SAN DIEGO — San Diego residents may face higher utility rates in the coming years as the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) prepares to vote on rate hikes proposed by San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E).
The proposed increases, which would cover the period from 2025 through 2027, are facing opposition from local leaders and consumer advocates.
According to a preliminary decision released by the CPUC, electric bills could see a 2.7 percent increase, while gas bills may rise by 8.6 percent.
An SDG&E spokesperson said, "It would increase the average residential bills by approximately $10 a month," but noted that these figures are subject to change based on the final CPUC vote.
SDG&E has said that the rate increases are necessary to fund various initiatives, including wildfire mitigation, power grid upgrades, energy storage and pipeline replacements. However, critics argue that more needs to be done to lower costs for San Diego residents.
Mayor Todd Gloria has expressed his opposition to the proposed decision in a letter to the CPUC President. The letter states that the decision "does not do enough to protect ratepayers or advance our climate and energy goals and should not be approved as proposed." Gloria acknowledged the limited role of municipalities in shaping rates but pledged to "continue to take any available action at the local level to protect ratepayers."
Some consumer advocates, like former City Attorney Michael Aguirre, believe the mayor's efforts don't go far enough.
Aguirre criticized Gloria's response, saying, "It's a letter that basically expresses, basically it says I feel the ratepayers' pain but not enough to really do anything about it."
He suggested that San Diego should form an alliance with other cities in the county to advocate for lower rates more effectively.
City Council President Joe LaCava echoed concerns about the proposed increases, stating, "I don't believe that SDG&E, the California Public Utilities Commission, and the Governor are doing enough to truly lower the cost of energy for San Diegans. There is a lot of talk, but I think people are tired of the talk - They want action!"
The CPUC is scheduled to vote on the proposed rate hikes at their upcoming meeting next Thursday, December 19
