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More than 300,000 San Diego Gas & Electric customers who are still on tiered pricing plans won’t have to worry about getting stuck paying a “high usage charge” this summer.
The California Public Utilities Commission on Thursday voted to eliminate the charge, following calls from SDG&E officials who have lobbied the commission to get rid of it after a blazing hot summer in 2018 resulted in skyrocketing bills for some customers living in inland areas who cranked up their air conditioners to get some relief.
“We heard from our customers loud and clear that they felt strongly the high usage charge was punitive and unfair, particularly for those who live in hotter climate zones and by necessity, use more energy for cooling during summer months,” SDG&E’s Chief Customer Officer Scott Crider said in a statement.
Power has been restored to all customers who were impacted by Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS). Upon restoration of power, all Community Resource Centers have closed down. We thank our customers for their patience and understanding. We hope you all have a safe holiday. pic.twitter.com/3qewGzbTzU SDG&E (@SDGE) December 24, 2020
Background:
Santa Ana winds returned to the region Wednesday, combining with low humidity levels to create dangerous fire conditions that are expected to continue into Thursday. Those weather conditions have prompted San Diego Gas & Electric to notify approximately 31,000 customers that they could be at risk of Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) in the coming days.