Guest Opinion | Bill Paparian: Power to the People! But Not Yet in Pasadena

Last year the California Legislature provided much needed relief for millions of power customers when it passed Assembly Bill 205 which will both lower the amount that residential customers will pay while providing for greater transparency in electric bills.

Earlier this month Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas and Electric, and Pacific Gas and Electric submitted a joint proposal to the Public Utilities Commission that residential power customers will pay a fixed rate for electricity based on income.

In submitting their proposal, the CEO of San Diego Gas and Electric issued this statement: “We have listened to and heard from our customers that fundamental change is needed to provide bill relief.  When we were putting together the reform proposal, front and center in our mind were customers who live paycheck to paycheck, who struggle to pay for essentials such as energy, housing, and food.”

The CEO of Southern California Edison said: “We understand that our customers are dealing with rising costs of all kinds and are working to keep customers bills as manageable as possible.”

Wow!  These energy leaders get it.  But do Pasadena’s?  That remains to be seen. 

The Pasadena Water and Power Department, with 419 full time employees and an annual budget of $293 million, serves approximately 65,000 electric accounts.  It claims that “As a community-owned Utility PWP’s first priority is to serve our customers.”

Power rates for residential single-family service are provided in section 13.04.040 of the Pasadena Municipal Code. 

If beleaguered residential electric customers want to see any relief, it will start with the Pasadena City Council Municipal Services Committee which has oversight over electric services.  Committee chair is Felicia Williams who is joined by Councilmembers Tyron Hampton, Justin Jones, and Jason Lyon.

Paparian is a former mayor of Pasadena