Chanting

After being delayed a half-hour by chanting consumers opposingrate increases in a standing-room-only hearing room, the CaliforniaPublic Utilities Commission Tuesday raised electric rates on apermanent basis by up to 40%. The CPUC also took other actionsdirecting the two of the state’s major investor-owned utilities toresume paying small independent power producers known as”qualifying facilities” (QFs) and the state Department of WaterResources for wholesale spot supplies.