This just in from E&E News:
“Surging electricity prices of the three biggest utilities in the Golden State have reached levels that now are more than double the national average, as posted by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Bills are projected to keep climbing as utilities address wildfire risk from their power lines and add electric vehicle charging stations. Ratepayers ultimately bankroll those costs.”
And, no, Electric Vehicles won’t save the day. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Public Advocates Office reported last year that in San Diego it can be cheaper to fill a car with gas than to recharge a Tesla.
PG&E said its average bill in March was $165 for electricity. That doesn’t include the cost of natural gas. The same bill in Georgia would be closer to $66 a month, in Illinois, $89 and North Carolina $103.
The Calif. Utility Commission identified at least 17 state mandates that hike the price of power, including expensive wind and solar energy mandates.
Hey, Californians: how do you like going green now?