate, a medium household income of 39,000 and
a median property value of 100 and 49,000 with a roughly
1/8 of the state's medium household income. As a disadvantaged
community, the city of Calipatria is trying to improve
the quality of our life for our residents. We have
very few immunities. The city currently has a park
project on hold due to Golden State water not approving
raw water directly from the Imperial Irrigation District
which would be used solely for the landscape. Rates
are hindering our ability for economic development
and the quality of life to our residents. Your consideration
for these rates that are hindering our ability of economical
development. If you can please reconsider. Thank you
Thank you.
Our next speaker is Esmeralda Birch.
Good morning. My name is Esmeralda Birch and I'm a
resident of Calipatria and a business owner. I'm coming
before you guys because I'm a third generation Calata
resident. I actually was born and raised in the city
of Brawley. I moved into Calapan in 2019. Before then
I was able to have green grass trees. I could plant
flowers seasonally. I'm a landscaper's daughter. So
I took a lot of pride in that. In 2019, I moved
to Calip Pa and quickly noticed that I would not be
able to afford that. And um I went from green grass
to, you know, just, it's, it's a beautiful thing. It
changes your mood. It chooses your mental abilities
to having nothing to only having grass. If I want to
have green grass in Calip, I need to pay over $600
and I can't afford that. And my grandparents also are
on social security there. They can't afford the water
either. We have to subsidize whatever they can't pay
So we come to you as residents pleading, begging you
to please reconsider this. That's all I have. Thank
you. Thank you. Our next speaker is Christian Frey
welcome, welcome to the Valley. Um In PERL County,
youngest county in the state. Number 58 we have seven
cities and a number of town sites. I happen to be a
resident of Calipatria.
Um, so much to say 60 seconds. I know it's gonna go
like that. Um, of the seven cities and most all the
town sites, the water is simply brought in treated
delivered. That's the end of the story. It's reasonable
It's fair as you're beginning to get a sense and I
don't think the use of the word predatory is out of
line here. Um
I went on the website for go uh Golden State Water
and as you're probably aware, um it's um the parent
company, American State Water. Um ok, I'll just have
to wrap this up. American State Water Company has paid
dividends to shareholders every year since 1931 increasing
the dividends received by shareholders each calendar
year for 69 years conservatively, which places in an
exclusive group of companies in the New York stock
exchange. Very impressive. If you're an investor, people
in Calip aren't investing in water, they're trying
to invest in food and other things. Thank you.
Our next speaker is Victor Nava.
Hello, Victor Nava with GF Con. Um GF CON has been
around over 35 years as a program and construction
manager. We have multiple projects throughout the Imperial
Valley and one in Island, the cities of Calipari and
Island is one of the most underserved and poorest communities
in the state of California. The community has severely
suffered due to the current water situation. Any increase
would be detrimental to the community's opportunity
for existence and growth, especially at a time when
the federal and state investments have been significant
for lithium Valley. The community of Nyland and Calipatria
should be the first communities to be able to serve
this new industry and it will be difficult to develop
and create a place to accommodate the future workforce
hopes and dreams of our future generations to come
We ask you strongly reconsider with all the challenges
that have been presented. Thank you. Thank you. That
uh is the last speaker on my list? I will ask if
there's anyone else who would like to make a public
comment here um of the folks in the room.
Sure are you, can you come to the podium where
just very quickly we're not asking to stop this rate
increase. We are asking to thank Golden State for their
service and we don't need them any longer. Thank you
Thank you.
All right. Um I don't if anybody else uh made the trip
down here and wants to make a public comment. If not
I'm gonna go to the phone. OK. I don't see anyone approaching
So let's now go to the public comments on the phone
line and I do wanna say thank you very much for everyone
who came here today. And for providing your comments
to us. Um All right, I I will now turn to the
operator to open the public comment. Telephone line
operator.
Thank you. The public comment, telephone line is now
open for those on the phone. If you wish to speak during
the public comment period, please unmute your phone
Press star one and record your first and last name
slowly and clearly when prompted. Our first caller
is David Ryerson. You may go ahead.
Good morning commissioners. Do you know why much of
the public hates politics and politicians? It's because
we cannot trust them. We cannot trust what they say
or what they do. Like Supreme Court justices who take
lavish gifts from wealthy billionaires who have interests
in cases before the court or like yourselves, an agency
tasked with regulating government ordained monopoly
to stop them from taking advantage of the public, an
agency that repeatedly does the bidding of the monopolies
They are supposed to regulate and only mitigates the
travesty after massive and persistent public outcry
So yes, your revised VM proposal is not as draconian
and not as unfair as your first proposal. But that
doesn't mean it's either good or fair. You are still
disenfranchising school districts, community centers
and farms completely and you're still precluding apartments
and condominiums from supporting their shared infrastructure
like pools, spas, garages where EVs can be charged
You're still doing the bidding of the monopolies you
are supposed to regulate and not protecting the public
from them as is your charter, do your damn job or find
yourself as distrusted and hated as the Supreme Court
Thank you. Thank you operator. Next caller, please
Our next caller is Jessica Tovar. You may go ahead
Hi, this is Jessica Thar with the local Clean Energy
Alliance and I too am calling because I'm very disappointed
in the new proposed decision around virtual net energy
metering. Um while there's some inclusion of renters
it is really astounding to me that schools farms resilience
hubs, community centers and even some multi family
housing is being left out of the possibility of having
access to to solar day virtual net energy metering
at a time when we're talking about doing fuel switching
within homes and different buildings in our communities
And the fact that we are living in a most of to
the climate crisis, we should be making it easy to
access local solar throughout the state of California
and make rates affordable. Um Another thing I wanna
address is the fact that you are considering another
PG and E rate increase. This is absolutely astounding
and you really should be sending PG back to the drawing
board because as far as we're concerned, they have
not met any of the needs of energy needs of California
As a matter of fact, they have devastated, they have
incinerated communities, killed people already raised
rates multiple times. And for you to consider that
again, it's really really uh turning your back on already
struggling ratepayers in California. So I absolutely
do not support the fact that you're reducing access
to solar in California and considering raising rates
in favor of the utility, same power to the people.
Thank you, operator. Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Beth Herman. You may go ahead. Hi
my name is Be
I'm a customer of Eugene and I am calling the CPUC
requesting that you change your proposal to end rooftop
solar incentives that could power schools farms resiliency
hubs, community health centers and even charging infrastructure
for renters. I personally work at a community health
center and we are also have multiple resiliency hubs
It's really important for us to have power at these
and electric power really is one of the main ways we
can get it in a reliable way is through the solar power
While the new CPUC proposed decision remain maintains
incentives to renters, it still cuts all of the other
customers I've named and would deny them the opportunity
to reduce already skyrocketing utility bills, particularly
with the improved PG and E. The proposal must be changed
to maintain every incentive for multifamily housing
schools and farms to benefit from their own solar generation
CPU should be doing everything in its power to support
the build out of the distributed clean energy. We need
to mitigate the worst impacts of the climate crisis
and to increase community resiliency and energy reliability
Thank you. Thank you operator. Next caller, please
Our next scholar is Tim mckeever. You may go ahead
first. I wanna acknowledge the folks that showed up
in person to talk about their water rights. I think
that's hugely important and they should be given a
fair shot.
On a separate note, commissioners. Your latest update
to the MA and VM proposal is but a fig leaf on
another naked profit grab by the IO us by on site netting
for all multi meter properties. You have put forward
a plan that gives you only one option to vote it down
and start over a vast majority of business owners,
farmers and school administrators don't pay attention
to net metering policy. They rely on you to have their
best interest in mind. That's why it's so impressive
that so many folks have spoken out through calls and
letters to you and their state reps and through newspaper
letters and articles posing these changes. It's time
to listen to the public who are mandated to protect
and allow rooftop solar to continue to grow
as you're required to do by law reject this proposal
On a side note, a vast majority of small business owners
rent where they run their business. So they are two
renters and to take away their ability to access clean
energy on their roofs is a catastrophe. Thank you.
Thank you. Operate our next caller, please.
Our next caller is Allen Marling. You may go ahead
president and commissioners. I'm a limo resident PG
and E is guilty of criminal neglect and man flaughter
their fiery greed burns Californians alive in their
homes. Continuing to give the corporation money and
power will accelerate us into apocalypse. No. PGE doesn't
deserve a rate hike. It deserves to be regulated back
where it belongs in bankruptcy then into public ownership
amidst wildfires and brownouts, the CPUC should not
continue to prioritize Beijing. Doomsday profits, modify
the PD to include on site netting and reverse your
prior decision that made it harder for homeowners to
produce their own power. These commissioners are all
appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom directly and directly
is accepted over $700,000 from PG and E according to
a 2019 Washington Post article by now, it's likely
over a million.
Thank you operator. Next caller please.
Our next caller is Sarah Rouse. You may go ahead. Uh
Can you hear me? Yes, we can.
Thank you. I am still the same as when I called in
previously over and over. I am chair of the Children's
caucus of the California Democratic Party for identification
purposes only. I'm calling about the VM MA Man which
I still believe should be amended with regard to schools
Solar arrays on public schools are public property
built with public money intended for the common benefit
of the public. Our Children, our tomorrow Children
are not with it to be utilized for the benefit of private
profit. Their facilities should not be free for the
taking by private interests. If that's what your proposal
amounts to, you're using our children's public funds
to fill private pockets. I have no idea why this is
a thing, but I'm here to ask you politely to do the
right thing and stop it. We need public money to be
benefiting our public school kids don't deal their
resources. Please amend this agreement to allow on
site netting for our schools. Thank you. Thank you
operator. Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Rennie Wise, you may go ahead.
Commissioners. Despite what the movie Wall Street proposes
Greed is not good and yet we are in a society of
billion dollar corporations. Like did you need that
can now thanks to the Citizens United decision legally
spend millions of dollars to lobby California legislators
and buy a governor. So today we find ourselves trying
to determine the TPUC has also been bought by PGD based
on the last few years of inflation, beating great payer
hikes and diminishing returns for solo homeowners.
I'm beginning to see the truth. So feel free to prove
me wrong today. You'll be voting to decide if investor
owned utilities can charge even more exorbitant utility
rates and also get solar returns for multifamily housing
schools and farms. So how will you vote on these proposals
Will you honor your mandate to protect California utility
ratepayers from blatant corporate greed or you give
to all the millions spent to lobby our state government
just so PG and E can appease their shareholders and
pay their executives even more millions in salary and
compensation. I hope you make the right. Thank you
Thank you operator. Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Sasha Horowitz with the Los Angeles
Unified School District. You may go ahead.
Good morning commissioners, Sacha Hurwitz with L A
US D. So Los Angeles Unified strongly opposes the net
energy meeting aggregation tariff proposal. Los Angeles
units will not back down from our promise to operate
schools that run on 100% clean renewable energy. However
this action would block schools from generating the
rooftop solar energy. We need to achieve our goals
If the proposed net energy metering rules are adopted
schools will not be permitted to generate their own
power any longer, instead will be forced to buy their
own solar back from utilities at full price. These
unfair practices help utility companies and harm students
rising energy costs will make it harder for Los Angeles
Unified to reach its climate goals and these costs
will come out of our classrooms, hurting our ability
to reduce emissions, electrify our schools and invest
in safe healthy learning environments for our Children
We owe it to our students to stand up against this
proposal and we urge you to vote it down. Thank you
Thank you operator. Next caller please.
Our next caller is Patricia Blevin. You may go ahead
My name is Patricia Blevins and I'm calling from San
Jose to demand that the CPU give schools, farms, community
health centers and all facilities with multiple meters
the right to use the electricity generated by their
solar panels without interference from investor owned
utilities like the convicted felon PG and E your proposal
must be changed to allow everyone to use the electricity
generated by their solar panels with no exceptions
whatsoever. In a time of climate disaster, the CPUC
should be doing whatever it can to promote rooftop
solar in California and not destroy it. And lastly
you cannot give any rate increases to invest your own
utility power companies like the convicted felon PG
and E they have enough and the ratepayers need a break
Thank you. Thank you operator. Next caller, please
Our next caller is Rob Polly. You may go ahead. Hi
this is Rob Hawley from San Jose. I'm calling to oppose
the CPUC S efforts to kill virtual net metering. The
recent concession to allow it for renters is just for
show by seizing control of the power generated by apartment
owners, it'll kill new installations. You have to know
that and, and it still results in having the power
generated by schools and farms seized. I've passed
these comments along to the governor as well. Thank
you. Thank you, operator. Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Bill Woodbridge. You may go ahead
and
hi, my name is Bill Woodbridge, calling from Santa
Barbara. The CPUC is supposed to be a public commission
representing the interests of the people of California
Your recent decision regarding reducing residential
credit credits for net metering was a disaster for
reaching the state's emissions goals. Now incredulously
you propose to change private, private people to charge
private people and entities a retail utility rate for
the very solar that they created for themselves at
their own expense. This makes it abundantly clear that
you represent only the interests of the utility companies
and are most likely being financially well rewarded
for advancing their proposals. Rooftop solar is an
important way to reduce California's high cost of living
for renters and millions of others. This proposal makes
the problem way worse. Your proposal cuts out the ability
of schools, farms, factories, churches, hospitals,
medical facilities to reduce their utility burden through
solar systems that they paid to install. This is nothing
short of blatant blatant seizures of property.
Thank you. And what we found to be unconstitutional
in courts. You must abandon this insane idea. It should
speak volumes to anyone with any sense that all of
the callers are opposed to this idea. You should be
you should all be replaced in disgrace for your sole
interest in providing even more profits to the greedy
electric utilities. Thank you. Thank you operator.
Next caller, please.
Our next call is Kevin Lee. You may go ahead.
Hi, my name is Kevin Lee and I urge the commissioners
to vote in support of the judge issued proposed decision
in PG and ES general rate increase. 8 21 060 21. California
energy consumers cannot afford endless rate increases
We're paying for the criminal negligence of PG and
E and their proposal is just a way to maintain the
bottom line while performing maintenance that should
have been done years ago. Based on their track record
this will only be the beginning and year after year
They'll be back for more. Yes, we need faster, cheaper
solution for wild wildfire safety. And I believe those
solutions exist and include insulating overhead power
lines. We vote to support the proposed decision and
reject the PG and E giveaway. Enough is enough. Thank
you. Thank you operator. Next caller please.
And our next caller is Mark Montgomery. You may go
ahead.
Thank you commissioners for the opportunity to speak
today. I'm Mark Montgomery with chip community housing
improvement program. We are a nonprofit affordable
housing developers serving seven counties in northern
California. We urge the commission to vote no on agenda
item number for 28. Eliminating the financial benefits
of on site generations from affordable multifamily
programs. Serving disadvantaged residents is inequitable
It deters the goal of accelerating housing development
and is an impediment to addressing the state's housing
shortage. We ask you to please consider implementing
affordability thresholds into the decision so that
affordable housing developers will not be forced to
find additional funding for both operating existing
housing and building future housing in California.
Thank you for your time. Thank you operator. Next caller
please.
Arnett caller is Art Kennett. You may go ahead
the city of Lakewood on the subject of apartment rooftop
solar. Surely with today's technology, we should be
able to have a master meter on an apartment building
solar system. The provisions for the building's landlord
to meter power to the individual units and add any
loss or gain to the tenants bill. The rub is the utilities
will lose all of the individual payers accounts that
includes fees, taxes and whatever else they can affect
The landlord would become the sole proprietor of the
power distribution to the units which includes all
the expenses outside of the power generated or used
The rental costs will surely be adjusted accordingly
It's easy to see why utilities object to solar on apartments
It's not easy to see why the CPUC would support the
utilities and not the citizens who would benefit by
utilizing clean energy, lowering their living costs
and increasing their health. Please vote for the citizens
right to benefit from solar energy.
Thank you, operator. Thank you, operator. Next caller
please.
Our next caller is Elsa Visa Potter. You may go ahead
Hello, uh this is SJ Potter with the local Clean Energy
Alliance and I would similarly like to voice my concerns
about the proposed decision for virtual net energy
metering. I'm calling for all commissioners to vote
for a change to the proposed decision to include on
site netting for all facilities including schools,
farms, resilience centers, and any other facilities
where the public might benefit from actually using
the solar that's already on site. I would also like
to voice my opposition for the proposed rate hike which
again would only line the pockets of the investors
and the CEO S of the investor and utilities. Um It's
really outrageous that the CPSC is simultaneously cutting
rooftop solar benefits and uh doing a rate rate hike
that would only serve to increase the profits of the
investor in utilities. Thank you. Thank you, operator
Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Paley Jennings. You may go ahead
Yes, my name is Tammy Jennings. I'm calling from Monterey
California. I want to applaud all of the speakers prior
to me. I agree with everything that they've said and
I really wish that the CPU would follow the people's
voices. What we need is cheaper utilities, everything's
going up. You want to now raise PG and E rates from
13 to at 13%. You shouldn't raise it at all period
when we're only getting 3.2% increase for Medicare
That's supposed to cover our increase in water utilities
gas, food. How, how do you expect people to live? I
really don't understand that. And the CPUC was designed
to help the people. I have been coming to CPUC meetings
for 10 years now all of them and there isn't one time
where I felt that the CPUC was voting for the people's
interest. Please do your job and listen to everybody
that's called in or been there today. We need your
help, do your job. Thank you. Thank you operator. Next
caller, please.
Our next caller is Mary Z. You may go ahead. Hi, I'm
calling up about your upcoming vote on either the PD
or a PD. Uh regarding Pggs rate hike in the interest
of customers. Please vote for the proposed decision
Given that customers will be paying for underground
wires. Let us pay in advance only for one year's work
at a time. Currently PGE underground 70 miles per year
at this rate. Only the proposed decision of underground
in 200 miles has any chance of completion within the
four years of PGES rate hike. The alternative PD of
973 miles will take nearly 18 years to complete. So
why raise our rate for this fantasy goal? The alternative
PD should also be rejected for its aspirational economy
of scale cost of underground, which works out to be
$1.8 million per mile. Well, in the real world, it
is the $3.3 million per mile. Have mercy on us. Ratepayers
Please vote in the PD. It is realistic and it's, it's
an honest PD um restore our trust in CPUC. I restore
well, build our trust. Thank you. Thank you. Operate
our next caller, please.
Our next caller is Emily Brand from Fresno. You may
go ahead
again, Emily Brand, you may go ahead. We're not able
to hear you.
Can you hear me now? Yes, we can.
Thank you. Uh, my name is Emily Brandt from Fresno
California. I'm the secretary of the California Democratic
Environmental Caucus. And I'm calling today because
uh, over the last month, um, since the VM and N A
proposal to end thousands of people, uh, I'm sorry
to end to be ended. Uh, thousands of people have called
and, uh, emailed and pressed their opposition for very
obvious reasons which, um, really shouldn't need to
be repeated again and again and again yet, um, in the
face of this incredibly high increase in cost of living
without wage or salary increase, uh, we're being asked
yet to pay more and, and to pay for something that
we've already invested in at our own cost and I'll
be paying for 20 years. Um, I don't understand how
this can be acceptable to this commission. Then I look
at past commission members like Carla Peterson, who
is part of a revolving door. And I think to myself
well, of course, this is the way it works but, but
the transparency of the, the obviousness of this and
and the fact that Governor Newsom probably has ambitions
to run again and yet is he speaking out on this, uh
is our superintendent of schools, Tony Thur is speaking
out on this. No, why we need this decision, this proposal
to be rescinded and this vote today to end it, please
Thank you. Thank you, operator. Next caller, please
Our next caller is, will Abram? You may go ahead.
Good morning commissioners. Uh PG forced me and other
victims to take stock in hopes that that would keep
us silent about the egregious rate increases that are
now before the commission, they also told us that this
13.5 billion deception was going to make us whole.
I strongly suggest that the commission reconsider and
instead of having the $40 million of the 45 million
fine for the dixie fire going right back to PGE to
pay for the record keeping, which was more of a reward
than a punishment that the commission should force
PG and E to pay that to their victims who were told
they would be made whole. And the first priority for
PG and E, if PGE is going to not live up to
their commitments to victims, then the CPUC should
do everything in their power to help their victims
and to hold PGE to account for their deceptive practices
lies and atrocities. On a procedural note, I would
ask the commission to move this off the consent calendar
and onto the regular agenda for your next voting meeting
The second largest fire in California history that
also killed one of our brave firefighters should not
be swept under the rug and moved to the consent calendar
by the commission. Thank you very much for your consideration
Thank you operator. Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Stephen King. You may go ahead.
Hi, I'm Stephen King and I'm with Environment California
As highlighted by this week's National Climate Assessment
the potential consequences of climate change to our
environment. Our economy and our society are severe
from extreme heat to devastating wildfires. We know
these disasters will only get worse if we don't swiftly
transition to clean energy. The best way to dramatically
reduce our climate pollution is to go all in on proven
ready to deploy solutions like rooftop solar. No, Californian
should be discouraged from going solar if they want
to use their rooftop to generate clean renewable energy
and lower their electricity bills. Unfortunately, your
proposed decision would eliminate the benefits of solar
for buildings with multiple electric meters including
schools, farms and businesses by not allowing multi
family building owners to use their own solar energy
This decision also effectively bars many renters from
the benefits of solar as well. Every viable rooftop
without solar panels represents a missed opportunity
We urge the commission to alter its proposal and allow
everyone to benefit from the solar power produced on
their own rooftops. Thank you. Thank you, operator
Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Jeff Smith. You may go ahead.
Yes, President Reynolds and commissioners. Thank you
for that time to speak. I echo a lot of the comments
that were brought up today about the PG and ES general
rate case. Please vote against PG and ES desired exorbitant
rate increase and restore rates that are in line with
the cost of living so that we can, um, get through
these very tough times right now.
First of all PG and ES rates are about a 50 100%
more expensive than the two other investor owned utilities
that also provide power to geographic dispersed areas
that have wildfire risks. Also, the um the gas rates
are creeping up again, the wholesale gas rates and
PGD and the spring wants to increase the transportation
cost which we pay on top of the wholesale cost by 28%
Please do what you can to keep these rates down because
they talk about safety but it's not safe when elderly
and struggling families turn their heat off in the
winter and their air conditioning off in the summer
It's 110 degrees here in the central valley is just
not safe. Please keep this in consideration and also
with the issue with underground utilities, there's
a lot of valleys, our populated valleys do not have
a lot of vegetation concerns so we can do with less
underground utilities. Look at covered conductor as
an option. Thank you for the time to speak today and
please consider this today when you vote. Thank you
Thank you operator. Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Rob Porter. You may Go ahead.
Hello, my name is Rob Porter and I'm a small business
owner here in California. And last week I signed a
letter along with hundreds of other small businesses
across the state urging the commission to include on
site netting and the virtual net billing tariff for
non residential customers. Grocery stores are critical
infrastructure with high energy costs and are often
at multi meter commercial properties and unable to
install solar themselves and they deserve and other
businesses deserve the right to use solar power to
keep their electricity costs down. The edit to the
proposed decision to include non residential accounts
would be very minor but the benefit to small business
across the state would be enormous. So I urge the commission
to modify the decision to include non residential customers
Thank you. Thank you operator. Next caller, please
Our next caller is name L Cardo. You may go ahead.
Good morning commissioners. Uh Sm Carter, the Director
of Fair, California and the former mayor of the city
of Santa J. Uh calling regarding the PG and E general
rate case. I represent a coalition of organizations
representing small businesses workers, renters and
many other Californians struggling under the weight
of PG and E bill has skyrocketed at three times the
rate of inflation since 2020. While the company spends
several million dollars a week to bombard us with TV
And internet commercials has compensated CEO of more
than $60 million in the last two years. Regardless
of whether those expenditures come from shareholder
or ratepayer funds, our ratepayers will pay more than
$3 billion. In this general rate case for return on
capital to bolster those shareholder funds. If the
company was shareholder funds on useless TV, commercials
the ratepayers should pay less for return. We urge
the CPU to defer any increases until it is conducted
public reasonableness reviews of such PGD expenditures
as advertising, public communications, executive pay
lobbyists and political contributions. I encourage
many other callers fed up with PGD to join our coalition
at Fair, californian.org FC a.org. Thank you very much
Thank you operator. Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Tyler Valdez. You may go ahead.
Hello, commissioner, my name is Tyler Valdez and I'm
an energy equity manager with the California Environmental
Justice Alliance or Seja. And we call on the commission
to protect solar incentives for renters and community
resilient centers in the BM proceeding. This is imperative
for environmental justice. We support the protection
of living them tiff for the historic Soma program and
appreciate the that extends on site netting for residential
accounts so tenants can receive critically needed bill
savings. However, on site netting for commercial accounts
is vital for the financial viability of community resilience
centers which will help ej communities access emergency
services during climate disasters. Moreover, without
on site netting for commercial accounts, some property
owners will not be incentivized since all solar which
would prevent any benefits accruing to tenants if a
property owner installed solar but does not receive
the benefits of on site netting, they may pass the
cost of tenants through rate rent. So we strongly urge
the commission to modify the BM proposal to include
on site netting for commercial accounts. So EJ community
and more Californians can benefit from clean local
energy. Thank you. Thank you, operator. Next caller
please.
Our next call is Kevin Collins. You may go ahead. Yes
hello. Uh I'm a member of the public who actually understands
how utility circuits will work and why they fail. And
I'd like to point out a couple things that make the
general rate case proposal for uh capital improvements
preposterous. Uh According to your own office of the
Public Safe of the Public Advocate Public Advocates
office VG A has 100 and 20,000 pole replacement backlog
and a repair tag backlog of 477,000 locations where
there's worn out dangerous equipment that needs replacement
This, these backlogs need to be dealt with. They are
immediate fire and electrocution hazards. All this
needs to be handled before any pretense of sticking
wires underground is regarded as a solution to wildfire
ignition. The whole notion of underground is irrelevant
It's entirely possible to make overhead circuits as
safe as circuits. Thank you. Thank you, operator. Next
call, please.
Our next caller is Wha Brightman. You may go ahead
Good morning. My name is Wana Parker Brightman. I'm
Executive Director of United Native Americans. I'm
also an enrolled tribal citizen of the LA Cota nation
and here to bring voice to the voiceless the indigenous
population whose land you currently occupy illegally
Now price gouging is illegal in California, California's
anti price gouging statute penalty code section 396
prohibits raising the price of major necessities such
as PGE and water rights to our customers in 42 states
Price gouging is set as a violation of the unfair deceptive
trade practices under the Customer Protection Act.
We as the United Native Americans urge you to vote
no on raising the rates on water and on our PG and
E. Thank you very much. Have a good day. Thank you
operator. Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Cheryl Maynard. You may go ahead
Hi. My name is Cheryl. I'm of the wildfire disaster
advocacy group. I'm the president. I have been advocating
for fire victims for five years. I am a campfire survivor
in paradise, California PG and E rate hikes are outrageous
Fire victims have not been made whole PG and E hid
in bankruptcy to avoid pain for all the people they
killed also the homes and businesses, they destroyed
PG and E is getting our settlements back from us by
raising rates. This has to stop all PG and a fire victims
should have free bills for the rest of their lives
For the de devastation they caused to our lives. It
should have been in our settlement. If not, we need
the same rebate they gave to the San Bruno victims
Also the Dixie fire fine of $440 million should be
put into the fire victims. Trust to increase their
settlements as we are only at 50% of bankruptcy pennies
on the dollar dollar settlement. We have people in
paradise still living in dirt in the trailers. PPJ
and E should not receive their own money back. That
is not a punishment for killing a first responder in
the Dixie fire
CJ and ECP CEO Poppy should not get a salary, should
get a salary cut, not raise our rates to pay her and
her decisions to continue to burn down communities
Your rate hike rate hike only to increase in inflation
I urge you to not do anything that raises our rate
and A awards PG and E. Thank you for your time. Thank
you operator. Next color, please.
Our next caller is Nancy Chitti Espinosa. You may go
ahead.
Thank you madam. The commissioners on behalf of the
School Energy Coalition. I must express our confusion
and disappointment at the complete lack of response
to the serious issues we have raised with respect to
the nema proposed sufficient for months. We have described
for you how the PD will disincentivize and slow the
transition to clean energy by schools? Why state facilities
funding rules and building codes require us to have
multiple meters per site, the fiscal and physic.
And possibilities of installing several shipping container
sized batteries with 100 ft setbacks on built out school
sites. It will qualify for any benefit for our investments
in solar and how the increased cost of energy will
directly take money out of the classroom because we
are neither private businesses who can raise prices
nor general purpose, local governments who can raise
taxes with the great power. You are exercising today
comes a great responsibility to make this right for
schools, your partners who are integral to California's
ability to meet its clean energy goals. If you approve
the PD, we expect leadership from this commission on
addressing the harm that it will do. Thank you. Thank
you operator. Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Pam rude. You may go ahead. Hi,
I'm Pam Rood in San Diego. And I'm calling to demand
that the CPUC does everything in your power to stop
the utilities proposal to block rooftop solar that
could power schools, farms, resiliency, hubs, community
health centers and even e charging infrastructure for
renters. The new CPUC proposed decision still cuts
them all out and would deny them the opportunity to
reduce working folks already skyrocketing utility burden
and make their lives even harder. Their proposal must
be changed to allow every nook and cranny of multifamily
housing schools and farms to use their solar power
without utility interference with no exceptions whatsoever
Thank you. Thank you operator. Next caller, please
Our next caller is Jennifer O Moyle. You may go ahead
Um
ok, you can hear me. Yes, we can.
Ok, great. Thank you so much. Thank you for giving
me the opportunity to speak. My name is Jennifer nor
I live south of San Francisco. I urged the commissioners
and supported the judge issued proposal, the proposed
decision in PG and ES general rate case, a 0.21 dash
06-021 PG and E and energy consumers can't afford endless
rate increases that far exceed inflation. And we need
we need while we need more protection against the,
the the against wildfires, we can achieve that through
the faster cheaper solution of insulating overhead
power lines and upgrading the infrastructure. Uh So
I please vote to support the post decision and reject
the PG and E giveaway. Also, I want to say that the
power of the sun should be available to everybody.
It should not be monopolized by PG and E the climate
crisis is far too dire to deny this right to everybody
Thank you. Thank you operator. Next caller, please
Our next caller is Ken Meeran. You may go ahead. Thank
you. I am a PG and E customer in ST Louis Obispo
County. And I am urging the commission to please vote
in support of the judge issued proposed decision in
PG and E general rate case. A 21-06 dash 021. Um The
the rate increases that are proposed are just mind
boggling California consumers, uh energy consumers
can't afford these endless increases and in addressing
the fire fire wildfire issue, um There is a faster
cheaper solution for wildfire safety, which is and
has been proven to, um, to be effective, uh, by insulating
the overhead power lines, um, which is what should
be done. It's cost effective. It's, it gets the job
done. And, um, I'm urging the commission to please
uh, support the proposed decision, reject the PG and
E giveaway. Thank you. Uh, just anecdotally. I found
an old PG and E bill from seven years ago. I compared
it to my current bill and I was using the same amount
of energy and my current bill is more than two times
what I was paying seven years ago that that should
not stand it. It's a, it should not happen anyway.
Thank you for your time. Thank you operator. Next caller
please.
Our next scholar is Susan Dembowski. You may go ahead
Hi, my name is Susan Dembowski. I live in the San Gabriel
Valley at a time when California electricity customers
pay far more than almost all other states and continue
to face significant increases. PG and E is requesting
many billions of dollars of rate increases. One option
to help control such spiraling electricity costs for
schools, farms, businesses and community health centers
does having more than 1 m has been rooftop solar. My
town school district has invested in rooftop solar
for several school buildings and had planned to install
it on more school facilities. My brother in Moreno
Valley wants to but hasn't yet installed solar at a
small fruit farm. If he had. If this proposal passes
he'd have an even tougher time making go of his farm
business since he'd have had to buy back from the utility
at full price. His own generated solar energy used
on his farm. His proposal really discourages California
schools farms businesses from installing clean break
up solar. It's completely unfair and it also makes
it harder for California to achieve its clean energy
goals. Thank you. Thank you, operator. Next caller
please.
Our next caller is Donna Odell. You may go ahead. Hi
this is Donna Odell. And I know that PG and E executives
have been lobbying the commission staff for an additional
1.8 billion in ratepayer increases. And that's the
bolster its credit rating on Wall Street, Wall Street
investors, company shareholders or pro this is all
while the company is worth 45.44 billion today. Ok
CJ and E has been charging his customers to put the
lines underground for many years. However, they've
just diverted the money for other projects.
So we, the customers have already funded this project
through rate hike to put these lines underground for
many years.
And the customers are not the ones that started the
fight teaching these greed this now on a personal level
$40 a month rate increase is an excessive amount that
lowers my ability to buy food and other essentials
I already reduced my electricity. I don't turn lights
on at night. I sit in the dark. I don't watch TV
I have not left the pilot light on my gas stove because
I can't afford it. So I sit and I freeze. You know
I never thought I'd have to live in America.
So I hope that CPUC will really, really think about
what this is doing to the people of California. Thank
you. Thank you operator. Next caller, please.
The next caller is Peggy Emmanuel. You may go ahead
Hi. Yes, I live in Calipatria and there is no way this
community can tolerate the 33% water rate increase
We want to be able to take showers, we want to be
able to wash our clothes. Like this woman said, she
sits in the dark. That is unacceptable in the United
States of America. Please can the Public Utilities
Commission do what's right for the public and not for
the giant corporations that are already making billions
off of our backs. Thank you. Thank you, operator. Next
caller, please.
And before we go to the next caller again, if you would
like to make a public comment, please unmute your phone
Press star one and record your first and last name
slowly and clearly our next caller is walk, walk. You
may go ahead. Hi. Um, this is Kula Fox and I would
like to urge the commissioner to adopt the faster cheaper
proposal is used by the judge to insulate 1800 miles
of overhead power line and vary only 200 miles of line
which save the customers $2.2 billion more than the
alternate proposal. Again, please adopt the faster
cheaper proposal to save our money and please do not
allow any more increases in utilities. It is ridiculous
like the previous um person who called that we just
can't afford any more utility increases and this is
price gouging for basic needs. Thank you. Thank you
operator. Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Ruben Perez. You may go ahead.
Uh Thank you madam chair and commission members. My
name is Ruben Perez and I work for assembly member
Garcia. I call the assembly member's request on his
behalf to address the matter of urgent concern. The
proposed rate increase by Golden State Water Company
This proposal has caused significant distress among
residents of Calipari and Island communities already
grappling with financial challenges. In recent times
our constituents have seen their water bills rise almost
50% considering the cumulative effect of past rate
hikes. This latest proposal adds to an already heavy
burden coming at a time when we many are still recovering
from the damages wrought by recent storms. The cost
of cleaning up and restoring homes and properties has
stretched their finances thin and this rate increase
threatens to push them beyond their limits. We understand
the need for infrastructure improvements and operational
cause. However, it is essential that these needs are
balanced against the financial realities of the families
and businesses in our community. Therefore, I urge
the commission to thoroughly review this rate proposal
consider the voices of those who have reached out to
us worried about how they will manage another increase
to their expenses. We seek a resolution that recognizes
the financial struggle of our constituents and supports
the economic development of our region. Thank you for
your attention to this pressing matter. We trust that
the commission will make a decision that reflects both
the needs and concerns of the people of Imperial County
Thank you. Thank you and please thank the assembly
member operator. Next call, please.
Our next caller is Elise Kian. You may go ahead.
Hello, commissioners. My name is Elise Kayan with the
Glendale Environmental Coalition. We and many other
local grassroots groups are advocating for a 100% clean
zero carbon and reliable energy future for our region
This must include as much local solar and storage generation
as possible. The proposal to end solar incentives that
could power schools arms resiliency hubs, community
health centers and even charging for renters is completely
contrary to our goals. It also denies these parties
the opportunity to reduce their skyrocketing utility
bills. We need to empower renters, property owners
nonprofit schools, farms and community centers so they
can benefit from their own solar generation. You're
just should be based on what the public needs and what
climate action requires. The CPU she should be doing
everything in its power to support the build out of
the distributed clean energy. We need to mitigate the
worst impacts of the climate crisis and that includes
not going forward with your proposal and ending it
now. Thank you. Thank you, operator. Next caller, please
The next caller is Bryce Nesbit. You may go ahead.
Hello, my name is Bryce Nesbitt. So to the CPUC, if
you pass the draft of the Zen proposal, as said, I
will as an electrical engineer immediately develop
a device to support the tariff, the device will hold
generated solar off the grid, feeding it behind tenant
meters. So it never touches the VNM back feed meter
and never sends any electricity forward through the
tenant meters. This device will not improve the grid
but it's the best that can be done if you as the
CPUC, make the wrong regulatory mood move on VM. Uh
Thank you and I hope you don't do it. Good day. Thank
you operator. Next caller please.
Our next scholar is Edward Merrick. You may go ahead
Yes, I called the last meeting to reiterate that the
puc should turn back both proposals. The solution for
rural and exurban California is not burring or insulating
power lines. It's getting rid of them. They are obsolete
under current economic environments. For many customers
We have a road grid. We have inexpensive batteries
and there is absolutely no reason that we cannot quickly
transition. By the time the fleet of vehicles has completely
switched to a battery electric. By the end of this
decade, we can distribute electricity the final miles
through batteries and roadways. It's a complete waste
of resources to prop up this dangerous, expensive and
unreliable technology. When there is an alternative
Just an example. I a 60 minute round trip to uh to
the valley floor where my electricity originates. I
follow the power line when I drive there every time
I drive down to the valley floor. Now it's silly for
me to have to pay twice as much for electricity from
its source as it is when it's delivered to my house
which is currently what the irrational rate structure
of PGD and the PUC and the PV UC direction is. You've
got to stop subsidizing dangerous power line electricity
Thank you very much and I, I hope you will take what
I've said seriously and begin to actually think about
the alternatives. Goodbye. Thank you operator. Next
caller, please.
Our next caller is Crystal Reitzel. You May go ahead
Hi, my name is Crystal Reel. I'm the admin for debate
area Clean Air Coalition. Um I'm calling yet again
to ask the CPU to change its proposal to end rooftop
solar in trance. Um that could power schools farms
resiliency, hubs, community health centers and even
e charging infrastructure for renters. While the new
CPUC proposed decision maintains incentives for renters
It still cuts all the other customers I named and would
deny them the opportunity to reduce already skyrocketing
utility bills. The proposed the proposed bill must
be changed to maintain every incentive for multifamily
housing schools and farms to benefit from their own
solar generation. Like another caller said, I don't
understand how this is even possible. Um Their proposal
it's basically stealing. Um How can you say people
like schools that benefit Children can't use their
own solar top panels? The CPUC should be doing everything
in its power to support the build out of clean energy
Also, please repeal nem 3.0. Thank you. Thank you operator
Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Inga Lorenzen Doyer. You may go
ahead. Thank you. My name is Inga Lorenzen Deimer and
I'm a resident of Pacific Grove in Monterey County
and it is way past time to actually hold PG and E
accountable for their abysmal safety record while padding
their profits and salaries. You are supposedly regulating
these private for profit utilities. We will never be
safe with PG and ES plan of slowly underground, a miniscule
miles of transmission lines while charging the public
for their improvements. PG and E has literally been
raping and pillaging the public blind and have completely
burned up their credibility. Please do not continue
to allow PG and es outrageous rate hikes. Thank you
very much. Thank you operator. Next caller, please
Our next caller is Alice B. You may go ahead.
Hello? Can you hear me? Yes, we can. Thank you so much
Yes, I'm here speaking again in support of 6 million
public school Children, 3.5 of which are title one
eligible. I want you to reverse your proposed decision
for the N MD. Mm uh proposed decision. And I'm asking
you to, to seriously think about this. What will happen
to the next generation and what will they think of
what this generation did for them in denying them their
benefits to their own solar energy?
Such a tariff as proposed at a minimum should include
on site netting and the ability for all schools, multifamily
residences and farms to benefit from their own produced
local renewable energy. And in the case of public schools
it's our local bond and state public state dollars
that will be required now by the state energy code
and the building code to invest in solar. As we move
forward, these future benefits should not go to the
utility shareholders and executives for profit remain
with the schools for the benefit of our children's
education. I implore you, please reverse this decision
and go back to NM 2.0 in fact, and allow at least
on site netting. Thank you. Thank you operator. Next
caller, please.
Our next caller is Jose Lopez. Do you wanna go ahead
Hi, I'm calling uh my name Jose Lopez. I'm calling
from the Central Valley. I am asking the commission
to please not allow the rate increase that PGE is asking
for. Uh they keep causing disasters and they keep getting
rewarded by our state officials. I ask you not to do
this especially at this time when inflation is high
and people are struggling to pay their bills um as
it is. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. Thank you
operator. Next call, please.
Our next caller is Laura Hanson. You may go ahead.
Thank you. My name is Laura Hanson and I urge the commissioners
to vote in support of the judges issued proposed decision
in PG and ES General rate case.
The fact of the matter is that energy and gas are necessities
of life and there will be many people who cannot afford
that basic necessity if this goes through, I think
they should be given priority and that the priority
is to make the energy affordable.
Thank you. Thank you. Operate. Our next caller, please
Our next caller is Andrea Barnier. You may go ahead
Hi, good afternoon. Uh Self help Enterprises is a nonprofit
affordable housing developer with many multi family
projects utilizing VM. The outcome of the revised proposed
decision will threaten the feasibility of adding more
than the minimum required solar PV to our new construction
project. We rely on solar PV, generation and energy
storage to offset the increased costs and usage of
electricity, especially as we've increased our decarbonization
efforts with all electric properties. Common areas
may be classified as non residential or commercial
However, in affordable multi family housing, common
areas provide direct benefit to our low income tenants
in the form of safety and services like shared lighting
laundry, elevators and ev charging stations. Please
vote no on the proposed decision. Thank you. Thank
you operator. Next color, please.
Our next caller is Curtis Diaz. You may go ahead.
Hi guys. Thank you for the opportunity to call in.
Wanted to uh start with uh my name is Curtis Kidd.
I'm a resident of San Jose. We know you guys have a
difficult job. We as a community and as a private body
need to consider our responsibilities for our share
too. Decades ago, we wanted lines to the outermost
regions of the state. Then in the same breath, throw
the responsibility onto the company to keep it going
for less. Although the rate increases might be a sore
subject for all Californians alike. A complaint isn't
resolve to the problem. There are many other solutions
that will offset the cost of underground construction
PG and E is in the business of selling power, so sell
it, sell more of it not to just Californians but others
abroad. Many many clean energy sources can be allocated
for this Calpine and Millipedes is one example of a
clean energy source that generates power per PG and
ES requests. I support the rate increase and also I
support the subsid subsidiary for the low income families
that nobody's talking about. Let's fix this problem
but let's do it together and make sure there's never
a repeat of paradise underground is the safest place
for our infrastructure.
Thank you very much. Thank you, operator. Next caller
please.
Our next caller is James Campbell. You may go ahead
Hi, I just want to um to read
we um state of the importance of environmental justice
and um and I just wanna leave my contact information
Um 6506427087. I've heard everybody on the call and
I know that there is a solution to some of these ongoing
issues and I urge you to contact me. Thank you. Thank
you operator. Next caller, please.
And at this time, we have no additional callers on
the public comment, telephone line. But again, if you
would like to make a comment, please unmute your phone
Press star one and record your first and last name
slowly and clearly,
please stand by for our next caller.
Our next caller is John Jensen. You may go ahead.
Thank you. I appreciate the opportunity My name is
John Jensen. I'm the president of the Lucerne Area
revitalization Association in hard hit Lake County
California. Uh
It seems like you guys are regulating a criminal institution
and because you're regulating a criminal institution
you can do more to treat it as such and not like
any other responsible law abiding business. They need
to be held accountable and not given raises. Similarly
your agency should be encouraging the proliferation
of cheap available solar energy production and not
discouraging it. PG and es incomprehensible attempt
to steal the sun must be rejected. Deny them this theft
deny the rate increase. Don't set this predic ridiculous
precedent that will be used to apply this tariff to
single mass, single meter units in the future, alter
the proposal to encourage clean energy and let PGE
prove to us they are a noncriminal organization or
must be dismantled. Thank you. Thank you operator.
Next caller, please.
Our next caller is Max Gray. You may go ahead.
Good afternoon. Uh My name is Max Parade. I am with
uh all of health. We are a consortium of community
health centers across northern California. Our nonprofit
community health center members are doing what's right
They're installing solar battery back up uh addressing
energy efficiency and serving their patients who are
majority low income uh every single day. Um In terms
of this rule, this has unfortunately an adverse impact
on our health centers and we urge you to vote no, if
it passes. Of course, our health centers will continue
to attempt to install solar and look for other funding
sources, but many are hoping to install solar quickly
and having uh the stability. Uh and um the knowledge
that they will receive funding over time uh makes not
only the installation affordable uh but makes the ongoing
maintenance costs possible. Thank you for your consideration
and voting. Now, thank you operator. Next caller, please
President Reynolds. We have no additional participants
on the public comment. Telephone line. Ok, thank you
very much. Operator. We do have um three additional
speakers here in the room. And uh so I would like to
give them an opportunity to speak. And first, uh we
have the honor of having Mayor Maria Nava Firlik.
Hear me. There you go. Ok, so I wanna thank the California
Public Utilities Commission for coming here to Imperial
County. Um I am here to speak in regards to opposition
of the Golden State Water uh proposed rate increase
if you allow me to um read, read a prepared document
So dear public California Public Utilities Commission
This is a, a petition and customer protest of the Golden
State Waters Company's request to the increased water
rates. Golden State Water Company General rate case
application number 23-080 XX region three area submitted
to the California Public Utilities Commission request
of a rate of a total of 33.29% in a period of
three years, I the undersigned golden state water rate
payer and mayor of the city of Calipatria strongly
disapprove and opposed the proposed three year rate
increase of 33.29 water rate increase and request the
CPUC to deny the proposed increase in the service areas
of Nyland and Calipatria Imperial County. And respectfully
request if at all possible a public hearing at the
local level in both the locations to be held in the
town site of Nyland, California and another one held
in our city of Calipatria. Due to the COVID pandemic
Our high unemployment and high poverty rate in our
rural areas. The increase will be detrimental and a
financial burden to our city of Calipatria and community
of Nyland families and our communities. The proposed
Golden State water rate increase that would go into
effect January 1st of 2025 with a monthly bill increase
of $17 or 24.90% to the residents. They would see a
monthly bill of $69.49 increase to $86.79. Beginning
in 2025. In 2026 the average residential customer would
see a monthly bill increase of an additional $3.57
or 4.11%. And their bill would go from 8679 to $90.36
and then a monthly increase of another $3.87 or increase
4.28% from $90.36 to $94.28 in 2027 for a three year
total of $24.74 increase excluding any applicable charges
This considerably exceeds the amount charged by any
other provider of residential water services. In Imperial
County. These exorbitant rates are in the communities
that suffer from high poverty and unemployment rates
as well as other economic, environmental and health
burdens including asthma. The constant rate increases
put additional burdens and challenges on the residents
of these communities. I wanna say that for many decades
my husband and I Christian Frolich, which was here
earlier along with other residents from Kape and Island
We have um sent protest letters to the CPUC. We have
had you come and we've done petitions asking you to
please help us. Our community is the poorest uh two
communities in the northern name comu communities and
we feel like it's gone, falling on deaf ears. So um
the Golden State Water Company um has been a crutch
to our communities for um economic development for
residential growth. Um Everybody's yards are very dry
the parks are dry in our city as well. Uh We um
did propose a grant to put in piping on our east side
Hernandez Park and the Golden State Water is opposing
the fact that we're bringing in canal water. So what
do we do. If we're pushed on a corner, we've been too
afraid to do any extreme measures such as, um trying
to acquire the Golden State Water, either by eminent
domain or otherwise, because we're afraid the Golden
State water as wealthy as they are will sue us and
it will bankrupt our city. We are both in with region
three, with a lot of um bigger communities that don't
compare to the numbers and the income of the residents
like they do. Uh We do have a franchise agreement that
was established in 1994 by the city council. It was
a 40 year franchise agreement that has expired in 1994
Um
We respectfully request that the CPUC allow us to begin
the process of allowing the city of Calipari to reacquire
the water plant to serve our Calipatria and Island
residents um and get from under them and then possibly
offer them more f more affordable rates for the good
of our communities. Um Wanna uh finalize by saying
for these reasons, I request that the CPUC deny the
application for the rate increase proposal and also
if you could uh possibly consider visiting our community
so that more residents can come and speak with you
in both Calipatria and Island. I will submit my letter
for the record and uh please feel free to reach out
at any time. Respectfully. Thank you. Thank you very
much. Thank you. Our next speaker is Debbie Solis.
Hello Commissioners. My name is Debbie Solis. I am
from Nyland, California. I'm a little bit nervous but
um, I'm here because some of our residents in Ireland
can't afford the water. I have helped several of them
to either pay their bill or get their medicine. I am
from the chamber of commerce and I hope you guys can
attend in our little town of Nyland to see how we live
to see how it is, how it looks over there. I used
to be from Pomona, California, which is near San Dimas
where the Golden State Water has their corporate office
totally different than from Nyland and some of the
towns over here that are in poverty. So that's my only
request. If you do not, please listen to us and don't
pass that for Golden State Water so they can raise
the bill more. Thank you. Thank you. Our next speaker
is Alfonso Nava.
My name is Alfonso Nava. I'm from the city of central
but raised almost born in the city in the town side
of Nyland went to school in Calip Pa. I respectfully
request that the proposed three year rate increase
in the service areas of Nyland and Calipatria region
three in per county be united. I also request that
a public hearing be scheduled and held at the local
level at both locations uh in Nyland and in and in
Calip Pa. And um the reasons why um I'm presenting
my concern at this point is because the town side of
Nyland, the city of Calipatria, they suffer from lack
of public input. They have high unemployment and underemployment
Uh the whole valley as a whole suffers from high welfare
caseload, high poverty rate and these inflated rates
uh as compared to other cities in the county are way
too high. Um I know as a, as a resident of uh
El Central, uh we don't pay what they're proposing
to charge the town site of Nyland or Calipatria. I
respectfully submit this request and I thank you for
your consideration. Thank you.
Ok. Um With no more speakers in the room and no more
callers on the line. The public comment period is now
closed. We now turn to the public agenda and I'm going
to start with the changes to today's agenda. And I
I'd like to uh I believe we have a motion um with
respect to changes to the agenda.
Thank you, President Reynolds. Um I have one point
of clarification um that I wanted to just confirm with
um Chief Judge Cook. There was a apparently a revision
to item 24 issued late yesterday and I just wanted
to confirm, I think that is what we would be voting
on today for, for that item and it's an intervenor
compensation claim for environmental defense fund.
Yes, that's correct. Ok. Thank you. Um With that confirmation
I would like to make a request to hold only item 23
which is also an intervenor compensation uh, proposed
decision for turn in proceeding. A 21 02021 and uh
commission. How is that a motion to hold? Item? 23
Yes. Ok. Do we have a second? Ok,
I'll second the motion. Ok. We have a motion and a
second to ho hold item 23 to November 30th 2023. I
just want to confirm the motion. Yes. Ok. Um All right
Uh, agenda. Are there any comments on the motion? No
Ok. Agenda clerk. Could you please call the roll Commissioner
Douglas. Commissioner John Reynolds. Commissioner.
How? Yes, Commissioner Shama, I President Alice Reynolds
Yes, the vote is 50. The motion passes. All right.
With that, I'd like to read the changes to the agenda
items. 4723 and 30 have been held to November 30. The
November 30 2023 voting meeting item two has been held
to the December 14th, 2023. Voting meeting items 512
and 18 have been moved to the regular agenda. With
that. We'll now take up the consent agenda. Is there
a motion on the consent agenda?
So moved? All right as their second. A second. Ok.
We have a motion by Commissioner S and a second by
Commissioner Hauck. Um, on the consent agenda agenda
Clerk, could you please call the roll Commissioner
Duds Commissioner John Reynolds. Commissioner. How
Yes, Commissioner Shama, I President Alice Reynolds
Yes, the vote is 50. The consent agenda has been approved
All right. Um I'll now go to item five on the regular
agenda. Um, item five is a 1204 019 denying the petition
for modification by the, by California American Water
Company of decision 1809 017. My understanding is that
Commissioner Reynolds will be recusing himself. Thank
you, President Reynolds. Yes, I previously represented
Public Advocate's office in this proceeding. So I will
be recusing myself from items five and 12.
Ok. We'll take a minute while, uh, Commissioner Reynolds
leaves the room.
All right. Um, item five. would any commissioners like
to make a comment on item five?
Uh, I would just like to move approval of item five
which is the denial uh, of the, um, uh, let's see,
denial of the petition for modification and all. Second
Ok. We have a motion and a second on item five. no
further comment. Uh, agenda clerk. Could you please
call the roll?
Commissioner Douglas Commissioner, how? Yes. Commissioner
Shama President Alice Reynolds. Yes, the vote is 50
The motion passes. I'll now move to item 12. Commissioner
Reynolds has recused himself from item 12 and so he
remains out of the room, uh, for this item. Item 12
is a 1204 019 which would deny the petition for modification
of decision 2012 054 by California American Water Company
which denied rehearing of D 2004 018. Would any commissioners
like to make a comment on this item?
All right. No further comments. I'll ask for a motion
I move approval of this one as well. Item 12, denial
of the petition for modification. Ok. Do we have a
second? I'll second that. Ok. We have a motion and
a second on item 12, a gender clerk. Could you please
call the roll Commissioner Douglas Commissioner? How
Yes, Commissioner Shama President Alice Reynolds. Yes
the vote is 40. The motion passes.
Ok. We are on item 28 and again, I will read the
item number. Um It is so item 28 and that is R
2005 020, adopting a virtual net billing tariff as
well as addressing other issues related to net energy
metering. Um I will introduce the item um with a few
comments. So this proposed decision spans a wide variety
of topics that complete our multiyear review of existing
rooftop solar tariffs and related issues. The December
2022 update of our net energy metering or Nam Tariff
marked a key milestone in this complex and long process
The proposed decision before us today builds off that
established framework and the PD reflects much of the
work that we undertake here at the at the puc. The
changes we're proposing help us achieve a constellation
of goals including grid reliability, greenhouse gas
reductions, affordability, equity, consumer protections
and cost containment of utility bills. This proposed
decision would conclude our review of net energy metering
tariffs and close this proceeding. There are a number
of areas covered in the proposed decision and I'm going
to briefly describe them. So first, the proposed decision
establishes a new solar and new solar and storage tariffs
for a subset of customers that want to install solar
and storage on their property and share build credits
among tenants. So I mean, the first I wanted to explain
what I mean by tariff. So when I say tariff, I mean
the terms and conditions that govern the share or the
proportion of the cost of maintaining and investing
in utility infrastructure paid by a customer who wishes
to generate electricity. These are the costs that are
paid for by all customers. Um And what we're doing
is defining the share that are paid for by the customers
who have solar versus those that don't. And a tariff
also defines the amount of the obligation of other
customers of the utility to pay for that generation
So to pay the amount that solar customers receive um
from the energy bills paid for by other customers.
So remember the only source of funding from utility
is customers. They don't sell ads, they don't sell
other products. They provide a service that is paid
for by through utility bills. So the subsidies for
personal solar systems um or, or, or uh commercial
solar systems come from one place other customers on
the system. And that's why these decisions are so difficult
That's why we have to be very, very careful about how
we design tariffs because any seller subsidy done through
a tariff does affect other customers and many of those
customers are already struggling to pay their bills
So the first proposed tariff in this proposed decision
is desi designed for multi-tenant properties. The proposed
tariff closely mirrors the net billing tariff that
the puc adopted in December 2022 for single family
homes and businesses. This proposed decision also creates
a new tariff for customers who own lease or rent adjacent
properties and want to install solar and storage and
share bill credits among their electric meters. Today
we propose to modernize our tariffs for the same reasons
We modernize the nem tariff one to support the dynamic
flexible electric grid which increasingly is powered
by intermittent renewable energy and two to control
costs for all rate pairs as we electrify our economy
So these new tariffs just like the net billing tariff
significantly improve the price signals so that property
owners are incentivized to install battery storage
with their solar. And the proposed decision also similar
to the net billing tariff provides a glide path for
the industry and consumers to help transition to the
new tariff design. It does this by providing extra
bill credits for new customers that install um that
will last the the bill credits will last for nine years
these extra bill credits are on top of their regular
bill credits and these extra bill credits are available
to any new customer that signs up for these tariffs
in the next five years. We also made a key change in
a revision to the decision, proposed decision that
was originally issued. The proposed decision with this
revision now allows property netting for residential
customers enrolled on the new tariff. So before I move
to the next topic covered by the PD, I just want to
clear up quickly some confusion. I've heard about the
new tariffs. One, the new tariffs will only apply to
future customers that sign up in 2024 and beyond no
existing customers on the current VM or N A tariffs
are impacted in any way including customers who sign
up with a 90 within a 90 day grace period before these
new tariffs go into effect. And two, I also want to
make it clear that um this uh PD maintains the existing
tariffs dedicated to our low income and affordable
housing solar programs. So that means that the current
tariffs for, for our. So mash and mash programs will
continue to be based on the existing DNM framework
with slight improvements to encourage battery storage
So next turn to the topic of consumer protections.
This proposed decision strengthens our existing consumer
protections for residential rooftop solar customers
Specifically, the proposed decision improves the Pu
CS public watch list of non compliant solar providers
The watch list was devised in October 2022 after we
heard there was an increasing number of cases of reported
fraud and unscrupulous behavior by solar developers
In response to this alarming trend. The CPUC created
a joint agency task force with the contractor state
licensing board and the Department of Financial Protection
and Innovation. The task force examined reported cases
of solar developers taking money from customers and
failing to submit interconnection applications to utilities
and solar developers signing up customers for multiple
loans they can't afford under the pace program. These
are just a couple of examples. So in order to deter
this type of behavior, the PUC and CS Lb created a
consumer protection guide and a set of disclosure documents
that solar providers must present to customers to read
and sign before they go solar. The puc watch list tracks
solar providers that failed to submit the paperwork
correctly and this proposed decision improves that
oversight process. The PD also requires the utilities
to conduct audit, 100 audits randomly selected um of
interconnection applications every six months to identify
non compliance. And this PD also proposes a process
for revising how solar providers must present bill
saving estimates to prospective customers, which is
a key component of our consumer protections. Um The
next two topics covered in the PD were crafted to comply
with recent laws passed by the legislature. The proposed
decision implements assembly bill 1637 which requires
fuel cells on the nem fuel cell tariff to comply with
greenhouse gas emissions standards established by the
California Air Resources Board per statutory direction
The proposed decision clarifies rules for fuel cell
systems that started operating after the effective
date of A B 1637. These rules include reporting requirements
verification and penalties and renewable fuel blending
The proposed decision also implements assembly bill
2143 which mandates fair wage requirements for construction
workers on certain large solar and storage projects
The proposed decision implements the legislation by
requiring proof of payment of prevailing wage at the
time of interconnection. The last topic covered in
the proposed decision is a proposed process for the
future evaluation of all new solar tariffs including
the net billing tariff. So we will have the opportunity
to evaluate implementation and make adjustments as
we go.
Um Next, I would like to uh circle back quickly to
the uh revision that we made to the proposed decision
which I mentioned earlier. This is a revision to allow
property netting for residential customers participating
in the multifamily solar tariff. The proposed multifamily
tariff now provides the same subsidy opportunities
for renters in multifamily family buildings with solar
and storage as single family homeowners who install
rooftop solar and storage. I also want to note that
this subsidy although it will show up on other customers
energy bills is several orders of magnitude smaller
than the ongoing subsidy that ratepayers continue to
pay NE A uh uh nem 1.0 and NM 2.0 customers over
their 20 year legacy period.
And I do want to underscore that this tariff is, does
not act in a vacuum. We have many other state programs
to customers um for reduction of electricity bills
which uh cut greenhouse gas emissions from electricity
generation and support grid reliability because I think
it's really important to recognize these other programs
and the role that they play in our climate change goals
and in cost savings, I wanna just list them quickly
Um So for the same types of customers who could qualify
for the VM and N and Nema tariffs, um we have a
number of programs. Some of them are the Food pro food
production incentive program which has provided upward
of 100 and 20 million in grants to help food producers
reduce greenhouse gas emissions through adoption of
advanced energy technologies. We have the California
climate investment programs which use cap and trade
funds to pay agricultural customers for equipment and
management practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions
We have demand response programs through which industrial
and commercial customers can earn ongoing bill credits
or incentives by reducing their electricity use during
critical hours of the year. And some utilities even
offer incentive for, for farmers to adopt automatic
automated controls on their irrigation pumps. There's
currently a new dynamic rate pilot in YOLO County that
is testing how irrigation technologies can support
summer reliability. Other customers including schools
have an additional existing solar tariff available
to them called the RES BC T solar tariff. This tariff
includes enable solar systems up to five megawatts
to share bill credits from a system located on one
government property with billing accounts at other
government properties. And notably, this program was
recently expanded to include California native American
tribal governments. We also have a number of programs
available for schools to reduce energy costs and contribute
to climate change goals. We have a new program, the
California schools healthy air plumbing and efficiency
program called CAL Shape, which provides schools with
nearly 1 billion in funding to install energy efficient
upgrades including heating, air conditioning and ventilation
as well as water efficient plumbing. And this program
targets schools in disadvantaged communities. Schools
can also participate in a suite of other energy efficiency
programs such as PG and E and Sggnesk through 12 energy
efficiency program. Schools are eligible to apply to
C PC self generation incentive program upfront incentives
for on site battery storage. They're also really great
pro pilot programs for schools to install charging
infrastructure for electric school buses. And uh schools
are eligible to participate in a number of demand response
programs which pay them to reduce their electricity
during grid emergencies which we really need so we
can avoid fossil fuel generation and help out the grid
during emergencies.
Um I did want to make one final point um on parties
have raised concerns in this proceeding about climate
change as well as cost savings. I absolutely agree
that we need to reach our decarbonization goals as
fast as we can to mitigate the impacts of climate change
But we also need to be extremely thoughtful about how
we reach our climate change goals in the most cost
effective manner that addresses the state's needs in
2023. And which are very different from when these
tariffs from the needs of the state. When these tariffs
were enacted, we created the nem tariff 30 years ago
when the rooftop solar market was just beginning to
gain traction. California later uh made an intentional
policy choice 25 years ago to collect 33 billion from
energy bills to fund the California Solar initiative
This first of its kind program was intended to transform
the rooftop solar industry and encourage early solar
adopters and it was incredibly successful. These programs
and tariffs however, were always intentionally designed
to ramp down as the industry came up to commercial
scale and became able to provide their products to
customers at a lower cost.
So despite these years of subsidies, evidence shows
that rooftop solar continues to be a relatively expensive
way to produce electricity compared to other clean
energy resources that competitively bid into wholesale
markets. And as we are all aware and if we, as we've
heard today, electricity bills are on the rise and
affordability is front and center. We need to make
everyone's bills more affordable, not less. And if
we are going to meet our urgent climate goals, uh we
need to pay for every unit of clean energy at its value
So we do this by continuing to subsidize but by right
sizing these tariffs to our grid needs. In 2023 this
decision has nothing to do with slowing down on climate
change. These updates are in fact taking us in the
right direction for the current grid and for our future
updating these tariffs where will incentivize customers
to install battery storage compared to the status quo
which is critical to meeting our climate goals. But
at a lower subsidy that doesn't burden other rate payers
as much because those are the rate pairs that are ultimately
on the hook for the subsidy. And we know that we need
to keep electric rates as affordable as possible so
that we can electrify our economy and wean ourselves
off of natural gas. So the technologies that we know
we need to reach our net zero goals, use electricity
and we need to keep that fuel affordable electric vehicles
heat pumps and other electric appliances. The rate
of uptake of these technologies will ultimately depend
on how affordable our electric electricity rates are
since these technologies are powered purely by electricity
So in closing, I do wanna share my gratitude to judge
Himes for her careful approach to this PD. She did
an incredible job. It spanned the PD spans a broad
range of such important topics which she has done handled
masterfully and is always with great professionalism
Um And I would like to thank her for her dedication
to the entire difficult proceeding which is nearing
a close. It contains a dense record and a nuanced set
of issues. I'd like to extend a huge thanks also to
all the staff in the Energy division and the legal
division for their hard work and collaborative spirit
on this PD. Um Those folks include um Sarah Lah, Erica
P, Petrovsky, Chris Wessling Brett Palmer, Tory Franci
Francisco, Dan Bush, Jack Mulligan, Stephanie Hone
Galen, LeMay A and of course, my adviser, Carrie Fleischer
So with that, I will turn to other commissioners to
comment
who'd like to go first, Commissioner Reynolds.
Thank you, President Reynolds. I'll keep my remarks
relatively brief as I'll be speaking quite a bit about
the next item on the agenda. Um I do want to echo
your remarks about affordability and the importance
of making decisions that think about the big picture
of affordability. Um We are definitely confronting
a lot of necessary investments in our systems going
forward and those investments mean mean costs, costs
that will be have to be paid for and making sure that
we're getting customers who are using the grid and
benefiting from it. Uh Contributing to those costs
is important to make sure that service is affordable
for everyone. I'll highlight a couple of things briefly
Um First, I'm supportive of the change made to the
PD to permit virtual netting for residential customers
So that multifamily customers receive the same treatment
as single family households, multifamily customers
are typically renters and more likely to be low income
households. So this change is an improvement. And I
note that all along the PD has proposed maintaining
VM for.