Consumer

The Senate subcommittee on Private Sector and Consumer Solutions to Global Warming and Wildlife Protection on Wednesday held the first in what promises to be a whirlwind series of hearings on the America’s Climate Security Act.

California could see the creation of 16,000 jobs and consumer savings on gas and power bills of about $1.85 billion by 2020 if Congress passes a national renewable energy standard. The jobs and savings would add to benefits realized from existing state goals, according to the Massachusetts-based Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), which released a report earlier in July.

California could see the creation of 16,000 jobs and consumer savings on gas and power bills of about $1.85 billion by 2020 if Congress passes a national renewable energy standard. The jobs and savings would add to benefits realized from existing state goals, according to the Massachusetts-based Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).

The independent consumer unit at the California Public Utilities Commission, the Division of Ratepayer Advocates (DRA), Thursday released a recommendation to slash by $180 million the retail rates of Sempra Energy’s two California utilities, Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) and San Diego Gas and Electric Co. (SDG&E). An administrative law judge will later make a separate recommendation in the case.

Over the objections of state regulators and consumer advocate and power groups, FERC has upheld a ruling in a November 2006 order that allows the agency to override permit denials by state regulators to promote construction of electric transmission facilities in a national corridor.

A coalition of natural gas supplier and consumer groups last Thursday expressed support for FERC’s effort to improve the quality of the financial information that interstate pipelines are required to file with the agency quarterly and annually. It asked FERC to quickly implement a series of “minor” changes to agency financial forms to ensure shippers are armed with adequate information about the pipelines that transport their gas.

A coalition of natural gas supplier and consumer groups Thursday expressed support for FERC’s effort to improve the quality of the financial information that interstate pipelines are required to file with the agency quarterly and annually. It asked FERC to quickly implement a series of “minor” changes to agency financial forms to ensure that shippers are armed with adequate information about the pipelines that transport their gas.

State regulators in Washington last week fined electric and gas utility Puget Sound Energy (PSE) $995,000 for violating consumer privacy laws by intentionally sharing private customer information with an outside marketing partner without the customers’ written permission.

State regulators in Washington penalized electric and gas utility Puget Sound Energy (PSE) $995,000 for violating consumer privacy laws by intentionally sharing private customer information with an outside marketing partner without the customers’ written permission.