Dissenting

Dissonant Voices Turn Up Volume, Payback on CPUC

Dissenting voices both within and outside the state regulatory process got considerably louder recently regarding actions by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) with several billion dollars of impact — a rate case for Southern California Edison Co. (SCE) and an upgrade of the transition to advanced metering for Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E). Ironically, at this same meeting the CPUC approved nearly $400,000 in compensation to consumer groups and individuals for contributions they have made in past regulatory cases.

March 23, 2009

Dissonant Voices Turn Up Volume on CPUC

Dissenting voices both within and outside the state regulatory process got considerably louder last Thursday regarding actions by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) with several billion dollars of impact — a rate case for Southern California Edison Co. (SCE) and an upgrade of the transition to advanced metering for Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E). Ironically, at this same meeting the CPUC approved nearly $400,000 in compensation to consumer groups and individuals for contributions they have made in past regulatory cases.

March 17, 2009

PG&E Bankruptcy Settlement: Court Appeal Dismissed, Total Fees Top $1B

While a federal district judge was dismissing the appeal of two dissenting state regulators challenging the Pacific Gas and Electric Co. bankruptcy settlement, the utility filed last week for some $1.29 billion in Chapter 11 costs and fees for attorneys, consultants, investment bankers and accountants. This is the final accounting for the biggest utility bankruptcy in U.S. history, settling some $13 billion in claims.

August 3, 2004