News

Further commitments are needed to ensure GGRF funds are spent on critical programs

SACRAMENTO, CA — Today, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced the May Revision to his 2024-2025 budget proposal, which maintains most of its multi-year commitments to critical clean energy programs, including the Distributed Electricity Backup Assets (DEBA) Program, and clean transportation programs, including those related to zero-emission school buses and medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, through shifts to Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. 

According to an initial summary from the Governor’s Office, the May Revision appears poised to include no further reductions to critical investments in clean energy and clean transportation, although the proposal does include the reductions and delays proposed in January, which endanger California’s climate goals. 

“Clean energy programs like the Distributed Electricity Backup Assets Program are vital to keeping California’s lights on during extreme events,” said Edson Perez, California lead at national business association Advanced Energy United. “Clean energy and zero-emission vehicle programs like those funding electric school buses are essential for California to clean up its air and meet its ambitious decarbonization goals. We urge the legislature to prioritize these investments which create good jobs and get us closer to meeting California’s nation-leading clean energy goals.”  

The updated budget will remain up for negotiation until June 15. Advanced Energy United looks forward to engaging with the Governor’s Office and legislature to arrive at a budget that upholds the state’s commitments to zero-emission vehicles and clean energy programs that are crucial in helping communities switch to less-polluting technologies, support in-state jobs, and better position the state to meet its clean energy goals. 

Click here to learn more about Advanced Energy United's work in California.

CPUC approves a $24 fixed fee for utility customers’ monthly electricity bill  

SACRAMENTO, CA—The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has approved a monthly fixed fee that will be added to customers’ monthly utility bills. This fee is a result of a 2022 bill, Assembly Bill 205, thatdirected the CPUC to add a fixed charge to utility bills based on household income in exchange for lowering volumetric rates.The approved plan willadd a fixed charge of $24.15 to monthly utility bills (reduced to $12 or $6 for lower-income customers).  

Virtual power plants can provide opportunities for Californians to deliver power back into the grid

Canary Media reports on the California lawmakers’ efforts to overturn the California Public Utilities Commission’s plan to propose income-graduated fixed fees with Assembly Bill 1999. The article quotes Edson Perez and Brian Turner on how ratepayers will be affected by this and the consequences of this fixed charge.

 

Of all the ways California regulators are proposing to rein in fast-rising electric utility rates, few are as controversial as the plan to charge customers for electricity service based on how much money they make.

 

California Lawmakers are pushing to dismantle fixed fee that would hike up utility bills

SACRAMENTO, CA – A coalition of California lawmakers led by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin have introduced Assembly Bill (AB) 1999, which would repeal a prior bill authorizing the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to implement a fixed-charge billing system for residential electricity bills based on household income. Instead, AB 1999 would cap utility fixed charges at $10.