An independent consumer unit at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on Thursday challenged the results claimed by private sector utility multi-billion-dollar energy efficiency programs and urged consumers to attend one of two public hearings the CPUC has scheduled for Monday (Los Angeles) and Tuesday (San Diego). Regulators have designated the meetings as “public participation hearings” for the major utilities’ $4 billion 2009-2011 efficiency programs.

The four major investor-owned utilities — Pacific Gas and Electric Co., Southern California Edison Co., San Diego Gas and Electric Co. and Southern California Gas Co. — have asked to double the total energy efficiency program budget, and the CPUC Division of Ratepayer Advocates (DRA) has completed an analysis concluding that the added dollars would reap only an additional 6% in energy savings for consumers.

“This disproportionate result underscores DRA’s concern about exponentially increasing budgets and administrative costs without commensurate returns or transparency,” said a DRA spokesperson in preparation for the upcoming hearings. The DRA wants the utilities “held more responsible” for efficient administration of what it sees as added ratepayer investment in energy efficiency.

Two separate deficient utility filings during the past 12 months have caused program starts to be delayed, DRA said. As a result, a recent CPUC decision requires the utilities to submit for the third time their energy efficiency program plans in conformance with CPUC rules.

“The enormous budgets requested by the utilities don’t fit the small projected gains in energy efficiency,” said DRA Director Dana Appling, noting that California utility consumers have made substantial investments in efficiency through a portion of their monthly bills.

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