Written by Bobbie Wylie
San Diego Gas and Electric implemented new rates on January 1, 2022. Most average customers will see increases of 7.8% for electricity and 24.8% for gas.
In a January 11 article entitled “New Rates Took Effect Jan. 1, 2022,” SDG&E blamed increased rates on surging natural gas prices and the need for sustainability.
In an interview with KUSI, Reform California Chairman Carl DeMaio discussed why Californians are paying more for utilities and what we can do to get lower gas and electricity rates.
On SDG&E’s new rates DeMaio said, “What we should be doing is looking at how much more Californians are paying for their electricity and gas versus the rest of the country?” California has a 250% higher cost of electricity per kilowatt hour compared to the national average. DeMaio says far left politicians are to blame. “This is not a supply and demand issue, this is a failure of governance issue,” DeMaio said. Democratic politicians impose the cost of “environmentalism” on working families by limiting what types of energy customers have access to.
According to DeMaio, energy consumption in California has been reduced on a per-capita basis in the last five to seven years, meaning consumption is not the issue. The issue is that “environmentally-friendly” energy is incredibly costly, and that cost is passed on to customers. While richer individuals or families may be able to handle an increased bill, those who do not make as much will suffer even more, “Energy costs are regressive, they hit the working poor the hardest,” DeMaio explained.
DeMaio also presented some alarming news. He said, “It’s likely you were transferred into a government-run utility in the last 6 months without your permission.” Many San Diego customers were moved – without their permission – to a San Diego City energy co-op run by the government. DeMaio says this government-run utility controls what energy they sell you, and will sell you the higher cost energy because it is better for the planet. The good news is that customers can opt out of this transfer, which DeMaio urges customers to do because “you are not going to get a better price or better service from the government.” DeMaio urged residents of San Diego to be read their energy bills very carefully to see if they have been transferred to the new city energy program.
Photo Cred: ABC 10
