San Diego Gas & Electric is going to bat for rate payers, asking the state to stop charging customers different rates based on the season.
The utility company filed paper work Monday asking the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to eliminate seasonal rate adjustments for residential customers, which can cause utility bills to spike during the summer months.
If the request is approved by the CPUC, a typical residential customer will pay about $7 less per month.
The request comes after an outpouring of complaints about expensive electric bills last summer.
SDG&E said the proposal is meant to create more consistent bill amounts for their customers so they can better budget their energy expenses.
Under the current system, pricing is adjusted twice a year. Rates are higher from June to October because of higher demand on the grid. The goal is to encourage conservation.
One SDG&E customer said she's glad she doesn't have air conditioning anymore because her bills were too expensive.
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"I was probably averaging about $200 to $300 a month. For those who have an AC, I can definitely see that helping,” she said.
The CPUC won’t make a decision on SDG&E’s request for at least seven months. If it is approved, you won’t notice a change on your bill until next summer.
SDG&E has asked the CPUC to eliminate seasonal billing before but their request was turned down.
