WEBVTT

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.com will begin momentarily. Thank you for your

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patience.

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The feed. Welcome to the Public Participation Hearing.

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Where we would take public input on San Diego Gas and

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Electric Companies General Rate Case Application on

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this day Monday, March 6, 2023.

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Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you Operator. Can the

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court reporters please confirm they are ready to begin?

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Ready Your Honor, I'm here it's Andrea. Thank you.

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We will now be on the record. The Commission will come

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to order. It is Monday, March 6, 2023. The time is

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6:04pm, and this is the Remote Public Participation

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Hearing for San Diego Gas and Electric Company or SDG

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&E General Rate Case Application (A.) 22-05-016. For

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administrative efficiency, this application is consolidated

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with Southern California Gas Company's application

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(A.) 22-05-015. Please note that the audio and visual feed

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of this public hearing is being recorded and is accessible

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on the CPUC website. If you do not wish to be recorded,

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please disconnect now. My name is Manisha Lakhanpal 

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and I am the assigned Administrative Law Judge on

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this proceeding. We're joined by the Honorable Darcie

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Houck who is assigned Commissioner and Sasha Goldberg

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the Advisor to Commissioner John Reynolds. I would

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like to recognize that nearly 500 public comments have

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been submitted in this docket. And the Commission is

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actively reviewing each comment, as it is received.

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The basic purpose of today's hearing is to hear directly

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from SDG&E's ratepayers and members of the public

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about this application. The Commissioner and I will

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pay close attention to the opinions expressed during

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today's public hearing. Commissioner Houck, would you

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like to make any opening remarks?

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Yes thank you, Judge Lakhanpal. Um I just um again,

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would like to welcome everyone here this evening. I

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know there was a number of folks on the line earlier

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today. A lot of people would like to provide their

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comments which um is, as Judge Lakhanpal said. Very

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important we're paying close attention to what we're

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hearing this evening. As well as the written comments

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were receiving um, through the docket card. Um we're

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here to consider Southern California Gas Company and

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SoCalGas in San Diego. Or SoCalGas and San

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Diego Gas and Electric Company are SDG&Es application

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seeking approval. To update their gas revenue requirement

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in base rates effective on January 1, 2024. We've received

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input from many parties as Judge Lakhanpal noted to

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the proceedings so far. And today we have the opportunity

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to hear directly from the people most impacted by this

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proceeding. Which is all of you that have taken your

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time out of um, came out today to join us here this

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evening. And again, I know we, we have a lot of people

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on the line that would like to provide comments. So

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I'm going to minimize my comments that we can leave

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as much time as possible for speakers. But just want

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to thank our court reporters, our IT Staff and the parties

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for joining us here this evening. And will return um,

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to turn the proceedings back over to you, Judge Lakhanpal.

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Thank 

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you Commissioner Houck.

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If you have customer specific questions today, such

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as questions about your bills or service. During the

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hours of today's Public Participation Hearing, SDG&E

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has made available Jamie York. Their Customer Service

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Manager to answer and respond to your billing issues.

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You can reach Jamie at 858-613-3178 throughout the hearing,

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and for an hour after. If you are participating today

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and would like to provide public comments. You may

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do so by calling 800-857-1917, entering passcode 1767567.

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Followed by a # and pressing *1 on your

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phone. This will alert the operator who will begin

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to queue public speakers. Please unmute your phone and

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provide your name. If you're a public official, please

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notify the operator of your title and position, in

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addition to your name.  Please refer to the slide on

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the screen. We will not be answering any questions

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about the application at today's hearing. I want to

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provide a brief background on the California Public

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Utilities Commission. The Public Utilities Commission

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is a state agency that decides how much money SDG&E may

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earn. And the rates that will be included on your bill

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for electric and gas service. The Commission is comprised

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of 5 Commissioners who are appointed by the Governor

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and confirmed by California State Senate. As the presiding

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Judge of this case, I oversee its day-to-day operations.

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My primary responsibility is to review testimony from

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parties, conduct evidential hearings and review all

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of all the evidence presented. I will then write a

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proposed decision for the Commissioners to consider.

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The Commissioners can either vote to approve the draft

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proposed decision or the Commissioners can vote to

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adopt an alternate, alternate decision. The current

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schedule of this proceeding indicates that the Commission

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will vote on the decision in the 2nd Quarter of

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2024. I will now briefly describe what a General Rate

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Case proceeding is and provide a short summary of the

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application before us.

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Every 4 years, SDG&E and is required to file a general

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rate case application with the CPUC to set annual revenues.

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Annual revenues are the total amount of money the

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utility is allowed to collect through rates in a given

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year. Revenues requested in this application, pay for

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the costs of owning and operating electric distribution,

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and generation facilities, and maintaining gas infrastructure.

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This application does not include the cost to purchase

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natural gas and electricity for SDG&E customers.

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And does not determine how revenues are assigned to

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customer groups. Those are evaluated and authorized

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in separate proceedings.

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On May 16, 2022, SDG&E filed a 2024 General Rate Case Application.

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The application has updated in October 2022, requests

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authority to increase revenues for 2024-2027.

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SDG&E is requesting to recover $2.996 billion in revenues in 2024. Which

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is an increase of $449 million over the 2023 expected revenue.

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SDG&E is requesting to recover an additional $315 million

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2025, $306 million in 2026 and $279 million in 2027. An accumulative

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requested revenue increase is $3.6 billion or uh, it turns out to be $3.9 billion

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in total revenue requirement in 2027. We're here today to receive comments from the

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public on SDG&Es request to increase rates. And

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revenue for costs related to their electric gas and

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services. A court reporter will transcribe everything

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that is said today. If you speak, I ask that you speak

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slowly and clearly so that the reporter can capture

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everything that is said. At the beginning of your comments,

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please spell your first and last name and provide your

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location.

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The written transcript of today's hearing will be posted

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publicly on the docket card for this proceeding.

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In addition to submitting oral comments today, written

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comments on SDG&Es application may be submitted

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on the docket card for this proceeding. By going to

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apps.cpuc.ca

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.gov/c/A2205016.

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We will now hear from some of the parties in this proceeding,

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beginning with the representative of SDG&E, Utility

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Consumers Action Network or UCAN, The Utility Reform

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Network or TURN, Protect our Communities Foundation

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or PCF, Mussey Grade Alliance, Grade Road Alliance or

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MGRA and the Public Advocate's Office or Cal Advocates.

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Each speaker will have a time limit of 2 minutes.

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With that Jamie York on behalf of SDG&E,

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please proceed.

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Good evening. My name is Jamie York and I'm the Director

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of the General Rate Case for San Diego Gas and Electric.

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We are here today to listen and receive input about

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our rate proposal for 2024-2027. As SDG&E

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looks ahead to what it will take to create a clean

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energy future and protect against climate threats.

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Our general rate case is focused on maintaining a safe,

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reliable and resilient grid. But before I comment on

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our general rate case, I want to acknowledge it is

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a very difficult time for us to discuss this request.

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Because many of our customers are facing high bills

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due to unprecedented natural gas commodity prices over

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the past few months. Utilities like SDG&E buy natural

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gas from producers around the country. We pay market

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rates for that gas and pass those costs on to customers

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with no profit. Fortunately, market prices for natural

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gas have dropped for the 2nd month in a row. And

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future bills are expected to be more in line with what

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customers experienced last year. Nonetheless, we know

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that for many of our customers, they're still struggling

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to pay their recent bills. To support them, SDG&E

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recently announced a $16 million dollar charitable

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commitment to provide relief for customers and community

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assistance programs. I want to point out that the outcome

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of this rate request will have no impact on customer

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bills this year. The CPUC will make the final determination

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after a thorough review. And any approved rate increases

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will likely not go into effect until mid-2024. Now

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the rate requests we're discussing today, represents

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a conscious effort of hundreds of SDG&E employees.

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To deliver safe, reliable and climate resilient energy

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to customers over the next 4 years. Specifically

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we seek to maintain a safe, reliable and resilient

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grid. Develop clean fuel sources such as green hydrogen,

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strengthen cybersecurity and technology infrastructure,

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and accelerate replacement of aging natural gas pipelines.

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We believe a rate request strikes the right balance

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between making strategic investments. To benefit customers

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and mitigating rate impact. California has established

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aggressive greenhouse gas goals that call for massive

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increases in the use of clean electricity. Our rate

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request is geared towards preparing the grid for the

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clean energy future that so many of us aspire towards.

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Thank you again to everyone who is here today, to share

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your feedback on our proposal.

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Thank you. We will now hear from Edward Lopez from

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UCAN.

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Thank you, Honorable Commissioner and ALJ. I am Edward

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Lopez, Executive Director for UCAN, the Utility Consumers

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Action Network. As a long established intervener at

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the Commission, we represent and advocate for the interests

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of our members, the customers of SDG&E. We have

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fought to lower SDG&E bills, to guard against high

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energy rates that are unjust and unreasonable. And to

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compel the CPUC to hold SDG&E accountable, for the

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highest energy bills in the country. In this general

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rate case, SDG&E has requested nearly $3 billion

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in revenue requirement. An increase about $450 million

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over their expected 2023 revenue requirements. This

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amount is over an 18% increase. If approved a typical

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SDG&E residential customer will see approximately

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a bill increase of $9. And for gas customers approximately

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a monthly bill increase of $9.57, as compared to expected

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rates in 2023. In this proceeding, the Commission decides

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whether the rate increase requested by SDG&E is

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just unreasonable. Now more than ever, this just

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reasonable standard must fully embrace and encapsulate

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the affordability of the proposed rate hikes. Over the

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last month or so, we have seen SDG&E gas bills

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skyrocket, and surge, and spike. Simply put, the increase

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was unjust and unreasonable. During this period, UCAN

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has heard daily from its members. They have been

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shocked at how much the bills have dumped. They face

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incredibly difficult choices, particularly their senior

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citizens on fixed income, while living paycheck to paycheck.

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How do they pay energy bills? How do they pay rent

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or even medical prescription? And for some unfortunately

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it is even a choice of whether to heat or eat. For

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San Diegans, SDG&E needs proposed rate increase comes

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in the wake of this unprecedented spike in the natural

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gas prices. We should note however, that there are

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agencies including the, at the federal level. That are

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investigating whether in fact this was unnatural, there

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are answers still to come. But it is also coming on

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the heels of SDG&Es investors again announcing

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another year of incredibly high profits. Semper Energy

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just announcing a $2.9 billion in 2022. A number up

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from $2.6 billion they reported in for 2021. And SDG&E

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itself, earned $915 million this past year, up

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$96 million from 2021. Mr. Lopez, I would like you to

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limit your comments. Um you've, we've gone past 2

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minutes and I would like to reserve more time for the

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public. Of course Your Honor. So I would like you to close your remarks quickly,

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thank you. Of course, thank you. With its decision to

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come. The Commission must ask what will be the impacts

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and consequences to ratepayers of any rate increases.

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UCAN members, SDG&Es customers ask that the CPUC

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decision, ultimately deliver affordability and accountability.

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Thank you. Thank you. We will now hear from Constance

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Slider Pierre here for TURN.

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Thank you. Good afternoon. My name is Constance Slider 

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Pierre. I'm the Organizing Director at TURN, The Utility

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Reform Network. I would first like to take a moment

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to thank the Administrative Law Judge, as well as Commissioner

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Reynolds and Commissioner Houck for the opportunity

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to say a few words to welcome members of the public.

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Now to members of the public, all who have joined

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here today. To provide comment and bear witness. I thank

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you for taking time to join today's Public Participation

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Hearing. I hope you will take advantage of the opportunity

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to share your experiences and your concerns with the

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Commission, regarding SDG&E gas proposal rate increases.

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TURN stands strong in its belief that gas and electricity

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along with food, shelter and water are necessities

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in a modern society. We strongly believe that any approved

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rate increase at this time is unacceptable. And would

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only serve to exacerbate the long road towards financial

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recovery of seniors, veterans, disabled folks and struggling

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families.

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Today's public hearing provides an opportunity for

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Californians to represent themselves in front of the

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Public Utilities Commission, and it represents the Public

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Utilities Commission at its very best. In the hearing

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room, we hear from the Judges and utility attorneys

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and consumer attorneys locked in battle arguing over

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numbers and technical issues. However today, the Judges

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want to hear from you, the consumers. About how proposed

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changes and rate increase, increases affect you, your

00:18:18.329 --> 00:18:22.930
family and your community. These hearings serve as

00:18:22.930 --> 00:18:27.119
an opportunity to ensure that the lived experiences

00:18:27.130 --> 00:18:32.049
of community are heard and accounted for. When our public

00:18:32.049 --> 00:18:35.549
servants deliberate and make decisions that affect

00:18:35.559 --> 00:18:40.609
our daily lives. So, what's at stake? Well, if approved

00:18:40.619 --> 00:18:44.549
a typical San Diego Gas and Electric customer can expect

00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:52.180
an increase of over $26 per month or $318 annually

00:18:52.190 --> 00:18:57.130
on their monthly gas bill by 2027.

00:18:57.130 --> 00:19:00.869
As more affluent families migrate to all electric homes

00:19:00.869 --> 00:19:04.289
and cars and gas rate hikes will disproportionately

00:19:04.299 --> 00:19:08.269
impact low-income families, seniors, and disabled people,

00:19:08.279 --> 00:19:11.390
and children. But this is not a rate increase that

00:19:11.390 --> 00:19:14.720
will only impact low-income families. The rates have

00:19:14.720 --> 00:19:18.130
become so high that middle-income families that do

00:19:18.130 --> 00:19:21.720
not qualify for programs are also struggling to pay

00:19:21.730 --> 00:19:26.680
and racking up more and more debt. Last week, Sempra the parent

00:19:26.680 --> 00:19:30.119
company of SoCalGas and SDG&E announced record

00:19:30.119 --> 00:19:34.990
profits of over $2.9 billion. While offering a mere $16

00:19:34.990 --> 00:19:38.380
million for support to community based organization

00:19:38.380 --> 00:19:41.930
and families struggling to pay. The money offered to

00:19:41.930 --> 00:19:44.759
support struggling families represents, represents

00:19:44.759 --> 00:19:49.579
less than a half a percent of their 2022 profit. These

00:19:49.589 --> 00:19:53.529
record profits and the penance they are offering is

00:19:53.529 --> 00:19:58.049
insulting and unconscionable. The time for the CPUC

00:19:58.049 --> 00:20:02.869
to say no and stop this insanity is passed due. The

00:20:02.869 --> 00:20:08.019
buck must stop here. Today, customers and community

00:20:08.019 --> 00:20:11.500
members can share your unique experience and perspective

00:20:11.509 --> 00:20:15.579
and your expertise with the decision makers. During

00:20:15.579 --> 00:20:18.099
your testimony today, I encourage you to use your

00:20:18.099 --> 00:20:21.440
time to reflect on your experience as an SDG&E

00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:24.990
customer. Tell the Commission how current energy costs

00:20:24.990 --> 00:20:28.430
affect you? What trade off you have been forced to

00:20:28.430 --> 00:20:31.799
make? What measures you have to take to reduce costs

00:20:31.799 --> 00:20:35.519
and conserve energy? And what additional trade off you

00:20:35.519 --> 00:20:38.440
may be forced to make, if you are required to pay an

00:20:38.440 --> 00:20:43.549
additional $26 per month for gas?

00:20:43.549 --> 00:20:46.130
Finally, if you are listening and you have not already signed

00:20:46.130 --> 00:20:50.329
up to (inaudible). I hope our statement has provided some context

00:20:50.339 --> 00:20:54.660
and inspired you to lift your voice and be heard today. Thank you.

00:20:57.650 --> 00:21:01.630
Thank you. Uh, we will now hear from Julia Severson for

00:21:01.630 --> 00:21:04.440
PCS.

00:21:04.440 --> 00:21:08.150
Thank you, Your Honor. Good evening. I'm Julia Severson 

00:21:08.160 --> 00:21:11.309
on behalf of The Protect Our Communities Foundation.

00:21:11.529 --> 00:21:14.660
These remarks provide three points related to the context

00:21:14.660 --> 00:21:18.740
for this proceeding. First, this GRC comes in the wake

00:21:18.750 --> 00:21:22.829
of the 2023 cost of capital decision. In which the Commission

00:21:22.829 --> 00:21:26.650
awarded SDG&E high profits when spending ratepayer

00:21:26.650 --> 00:21:30.200
money on capital projects. Which provides a financial

00:21:30.200 --> 00:21:33.730
incentive for the company to propose capital projects

00:21:34.109 --> 00:21:37.839
like new electrical line projects. As opposed to distributed

00:21:37.839 --> 00:21:41.180
generation projects like customer owned solar plus

00:21:41.190 --> 00:21:44.519
battery systems, which are in ratepayers best interests.

00:21:45.210 --> 00:21:48.599
Second, the regulatory compact between the companies

00:21:48.819 --> 00:21:51.970
and ratepayers is supposed to work in two directions.

00:21:52.329 --> 00:21:55.380
We are long overdue for the direction to be headed

00:21:55.380 --> 00:21:59.509
toward ratepayer interests. We should be having a conversation

00:21:59.799 --> 00:22:03.529
about how much rates can be reduced by, instead of assuming

00:22:03.529 --> 00:22:07.430
that rates are supposed to keep going up. Third, this

00:22:07.430 --> 00:22:10.789
is the Commission's first opportunity to hold SDG&E 

00:22:10.789 --> 00:22:14.369
accountable under the Commission's risk-based decision

00:22:14.369 --> 00:22:18.519
making framework, that started back in 2014. And the

00:22:18.529 --> 00:22:21.839
sum for utilities are also the only utilities who have

00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:25.750
not had a GRC proceeding in 5 years. In the last

00:22:25.750 --> 00:22:29.569
GRC, the company failed to provide answers to fundamental

00:22:29.569 --> 00:22:33.500
questions about quote, "What spending is proposed to

00:22:33.500 --> 00:22:36.660
mitigate risks and how has passed spending reduced

00:22:36.660 --> 00:22:41.009
risk per dollar spent?" End quote. When the Commission

00:22:41.009 --> 00:22:44.079
later approved the company's request for formulaic

00:22:44.089 --> 00:22:47.700
rate increases for a total of 4 post test years.

00:22:47.710 --> 00:22:51.240
Without analyzing specific projects and the utilities

00:22:51.240 --> 00:22:54.640
actual spending. The Commission promised ratepayers

00:22:54.650 --> 00:22:58.880
that this GRC would be litigated thoroughly. Spg any

00:22:58.880 --> 00:23:02.069
ratepayers are long overdue for a close review of the

00:23:02.069 --> 00:23:05.650
project the company wants ratepayers to pay for. Thank

00:23:05.650 --> 00:23:09.349
you. And that concludes my remarks.

00:23:09.349 --> 00:23:13.900
Thank you. We will now hear from Joseph Mitchell from

00:23:13.950 --> 00:23:18.349
MGRE.

00:23:18.349 --> 00:23:21.950
Good evening. And thank you Commissioners and Administrative

00:23:21.950 --> 00:23:25.599
Law Judges. My name is Joseph Mitchell and I'm representing

00:23:25.599 --> 00:23:29.029
the Mussey Grade Road Alliance, which I am Secretary

00:23:29.039 --> 00:23:32.910
an expert witness at the CPUC. Mussey Grade

00:23:32.910 --> 00:23:36.910
Road Alliance is a grassroots citizen group in Ramona,

00:23:36.910 --> 00:23:39.980
California. And we've been interveners at the CPUC

00:23:39.980 --> 00:23:45.250
since 2006. Our community was overrun by the 2003 Cedar

00:23:45.250 --> 00:23:50.460
Fire and was surrounded by the 2007 SDG&E Fires.

00:23:50.980 --> 00:23:54.410
And so our primary goal has been reducing utility wildfire

00:23:54.410 --> 00:23:58.289
risk. However, not everyone in our area can afford

00:23:58.289 --> 00:24:02.519
their utility bills. In fact, some in some of our work

00:24:02.519 --> 00:24:05.890
we've shown. That the costs associated with high utility

00:24:05.890 --> 00:24:09.440
bills might even affect public health and life expectancy

00:24:09.440 --> 00:24:12.150
for the poorest and most vulnerable members of our

00:24:12.150 --> 00:24:16.089
society. Based on the work we've done over the past

00:24:16.089 --> 00:24:20.039
16 years, we believe that utility wildfire risk is

00:24:20.039 --> 00:24:23.680
a problem that can be solved. And can be solved at reasonable

00:24:23.680 --> 00:24:27.730
cost. You should know that of all the wildfire mitigations

00:24:27.730 --> 00:24:30.599
putting lines underground is the most expensive option.

00:24:31.369 --> 00:24:34.140
And that SDG&E has guaranteed rates of return it

00:24:34.140 --> 00:24:38.150
gets for capital projects like under grounding. Mitigations

00:24:38.150 --> 00:24:40.599
other than under grounding can also provide a high

00:24:40.599 --> 00:24:44.390
degree of protection from wildfire starts. It is very

00:24:44.390 --> 00:24:47.670
important that you let the Commission know how SDG&E 

00:24:47.670 --> 00:24:51.619
wildfires, power shutoffs, and rate increases

00:24:51.630 --> 00:24:55.509
affect you and your community. Mussey Grade Road Alliance

00:24:55.519 --> 00:24:58.569
has been involved in all phases of SDG&Es

00:24:58.569 --> 00:25:01.079
rate case. And we will be presenting testimony later

00:25:01.079 --> 00:25:04.019
this month, and will be fighting for cost effective

00:25:04.019 --> 00:25:06.829
wildfire safety for the remainder of this rate case.

00:25:06.839 --> 00:25:10.420
What you say tonight is important. And people who will

00:25:10.420 --> 00:25:13.460
fight for you are listening, and can use what you say

00:25:13.460 --> 00:25:17.180
in their arguments. So please speak freely and share

00:25:17.180 --> 00:25:21.089
your thoughts. Thank you.

00:25:21.089 --> 00:25:26.539
Thank you. And we have uh, Marion Peleo from Cal Advocates

00:25:26.549 --> 00:25:30.220
next.

00:25:30.220 --> 00:25:32.869
Thank you, good evening. Your Honor, Commissioner Houck,

00:25:32.880 --> 00:25:36.329
and the members of the public. I am Marion Peleo, co-

00:25:36.329 --> 00:25:39.410
counsel for Public Advocate's Office. Uh, in its

00:25:39.410 --> 00:25:42.970
response to the Semper Utilities 2024 General Rate

00:25:42.970 --> 00:25:46.440
Case. The Public Advocate's Office or Cal Advocates

00:25:46.450 --> 00:25:50.019
is the independent consumer advocate at the Commission.

00:25:50.250 --> 00:25:53.630
Cal advocates represents the interest of public utility

00:25:53.630 --> 00:25:57.559
customers with a goal of containing. Excuse me. Of obtaining

00:25:57.559 --> 00:26:00.880
the lowest possible rates for service. Consistent with

00:26:00.890 --> 00:26:03.450
safe, reliable service and the state environmental

00:26:03.450 --> 00:26:06.980
goals. We're reviewing and analyzing the Sempra Utilities

00:26:06.980 --> 00:26:10.920
GRC requests. And we will present our findings, independent

00:26:10.920 --> 00:26:14.130
forecasts and recommendations in written testimony

00:26:14.130 --> 00:26:16.880
to be submitted at the end of the month. Thank you

00:26:16.880 --> 00:26:22.039
and we look forward to hearing the public comments.

00:26:22.039 --> 00:26:25.599
Thank you. Um, I'd like to check with the operator.

00:26:25.599 --> 00:26:29.900
How many callers do we have in queue right now? We have

00:26:29.910 --> 00:26:33.519
43 calls in queue currently, Your Honor. Okay great, thank you.

00:26:37.500 --> 00:26:40.430
So we will now hear from the members of the public.

00:26:40.440 --> 00:26:43.430
To those who wish to speak, if you have not already

00:26:43.430 --> 00:26:48.029
done so. Please press *1 on your phone and the

00:26:48.029 --> 00:26:52.470
operator will add you to the queue of speakers. If

00:26:52.470 --> 00:26:55.029
you're not currently queued, at any time during the

00:26:55.039 --> 00:26:59.170
session. You can decide to speak and the line will

00:26:59.170 --> 00:27:03.230
remain open for you to join. Please unmute your phone

00:27:03.230 --> 00:27:06.619
and provide the operator with your name. If you're

00:27:06.619 --> 00:27:10.380
a public official, please notify the operator of your

00:27:10.380 --> 00:27:15.299
title and position, in addition to your name.

00:27:15.299 --> 00:27:18.650
Based on the number of speakers that we currently have

00:27:18.650 --> 00:27:23.940
in queue and from our experience holding um, SoCalGas's

00:27:23.950 --> 00:27:28.019
Public Participation Hearing at 2pm today. We're

00:27:28.019 --> 00:27:31.519
going to limit the time for each speaker to 2 minutes.

00:27:31.710 --> 00:27:35.990
And that is done so that we can get as many speakers,

00:27:35.990 --> 00:27:41.470
as we can to participate today.

00:27:41.470 --> 00:27:45.049
And a reminder to all those who are on the phone waiting

00:27:45.049 --> 00:27:49.400
to speak. Please speak slowly and clearly so that our

00:27:49.400 --> 00:27:53.019
court reporters may accurately transcribe your comments.

00:27:54.460 --> 00:27:57.900
When the operator lets you know it's your turn to speak.

00:27:57.910 --> 00:28:01.779
Please start your comments by providing your full name,

00:28:01.819 --> 00:28:06.710
spelling your last name and your location.

00:28:06.710 --> 00:28:09.670
We will hear you best if you speak directly into your

00:28:09.670 --> 00:28:13.910
phone or your headset. Please avoid having your phone

00:28:13.910 --> 00:28:18.079
on speaker when you're providing a comment. Keep your

00:28:18.079 --> 00:28:22.029
comments brief and concise to ensure we can hear you.

00:28:23.309 --> 00:28:26.509
And again, reminding you to please limit your comments

00:28:26.519 --> 00:28:29.859
or stay within the 2 minute time limit. At the 2

00:28:29.859 --> 00:28:32.559
minute time limit, you will hear a chime which will

00:28:32.559 --> 00:28:36.769
be a reminder for you to uh, briefly close your remarks.

00:28:38.039 --> 00:28:41.269
Operator. Are there any public officials on the line?

00:28:44.890 --> 00:28:47.390
I don't have any public officials have declared themselves

00:28:47.400 --> 00:28:51.309
at this time, Your Honor. Okay, then uh please call the

00:28:51.319 --> 00:28:55.180
first person in the queue. Thank you, Your Honor. The

00:28:55.180 --> 00:28:58.460
public comment line is now open. Our first speaker

00:28:58.470 --> 00:29:04.900
is Scott Aston. Scott, your line is open.

00:29:04.900 --> 00:29:07.859
Good evening. My name is Scott Ashton. I'm the CEO

00:29:07.859 --> 00:29:10.329
of the Ocean Side Chamber of Commerce and I'm calling

00:29:10.329 --> 00:29:12.960
this evening to express support for SDG&E. For the

00:29:12.960 --> 00:29:15.849
important role that they play in the economic vitality

00:29:15.859 --> 00:29:18.720
of our region. And for their commitment toward exploring

00:29:18.720 --> 00:29:22.039
a wide variety of options for delivering a safe, reliable

00:29:22.049 --> 00:29:25.849
and sustainable energy supply. We appreciate SDG&E's

00:29:25.849 --> 00:29:28.910
commitment to invest in clean energy innovations.

00:29:28.920 --> 00:29:32.170
As energy reliability is critical to the success of

00:29:32.170 --> 00:29:35.390
our businesses. I want to touch on a few highlights.

00:29:35.400 --> 00:29:38.849
Um first, I'll note that SDG&E's commitment to

00:29:38.849 --> 00:29:42.309
improve technologies that allow for customer participation

00:29:42.309 --> 00:29:45.609
and generating needed capacity through renewables and

00:29:45.609 --> 00:29:49.180
energy storage. Next, the expansion of microgrids can

00:29:49.180 --> 00:29:52.210
play an important role in improving reliability and

00:29:52.220 --> 00:29:56.049
resilience in the event of grid disturbances. This

00:29:56.049 --> 00:30:00.119
can serve to improve safety by allowing for continuity

00:30:00.119 --> 00:30:03.369
of services to our community. As our restaurant industry

00:30:03.369 --> 00:30:05.930
and other small businesses will be greatly impacted

00:30:05.930 --> 00:30:09.670
by the push towards electrification. We commend SDG&E

00:30:09.670 --> 00:30:13.930
for exploring clean glass, clean gas alternatives such

00:30:13.930 --> 00:30:17.759
as blending hydrogen into existing pipelines. A key

00:30:17.759 --> 00:30:20.609
element of our 5 year strategic plan at the Oceanside

00:30:20.609 --> 00:30:23.390
Chamber. Is to actively engage with community partners

00:30:23.390 --> 00:30:26.599
and workforce development. We applied SDG&E for

00:30:26.599 --> 00:30:29.869
its commitment to partner with local educational institutions.

00:30:30.029 --> 00:30:33.279
To ensure a properly trained workforce to support the

00:30:33.289 --> 00:30:36.740
transition to clean energy. Some of these future jobs

00:30:36.740 --> 00:30:39.319
for our residents could include installing and maintaining

00:30:39.319 --> 00:30:42.970
electric vehicle chargers, battery storage and microgrids.

00:30:43.000 --> 00:30:45.990
SDG&E's partnership will help ensure that our region

00:30:45.990 --> 00:30:49.049
experiences the maximum potential economic benefits.

00:30:49.059 --> 00:30:52.440
From the inevitable changes in the way energy is delivered

00:30:52.440 --> 00:30:55.500
and consumed. Thank you for your time and consideration

00:30:55.500 --> 00:30:58.869
of my comments this evening.

00:30:58.869 --> 00:31:02.069
Thank you, Mr. Aston. Operator, please call the next

00:31:02.069 --> 00:31:05.369
caller.

00:31:05.369 --> 00:31:08.740
Next we have Patricia Dameron. Patricia, your line is

00:31:08.740 --> 00:31:12.730
now open. Thank you and thank you, Your Honor. My name

00:31:12.730 --> 00:31:15.789
is Patricia Dameron. I live in Carlsbad, California.

00:31:15.799 --> 00:31:19.920
Actually moved here in October um, back to San Diego.

00:31:19.930 --> 00:31:24.099
Um, my previous home was with the SCE Electric Company.

00:31:24.109 --> 00:31:27.099
And it's been a horrible struggle realizing that my

00:31:27.099 --> 00:31:30.539
power bill has increased from $100 a month to over

00:31:30.539 --> 00:31:33.670
$300 a month, just by moving down here using the same

00:31:33.670 --> 00:31:38.319
kilowatts per hour. I wanna say Valley Clean Energy

00:31:38.329 --> 00:31:41.599
should sound familiar to Darcie. That used to be her

00:31:41.599 --> 00:31:44.869
local utility company when she went to school in Davis.

00:31:44.880 --> 00:31:50.369
VCE lists the sample bill for $46. That bill in San

00:31:50.369 --> 00:31:55.170
Diego would easily be $200 for electric only, and this

00:31:55.170 --> 00:31:58.240
is only for electric. Approving this while the utility

00:31:58.240 --> 00:32:00.960
companies continue, this utility company, I'm sorry.

00:32:00.970 --> 00:32:05.670
Continues to take home record income. Is no different,

00:32:05.680 --> 00:32:08.769
than companies illegally charging $100 a bottle for

00:32:08.769 --> 00:32:12.410
hand sanitizer in March of 2020. They know we have no

00:32:12.410 --> 00:32:14.819
choice and instead of being responsible with their

00:32:14.819 --> 00:32:17.210
funds. They continue to avoid allocating the right

00:32:17.210 --> 00:32:21.599
money as appropriate. How were those record profits

00:32:21.609 --> 00:32:25.230
and raises though? Really must be nice. I'm facing

00:32:25.230 --> 00:32:28.680
$300 bills with a home that's constantly in the 50's.

00:32:28.690 --> 00:32:32.349
I use less than the average kW per kilowatt per hour

00:32:32.349 --> 00:32:37.539
per household. I cannot afford to live without shaking

00:32:37.539 --> 00:32:40.900
in the cold. This is insane. We've almost dangerously

00:32:40.900 --> 00:32:43.809
heated our home with propane tanks and to find out

00:32:43.809 --> 00:32:46.839
how dangerous that was was just last minute. Who else

00:32:46.839 --> 00:32:50.529
is really doing that and doesn't know? Who else is gonna

00:32:50.529 --> 00:32:52.910
be heating their houses with propane? Because it's cheaper

00:32:52.910 --> 00:32:55.369
and it's a quick solution from Home Depot. And they

00:32:55.369 --> 00:32:58.609
don't have the Home Depot clerk to let them know that

00:32:58.609 --> 00:33:01.059
that could kill them. And if they don't find out and

00:33:01.059 --> 00:33:04.440
they die, who's responsible? Is it them for not knowing

00:33:04.450 --> 00:33:08.400
or is it them trying to live not shaking in the cold?

00:33:08.410 --> 00:33:13.210
So I can't afford this, and I really am curious.

00:33:13.210 --> 00:33:16.369
That's all, thank you.

00:33:16.369 --> 00:33:19.490
Thank you, Miss Dameron. Operator, please call the next

00:33:19.490 --> 00:33:22.089
speaker.

00:33:22.089 --> 00:33:25.329
Next we have Carlos Riviera. Carlos, your line is open.

00:33:28.009 --> 00:33:32.750
Hello, can you hear me? Yes, we can hear you. Give

00:33:32.750 --> 00:33:36.250
me a second, I'm gonna get off speakerphone.

00:33:36.250 --> 00:33:38.119
Okay, I'm gonna talk very quickly because I've got

00:33:38.119 --> 00:33:40.160
a lot to stay here. Um, I just want to say real

00:33:40.160 --> 00:33:42.630
quick that for those who are having financial difficulty

00:33:42.630 --> 00:33:46.089
paying their bills. There are 2 resources I'm referring

00:33:46.089 --> 00:33:49.809
to SoCal, cause SoCalGas, I'm a customer of them. that you should look

00:33:49.809 --> 00:33:52.960
into (inaudible) mention this briefly. Uh, it's a South

00:33:52.960 --> 00:33:56.500
Cal Gas Cares program which offers a 20% discount. And

00:33:56.500 --> 00:33:59.279
then there's the Past Due Bill Forgiveness Program.

00:33:59.289 --> 00:34:01.990
Uh for the senior citizens and customers who are having

00:34:01.990 --> 00:34:04.339
difficult during these times. I highly encourage you

00:34:04.339 --> 00:34:08.079
to go visit the South Cal Gas, uh website look

00:34:08.090 --> 00:34:11.780
for that information? Um, I want to express that I am

00:34:11.780 --> 00:34:16.099
not in favor of the increases that South Cal is asking

00:34:16.099 --> 00:34:20.190
for. Uh, specifically their justification that they've

00:34:20.190 --> 00:34:24.480
listed on the email I received is quite vague and incomplete.

00:34:24.489 --> 00:34:28.909
And as a customer, I demand full disclosure and demand

00:34:28.909 --> 00:34:32.130
that the Commission and the Judge. Request that South

00:34:32.130 --> 00:34:35.849
Cal Gas provides specific detailed information regarding

00:34:35.860 --> 00:34:39.530
the how, what, where and how the additional revenue

00:34:39.530 --> 00:34:44.340
will be spent. In addition, I asked justification from

00:34:44.340 --> 00:34:49.610
the executives of SoCalGas. What exactly is the value

00:34:49.610 --> 00:34:54.320
added they offer to the customers that justifies the

00:34:54.329 --> 00:34:59.690
salary that they made? In 2021, Jimmy Chou, the Chief

00:34:59.699 --> 00:35:04.449
Operating Officer had total compensation of $1.84 million.

00:35:04.460 --> 00:35:09.670
Of that $63,000 was awarded as a bonus. $74,000 was awarded as

00:35:09.679 --> 00:35:14.989
stock. Scott Durie, the Chief Executive Officer had total,

00:35:15.000 --> 00:35:20.420
total compensation of $2.9 million. Of that $878,000

00:35:20.429 --> 00:35:25.110
was received as a bonus, $1.25 million was awarded as stock.

00:35:25.119 --> 00:35:27.969
I could go on but it's too lengthy to discuss all the

00:35:27.969 --> 00:35:31.659
other salary compensation that the executive board

00:35:31.659 --> 00:35:34.210
made. In either way and either way. Excuse me, what

00:35:34.210 --> 00:35:38.969
I'm getting at. Is this needs to be looked into. Lastly

00:35:38.980 --> 00:35:41.590
in closing, I just want to say that it's important

00:35:41.590 --> 00:35:43.980
to note. That those in support of the rate increases

00:35:43.989 --> 00:35:47.139
our financial beneficiaries of SoCalGas. That

00:35:47.150 --> 00:35:49.889
being the unions and nonprofit organizations who receive

00:35:49.889 --> 00:35:52.730
funding from SoCalGas, not the actual customers

00:35:52.730 --> 00:35:55.179
who will be forced to pay the increase. With that in

00:35:55.179 --> 00:35:58.239
mind, I urge the Judge and Commission. To hold additional

00:35:58.239 --> 00:36:01.920
Public Hearing Meetings as a limited time offer today

00:36:01.929 --> 00:36:05.050
and on March 15th is insufficient. To fully allow the

00:36:05.050 --> 00:36:09.110
public to speak. Thank you for your time. Thank you

00:36:09.110 --> 00:36:14.460
Mr. Rivera. Operator, please call the next speaker.

00:36:14.460 --> 00:36:18.239
Next we have Christine Soderlund. Christine, your line

00:36:18.239 --> 00:36:22.010
is now open. Thank you. My name is Christine Soderlund,

00:36:22.010 --> 00:36:24.750
that's S. O. D. E. R. L. U. N. D, and I

00:36:24.750 --> 00:36:27.619
live in Los Angeles. Thank you, Your Honor, Commissioners

00:36:27.619 --> 00:36:30.190
and interested parties. I appreciate the opportunity

00:36:30.190 --> 00:36:33.750
to share my SoCalGas company rate increase proposal

00:36:33.750 --> 00:36:36.179
comments. As I was at the end of the queue during the

00:36:36.179 --> 00:36:39.630
hearing today at 2pm. I oppose the rate increases

00:36:39.630 --> 00:36:43.000
until SoCalGas and Sempra provide a public accounting

00:36:43.000 --> 00:36:46.329
of every penny derived from previous rate hikes. During

00:36:46.329 --> 00:36:50.590
the gas blowout of 2015, SoCalGas and its parent Sempra.

00:36:50.590 --> 00:36:53.590
Were exposed for negligence and admonished for failure

00:36:53.590 --> 00:36:55.889
to meet minimum maintenance requirements. For the gas

00:36:55.889 --> 00:36:59.019
storage facilities at Aliso Canyon in Porter Ranch,

00:36:59.019 --> 00:37:01.820
California. For this reason, the company was already

00:37:01.820 --> 00:37:06.780
fined $1.8 billion. Sempra and SoCalGas request rate heights

00:37:06.780 --> 00:37:09.869
as if these actions had no significant impact on the

00:37:09.869 --> 00:37:13.610
public. These organizations cite the same tired excuses.

00:37:13.909 --> 00:37:16.590
They need to maintain the gas pipeline infrastructure, 

00:37:16.789 --> 00:37:19.969
there are cybersecurity concerns. Politics in California

00:37:19.969 --> 00:37:22.510
are too challenging. While there was Winter weather

00:37:22.510 --> 00:37:25.539
elsewhere, transportation costs increase, and so on and

00:37:25.550 --> 00:37:29.000
so on. Any impartial individual would agree that the

00:37:29.000 --> 00:37:32.730
gas bills have been shocking. On January 6, The

00:37:32.730 --> 00:37:39.349
Los Angeles Times reported 146% to 300% increases in

00:37:39.349 --> 00:37:42.869
our bills. With some individuals suffering even higher

00:37:42.869 --> 00:37:45.840
rates than that. But these increases and all the other

00:37:45.840 --> 00:37:48.480
previously increased rates are not enough. They have

00:37:48.480 --> 00:37:51.570
the audacity to ask for more. My elderly neighbors

00:37:51.570 --> 00:37:54.179
and family members are suffering. They can't heat their

00:37:54.179 --> 00:37:56.909
homes properly. And now because of corporate greed

00:37:56.920 --> 00:37:59.460
and the gross mismanagement of the resources entrusted

00:37:59.460 --> 00:38:03.230
to them. The SoCalGas company and Sempra company

00:38:03.230 --> 00:38:06.719
execs continue to enjoy record profits. It's time for

00:38:06.719 --> 00:38:09.630
tough conversations. We need you to send a simple message

00:38:09.630 --> 00:38:14.289
of no to SoCalGas and Sempra, no more increases. Tell

00:38:14.289 --> 00:38:17.019
them to figure out how to better manage the outwards,

00:38:17.030 --> 00:38:20.380
the outrageous increases already levied. And the record

00:38:20.380 --> 00:38:23.510
profits already received. Were deeply concerned about

00:38:23.510 --> 00:38:25.909
our residents and the devastating effects of these

00:38:25.920 --> 00:38:30.179
hikes to our businesses. Just like in 2015, these companies

00:38:30.179 --> 00:38:35.510
actions are reckless and dangerous. Thank you.

00:38:35.510 --> 00:38:38.579
Thank you, Miss Soderlund. Operator, please call the next

00:38:38.579 --> 00:38:42.829
speaker.

00:38:42.829 --> 00:38:45.880
Next we have Steve Welles. Steve Welles, your line is

00:38:45.880 --> 00:38:48.409
now open.

00:38:48.409 --> 00:38:52.449
Thank you. My name is Steve Welles, W. E. L. L. E.

00:38:52.449 --> 00:38:58.070
S, in San Diego. And uh,

00:38:58.070 --> 00:39:03.610
this is for the 5 PUC Commissioners. They should

00:39:03.619 --> 00:39:10.829
all be there listening to all 22 million of us ratepayers.

00:39:10.840 --> 00:39:19.570
Not just the 200 of us that manage to call in today.

00:39:19.579 --> 00:39:25.150
They should listen to all 22 million of us SDG&E

00:39:25.349 --> 00:39:32.250
and Sempra Gas ratepayers. You work for us at least

00:39:32.260 --> 00:39:38.880
for now. Uh, hopefully the uh.

00:39:38.880 --> 00:39:45.159
There were about 8 sounded like paid shells from

00:39:45.170 --> 00:39:51.949
SDG&E, um that were on this line. And I assumed this

00:39:51.949 --> 00:39:55.409
line was just for uh,

00:39:55.409 --> 00:40:01.579
the, the actual regular users, regular ratepayers.

00:40:01.590 --> 00:40:08.320
But uh, those 8 out of the 200 of us who are

00:40:08.320 --> 00:40:13.130
calling in. Like another two people said they must have

00:40:13.130 --> 00:40:19.460
been paid and have a financial interest. Remember

00:40:19.469 --> 00:40:22.949
Commissioners, all 5 of you who should be there

00:40:22.949 --> 00:40:32.659
today, you work for us at least for now. And uh, $5 billion

00:40:32.659 --> 00:40:40.159
increase for SDG&E and Sempra is unacceptable. None

00:40:40.159 --> 00:40:46.309
of us, none of us 22 million California ratepayers

00:40:46.320 --> 00:40:52.130
agree with that. Just a few paid shells that work for

00:40:52.139 --> 00:40:56.949
SDG&E or the gas company.

00:40:56.949 --> 00:41:02.599
If you believe that, uh any of those shells, I have

00:41:02.599 --> 00:41:08.619
a bridge for sale in uh in, in Brooklyn. Vote no

00:41:08.619 --> 00:41:13.199
increase at all, give us a refund. You work for us,

00:41:13.210 --> 00:41:19.630
for 22 million of us California ratepayers. The highest

00:41:19.630 --> 00:41:24.610
rate in the United States don't deserve any increase

00:41:24.610 --> 00:41:30.380
at all. Do something, stop this increase, give us a

00:41:30.380 --> 00:41:34.800
refund from the last unacceptable increase. That's

00:41:34.800 --> 00:41:40.980
all I have to say. Bye.

00:41:40.980 --> 00:41:46.710
Operator, please call the next speaker.

00:41:46.710 --> 00:41:50.989
Next we have Aubrey Clemens or Audrey Clemens. Your

00:41:50.989 --> 00:41:56.530
line is now open. Yes, Audrey Clements, C. L. E. M. E.

00:41:56.539 --> 00:42:01.510
N. T. S, calling from La Mesa, California. I'm actually

00:42:01.510 --> 00:42:06.530
shocked that the Public Utilities Commission would

00:42:06.539 --> 00:42:11.769
even come to us again to say. They're going to evaluate

00:42:11.780 --> 00:42:17.860
um, San Diego Gas and Electric request for a rate increase.

00:42:17.869 --> 00:42:23.750
I would like to ask, is there a record that shows over

00:42:23.750 --> 00:42:28.530
the last um, maybe 50 years. What the Commissioner

00:42:28.530 --> 00:42:34.360
has done on behalf of those rate increases. How many

00:42:34.369 --> 00:42:38.980
increases have been denied versus how many have been

00:42:38.989 --> 00:42:43.230
approved and percentage, if any have been approved?

00:42:43.610 --> 00:42:47.969
Secondly, I believe if you have a business, it ought

00:42:47.969 --> 00:42:52.949
to be run as a business. Not as a basis for, I

00:42:52.949 --> 00:42:58.409
consider raping the the constituents every time. Because

00:42:58.420 --> 00:43:03.929
what I see happening is we had solar energy, SDG&E

00:43:03.929 --> 00:43:07.360
found a way to tear it. So your paying high

00:43:07.360 --> 00:43:11.730
rates during when people are home. So everything that

00:43:11.739 --> 00:43:16.039
we, the consumers have tried to do to help ourselves.

00:43:16.050 --> 00:43:21.230
Has backfired because SDG&E have us in a stranglehold.

00:43:21.239 --> 00:43:25.760
I would recommend and I worked for the government before,

00:43:25.769 --> 00:43:29.260
and we used to do requirement analysis. And I would

00:43:29.260 --> 00:43:33.440
recommend that we do a zero-based recommendation to

00:43:33.440 --> 00:43:37.289
find out what's really required. Because we just keep

00:43:37.289 --> 00:43:41.000
getting higher and higher rates. I have turned off

00:43:41.010 --> 00:43:45.639
the heat in my house because I cannot continue to afford.

00:43:45.650 --> 00:43:50.079
In the last 2 months, I had $1000 dollars electric

00:43:50.079 --> 00:43:54.269
bill. Yes, it may be the fault because someone um,

00:43:54.280 --> 00:43:58.289
have used it incorrectly not realizing certain things.

00:43:58.300 --> 00:44:02.000
But I believe the Public Utilities Commission, the

00:44:02.000 --> 00:44:06.679
P in that is us. Or else please change your name to

00:44:06.690 --> 00:44:11.250
SDG&E Utilities Commission. Thank you very much.

00:44:12.730 --> 00:44:16.730
Thank you (inaudible). Operator, please call the next speaker

00:44:16.730 --> 00:44:20.179
in line.

00:44:20.179 --> 00:44:26.159
Next we have Ben Hibbert. Ben, your line is open.

00:44:26.159 --> 00:44:29.159
Good evening. My name is Daniel Hippert spelled H. I.

00:44:29.159 --> 00:44:34.170
P. P. E. R. T, and I live in Fallbrook, California. On

00:44:34.170 --> 00:44:38.309
the opening page of the PUC webpage. It says the California

00:44:38.309 --> 00:44:43.000
PUC regulates services and utilities, protects consumers,

00:44:43.010 --> 00:44:45.929
safeguards the environment, and assures Californians

00:44:45.929 --> 00:44:48.449
access to safe and reliable utility infrastructure,

00:44:48.449 --> 00:44:52.710
and services. Protects consumers is probably the most

00:44:52.719 --> 00:44:55.909
important thing that you all need to do. In considering

00:44:55.909 --> 00:44:59.230
this rate increase from SDG&E. Uh, I am not

00:44:59.230 --> 00:45:01.409
in favor of the current rate increase for San Diego 

00:45:01.630 --> 00:45:05.170
Gas and Electric. It's uh, $3 billion over 4 years which

00:45:05.170 --> 00:45:08.949
is simple math, $750 million annually per

00:45:08.949 --> 00:45:11.699
year for the next 4 years. Uh, I understand that

00:45:11.710 --> 00:45:14.510
the gas and electric company is a legal monopoly. And for

00:45:14.519 --> 00:45:19.150
this reason, the CPUC regulates its rates. Uh, and I

00:45:19.150 --> 00:45:23.269
also understand that there are 5 CPUC members,

00:45:23.280 --> 00:45:27.539
each of which is paid $219,000 annually, that's your

00:45:27.539 --> 00:45:30.900
salary. What other perks going beyond that, I don't

00:45:30.900 --> 00:45:33.639
know, but there's probably some pretty good perks.

00:45:33.650 --> 00:45:39.820
Um, the annual budget of the CPUC is over $2 billion.

00:45:39.829 --> 00:45:43.340
Okay. So obviously there's a lot of money being spent

00:45:43.349 --> 00:45:48.159
in regulating California's public utilities. Especially

00:45:48.159 --> 00:45:51.710
when consider Commissioners make a total of over

00:45:51.710 --> 00:45:54.469
a million, a million dollars between the 5 of them. I would

00:45:54.469 --> 00:45:57.659
like to have seen, you know, a couple of $1000 spent

00:45:57.659 --> 00:46:00.260
of that money. You know, coming to San Diego instead

00:46:00.260 --> 00:46:03.500
of just a couple of meetings one day during this entire

00:46:03.500 --> 00:46:06.860
hearing procedures, proceedings.

00:46:06.860 --> 00:46:09.989
Overall looked at a couple of items on the budget for

00:46:09.989 --> 00:46:12.989
SDG&E in a simple example of what I believe is 

00:46:12.989 --> 00:46:16.460
inappropriate use of ratepayer funds. SDG&E intends to

00:46:16.460 --> 00:46:21.210
spend $9 million in 2024 on marketing, communications,

00:46:21.219 --> 00:46:25.630
research and analytics. Why does a legal monopoly need

00:46:25.630 --> 00:46:29.099
to market their product and company? There's been an

00:46:29.099 --> 00:46:32.619
establishment of the San Diego Community Power Company recently.

00:46:32.630 --> 00:46:37.340
But they're not a competitor to SDG&E. They're just, they're

00:46:37.340 --> 00:46:41.150
they're directly, you know, funded by the federal, city

00:46:41.150 --> 00:46:46.269
government. Um and also SDG&E has just recently installed

00:46:46.269 --> 00:46:50.250
new logos on their vehicles. I was perfectly aware

00:46:50.250 --> 00:46:53.599
of what SDG&E drove around before. With SDG&E on

00:46:53.599 --> 00:46:56.679
their trucks, they spent more money than I can understand

00:46:56.690 --> 00:46:59.769
on new logos for their vehicles. So I'm not sure what

00:46:59.769 --> 00:47:03.309
that was about. But I would again, please you know

00:47:03.320 --> 00:47:06.969
use your public influence to deny this rate increase

00:47:06.980 --> 00:47:10.650
to SDG&E. Thank you.

00:47:10.650 --> 00:47:13.760
Thank you, Mr. Hippert. Operator, please call the next

00:47:13.829 --> 00:47:17.170
speaker.

00:47:17.170 --> 00:47:20.679
Next we have Mary Drummond. Mary, your line is now

00:47:20.679 --> 00:47:26.099
open. Hi, my name is Mary Drummond, D. R. U. M. M.

00:47:26.110 --> 00:47:30.590
O. N. D. I live in Tujunga. Um, our December bill was

00:47:30.599 --> 00:47:37.469
$207. Our January bill was $365. Our February bill

00:47:37.469 --> 00:47:42.170
was $649. We are on a fixed income and do not qualify

00:47:42.170 --> 00:47:45.250
for any discounts. We cannot afford to keep paying

00:47:45.250 --> 00:47:48.550
these insanely high bills. If I ran a business like

00:47:48.550 --> 00:47:51.599
you do, I would no longer have a business. I rarely

00:47:51.599 --> 00:47:54.289
see anyone come to check our gas meter. So how do you

00:47:54.289 --> 00:47:57.699
even know how much gas we use? Shame on you for ripping

00:47:57.699 --> 00:48:00.769
us off? By the way, we had to buy an electric heater

00:48:00.769 --> 00:48:04.510
on Amazon to try and not use as much gas. When I

00:48:04.510 --> 00:48:07.039
read the reviews for the heater we got. Many of them

00:48:07.039 --> 00:48:09.539
mentioned the state of California and how high the

00:48:09.539 --> 00:48:12.599
gas bills have gone up. You have made a laughingstock

00:48:12.599 --> 00:48:15.460
of us and the state of California. Thank you for your

00:48:15.460 --> 00:48:19.590
time.

00:48:19.590 --> 00:48:22.769
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call the

00:48:22.769 --> 00:48:27.010
next speaker on line. Next we have Christopher Wilkinson.

00:48:27.230 --> 00:48:30.550
Christopher, your line is open. Thank you. My name

00:48:30.550 --> 00:48:34.179
is Christopher Wilkinson, W. I. L. K. I. N. S. O. N.

00:48:34.190 --> 00:48:36.710
I live in Escondido, California. First of all, I'd

00:48:36.710 --> 00:48:39.239
like to say, I live in a two bedroom mobile home in

00:48:39.239 --> 00:48:43.530
Escondido. It's 1089 square feet. I live alone. I rarely

00:48:43.530 --> 00:48:45.599
use my heat during the day. I keep my thermostat at

00:48:45.599 --> 00:48:51.280
65° at night and my February bill was $289. I've now

00:48:51.280 --> 00:48:53.989
resorted to just turning the heater on before I go

00:48:53.989 --> 00:48:56.460
to bed, to heat the house of 70. Leave it off and

00:48:56.460 --> 00:48:58.349
turn it on at 70, when I get up in the morning

00:48:58.349 --> 00:49:01.340
for about an hour to heat it back up. I'd also like

00:49:01.340 --> 00:49:04.570
to say that over 25 years, I worked in manufacturing

00:49:04.570 --> 00:49:07.389
industry. And I started as a production lead, moved

00:49:07.389 --> 00:49:09.559
into materials. And then for the brunt of my career

00:49:09.559 --> 00:49:11.920
I worked as a purchasing manager and contracts. I also

00:49:11.920 --> 00:49:14.409
worked for 10 years in the restaurant and grocery industries

00:49:14.409 --> 00:49:18.050
for pretty much the same thing capacity wise. So the

00:49:18.050 --> 00:49:20.690
point of that is I fully understand the cost of doing

00:49:20.690 --> 00:49:24.409
business and what profit margins are. All of these

00:49:24.409 --> 00:49:27.010
industries that have just talked, run at about 

00:49:27.010 --> 00:49:30.480
a 5-7% profit margin. And most of them do very

00:49:30.480 --> 00:49:34.969
well at that rate. My question to SDG&E is, 

00:49:35.539 --> 00:49:40.280
what was the profit margin for fiscal year 2022? What's

00:49:40.280 --> 00:49:44.570
the projected profit margin for 2023? And what

00:49:44.579 --> 00:49:47.469
is the profit margin in dollars and cents? Thank you

00:49:47.469 --> 00:49:51.079
for listening.

00:49:51.079 --> 00:49:58.530
Thank you for your comment. Where's her hairpin?

00:49:58.530 --> 00:50:02.389
Thank you for your comments. Her hairpin?

00:50:02.389 --> 00:50:07.619
Is that operator? Do we have somebody on the line? That

00:50:07.630 --> 00:50:13.679
is a speaker currently. And um. Stand by, I will check that.

00:50:43.730 --> 00:50:46.500
I apologize for the interruption. Next up, we're going

00:50:46.500 --> 00:50:50.199
to have Jerry Conery.

00:50:50.199 --> 00:50:53.269
Hi, I'm Jerry Conery. I live in the City of Orange.

00:50:53.300 --> 00:50:57.150
The last name is spelled C. O. N. R. E. Y. Um,

00:50:57.159 --> 00:50:59.559
I want to thank the folks from San Diego for allowing

00:50:59.559 --> 00:51:04.489
us to um, come and talk during their period. Since our

00:51:04.500 --> 00:51:11.289
um, uh Southern California Gas Company um event at 2:00

00:51:11.300 --> 00:51:14.250
did not get but about 55 speakers through the whole

00:51:14.250 --> 00:51:19.780
day. Um, I just want to raise some issues. I have a

00:51:19.780 --> 00:51:25.269
real problem with um, this whole um market rate for

00:51:25.280 --> 00:51:29.119
um seasonal gas. And I have to ask some questions about

00:51:29.130 --> 00:51:32.239
what the CPUC is actually allowing to happen.

00:51:32.889 --> 00:51:37.469
So the CPUC approved ability for the, for the, the

00:51:37.469 --> 00:51:41.210
utility to go out to market and, and pass market rate

00:51:41.210 --> 00:51:47.000
along. But its parent company is the market. So where

00:51:47.000 --> 00:51:50.199
are you, how are you allowing that to happen? How can

00:51:50.199 --> 00:51:56.679
you be, have a blind eye to this? In 21-22, gas was

00:51:56.690 --> 00:52:03.349
stored in tanks. In 22-23, no gas was stored in tanks,

00:52:03.360 --> 00:52:08.019
they just charged market rate. Where in the past the

00:52:08.019 --> 00:52:11.300
gas was stored, and it was held, and it was purchased

00:52:11.300 --> 00:52:14.809
at a lower rate for future use. Now, they don't have

00:52:14.809 --> 00:52:18.559
to do that. And yet here they come during this request

00:52:18.570 --> 00:52:22.739
asking for infrastructure increase because they need

00:52:22.739 --> 00:52:24.869
more infrastructure. Yet, they're not even utilizing

00:52:24.869 --> 00:52:27.510
the infrastructure that we've already paid for appropriately

00:52:27.510 --> 00:52:30.110
and properly. As has been the operating process in the

00:52:30.110 --> 00:52:33.730
past. Why? Because there's more profit in selling gas

00:52:33.730 --> 00:52:37.099
to us. And then if you investigate, you will find that

00:52:37.099 --> 00:52:40.090
they turned around and sold gas on the wholesale market.

00:52:40.099 --> 00:52:43.949
While charging us increased costs at the retail price.

00:52:45.119 --> 00:52:49.980
CPUC, you work for the citizens of the state.

00:52:50.679 --> 00:52:55.199
You are a product of the current Legislature. And the

00:52:55.210 --> 00:52:57.909
citizens in this state better start paying attention,

00:52:57.920 --> 00:53:00.639
to who they're electing and who they're appointing

00:53:00.639 --> 00:53:05.829
into these roles. It is ridiculous to see the numbers

00:53:05.829 --> 00:53:08.010
that we're seeing in these prices. And then to have

00:53:08.010 --> 00:53:11.670
the audacity to come and ask for a general increase.

00:53:12.360 --> 00:53:15.179
When we're looking at the numbers the way that we are. I appreciate

00:53:15.179 --> 00:53:17.480
the time that you have allotted for me to share. It

00:53:17.480 --> 00:53:20.489
is inadequate time, but I yield so that somebody else

00:53:20.489 --> 00:53:23.099
can let you know how frustrated they are with you.

00:53:28.980 --> 00:53:32.469
Thank you for the comments. Operator, let's call the

00:53:32.469 --> 00:53:35.739
next speaker on line. Our next public comment comes

00:53:35.739 --> 00:53:41.010
from Nate Fairman. Your line is open. Hello, Nate Fairman

00:53:41.019 --> 00:53:44.079
F. A. I. R. M. A. N. Business Manager for IBW

00:53:44.079 --> 00:53:48.030
Local Union 465. I represent SDG&E's on the

00:53:48.030 --> 00:53:50.519
ground union workforce. To provide safe, reliable

00:53:50.519 --> 00:53:53.289
service to our communities every day, but we can't

00:53:53.289 --> 00:53:56.559
do that alone. We need the Commission to focus on replacing

00:53:56.559 --> 00:53:59.190
aging infrastructure, investing in our highly skilled

00:53:59.190 --> 00:54:01.829
workers and apprenticeship programs, and continuing

00:54:01.829 --> 00:54:04.329
to build the energy infrastructure our customers count

00:54:04.329 --> 00:54:07.670
on. Understandably preventing wildfires has been a top

00:54:07.670 --> 00:54:10.280
priority for all of us, but there's still a lot more

00:54:10.280 --> 00:54:13.380
that we need to do. For example, we can't forget that

00:54:13.380 --> 00:54:16.099
SDG&E has a vast system including transformers,

00:54:16.110 --> 00:54:19.099
cables and power poles, some that are over 50 years

00:54:19.099 --> 00:54:22.610
old. We must give equal attention to replacing old

00:54:22.610 --> 00:54:25.369
and outdated system components to ensure safety and

00:54:25.369 --> 00:54:28.699
reliability. I know this because for 10 years, I was

00:54:28.710 --> 00:54:32.829
a high voltage lineman doing this very work. Underground

00:54:32.829 --> 00:54:36.139
electrical cables that are unjacketed are a major contributor

00:54:36.139 --> 00:54:39.190
to electrical outages. While SDG&E says it will

00:54:39.190 --> 00:54:42.949
replace them all within 23 years. It does not even

00:54:42.949 --> 00:54:45.630
have a plan to replace them that goes beyond next year.

00:54:45.639 --> 00:54:48.460
And even at that rate, it would take us 33 years to

00:54:48.460 --> 00:54:51.539
replace them. All the Commission must give the utility

00:54:51.550 --> 00:54:54.389
and its union workforce the resources to make these

00:54:54.389 --> 00:54:57.420
critical investments into system reliability. Whether

00:54:57.420 --> 00:55:00.440
it's a unjacketed cable, live front equipment, direct

00:55:00.440 --> 00:55:03.679
buried cables or old four KB systems that needed upgraded.

00:55:03.690 --> 00:55:06.099
We need the support from the Commission to do this

00:55:06.099 --> 00:55:09.780
essential work to ensure system security. We must focus

00:55:09.780 --> 00:55:13.829
on proactive replacement of old and outdated of components.

00:55:13.840 --> 00:55:17.320
That cause outages that are dangerous or pose environmental

00:55:17.320 --> 00:55:20.349
concerns. A good starting point would be long term

00:55:20.349 --> 00:55:22.980
distribution maintenance planning, similar to the long

00:55:22.980 --> 00:55:25.659
term planning we do for generation or transmission.

00:55:25.670 --> 00:55:29.590
Look, we understand nobody wants higher rates but the

00:55:29.599 --> 00:55:32.039
safety of our power grid and the workers who maintain

00:55:32.039 --> 00:55:35.369
it must be a focus. We hope that the Commission supports

00:55:35.369 --> 00:55:39.159
the GRC and insist on building the new energy infrastructure.

00:55:39.159 --> 00:55:42.059
That will be required to sustain the growth and customer

00:55:42.059 --> 00:55:45.019
load. We're all seeing with rapid electrification.

00:55:45.030 --> 00:55:50.139
Thank you.

00:55:50.139 --> 00:55:52.510
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call

00:55:52.510 --> 00:55:56.139
the next speaker on line. Our next public comment comes

00:55:56.139 --> 00:56:00.909
from Nick Barrett. Your line is open. Thank you. Um

00:56:00.920 --> 00:56:05.159
My name is Nick Barrett, B. A. R. R. E. T. T.

00:56:05.170 --> 00:56:11.000
I live in Burbank, and I listened to the uh callers

00:56:11.010 --> 00:56:15.030
at 2:00 and now I'm listening again. I have to tell

00:56:15.030 --> 00:56:19.639
you, it makes me very sad. Um, I don't know if our

00:56:19.639 --> 00:56:24.079
voice it's going to be counted or if you're just patronizing

00:56:24.079 --> 00:56:27.320
us. But I do hope that you're listening to the humanity

00:56:27.320 --> 00:56:30.849
of these people were suffering and we've been suffering

00:56:30.849 --> 00:56:34.829
for a while. It started with COVID and then we barely

00:56:34.829 --> 00:56:38.750
got through that. And now uh, over the Summer we couldn't

00:56:38.750 --> 00:56:43.619
water for two weeks and we're just, we're drowning

00:56:43.619 --> 00:56:48.920
here. It's not that we can't afford the raise. We just

00:56:48.920 --> 00:56:52.690
don't have the money and it's one caller said before,

00:56:52.699 --> 00:56:56.159
everything has gone up. Our rents have gone up, our

00:56:56.170 --> 00:57:00.460
food prices, our cable, our gasoline. I lost my job due

00:57:00.460 --> 00:57:04.630
to COVID. I'm working part time. I'm 64, I can't

00:57:04.630 --> 00:57:10.320
get a job. My sister, 74 she's struggling. Uh, the

00:57:10.329 --> 00:57:13.960
the heating scared us when we got that big bill. And

00:57:13.960 --> 00:57:17.940
we had to think before we turned on our heat and as

00:57:17.940 --> 00:57:22.079
a result of that, we both got sick with bronchitis.

00:57:22.780 --> 00:57:26.510
This is the USA, we should not have to live this way.

00:57:26.599 --> 00:57:30.349
Somebody is not doing their job correctly. Somebody

00:57:30.349 --> 00:57:34.980
needs to be looked into and, and actually address where

00:57:34.980 --> 00:57:39.050
is all the money going? If they're taking profit or

00:57:39.050 --> 00:57:41.300
taking raises, they need to do what other business

00:57:41.300 --> 00:57:44.260
are doing. They're not getting a profit, they're barely

00:57:44.260 --> 00:57:47.239
making it, they're not giving their employee raises.

00:57:47.980 --> 00:57:52.530
The cost of living is just out of control and there's

00:57:52.530 --> 00:57:54.750
all this talk about mental health. Well, I gotta tell

00:57:54.750 --> 00:57:58.519
you this is not helping. People are deeply depressed.

00:57:58.530 --> 00:58:02.860
They're stressed out, they're scared and our quality of

00:58:02.860 --> 00:58:06.139
life is horrible. I do hope that you take that into

00:58:06.139 --> 00:58:10.070
consideration. That we're human beings and we're suffering.

00:58:10.079 --> 00:58:13.739
Thank you.

00:58:13.739 --> 00:58:16.849
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call the

00:58:16.849 --> 00:58:20.329
next speaker on line. Our next public comment comes

00:58:20.329 --> 00:58:25.190
from Marguerite. Your line is open.

00:58:25.190 --> 00:58:31.380
Hello, can you hear me? Yes, we can hear you. Hi. Thank

00:58:31.380 --> 00:58:38.139
you for the opportunity uh, to speak. Um, I am. My name

00:58:38.139 --> 00:58:40.860
is Marguerite Ziegler for the record. I live in Los

00:58:40.860 --> 00:58:44.260
Angeles, California. I vehemently oppose this price

00:58:44.260 --> 00:58:48.110
increase. Um, irrespective of one political beliefs

00:58:48.119 --> 00:58:50.489
for leaning people were mentioning that. During the

00:58:50.489 --> 00:58:54.530
2pm call. We the American people are just tired

00:58:54.539 --> 00:58:58.590
of paying these exorbitant prices. As noted, uh Scott

00:58:58.590 --> 00:59:03.769
Drury, the CEO of SoCalGas' salary is $2.9 million.

00:59:04.059 --> 00:59:09.940
The average uh, salary for Angeleno is $67,000. His

00:59:09.949 --> 00:59:13.960
salary is 43 times more than the average Angelino.

00:59:15.139 --> 00:59:17.949
Maybe if Scott cut his salary and the other executives

00:59:17.949 --> 00:59:21.420
declined, hefty bonuses. They could fund the infrastructure

00:59:21.420 --> 00:59:25.199
changes, they're asking the public to fund. This change

00:59:25.210 --> 00:59:29.309
will not impact the well compensated SoCalGas executives,

00:59:29.320 --> 00:59:32.230
but will greatly impact the general public. Southern

00:59:32.230 --> 00:59:35.940
California is already one of the most expensive areas

00:59:35.940 --> 00:59:39.010
to live in the country. The middle class in this country

00:59:39.010 --> 00:59:42.460
and particularly in large metropolitan areas is dwindling

00:59:42.460 --> 00:59:45.389
at an alarming rate. Millennials have been assessed

00:59:45.389 --> 00:59:48.500
and labeled as the poorest generation. Having been directly

00:59:48.500 --> 00:59:52.300
impacted by the great recession, COVID, inflated education

00:59:52.300 --> 00:59:54.969
and real estate costs. And we're paying into social

00:59:54.969 --> 00:59:58.039
security which we are estimated not to receive.

00:59:58.039 --> 01:00:01.188
When it comes time for our generation to retire and

01:00:01.188 --> 01:00:05.749
other notable adverse economic impacts. We cannot sustain

01:00:06.318 --> 01:00:11.228
um you know, student loans, high rents, as well as

01:00:11.238 --> 01:00:14.758
these new inflated utility costs. The recent and proposed

01:00:14.758 --> 01:00:18.979
increase, um recent and proposed increase in utility

01:00:18.979 --> 01:00:21.738
rates continues to contribute to this unfortunate circumstances

01:00:21.749 --> 01:00:24.709
for the younger generations. As well as older generations

01:00:24.709 --> 01:00:28.089
who may be on a fixed income. And my question is what

01:00:28.098 --> 01:00:30.749
other efforts have been made to assess how we can improve

01:00:30.758 --> 01:00:33.309
our energy infrastructure. Without asking the general

01:00:33.319 --> 01:00:36.548
public to spend more money in the midst of a bare market

01:00:36.559 --> 01:00:39.768
Thank you.

01:00:39.768 --> 01:00:42.959
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call the

01:00:42.959 --> 01:00:46.859
next speaker. Our next public comment comes from Paula

01:00:46.859 --> 01:00:51.209
Brant. Your line is open. Hi, I'm Paula. I live in

01:00:51.209 --> 01:00:55.099
Poway, California and I'm a senior on a very fixed

01:00:55.099 --> 01:00:59.448
income. I do qualify for the CARE and I still struggle

01:00:59.448 --> 01:01:03.558
to pay my, my gas and electric bill. I am sleeping

01:01:03.558 --> 01:01:07.508
in long underwear and sweats, because I don't turn on

01:01:07.508 --> 01:01:12.358
my heater. Uh, the house is frigidly cold. In the summertime,

01:01:12.358 --> 01:01:15.409
I can't afford to turn on air because I can't afford

01:01:15.418 --> 01:01:20.469
the bill. Uh, and the profits that SDG&E made is

01:01:20.469 --> 01:01:25.569
obscene. Uh, it's unfair that they're asking ratepayers

01:01:25.579 --> 01:01:28.278
to keep paying more and more every time you open a

01:01:28.278 --> 01:01:31.599
bill from them. They want to increase something and

01:01:31.599 --> 01:01:35.679
it's just getting unbelievably ridiculous. Thank you.

01:01:39.329 --> 01:01:42.689
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please uh call

01:01:42.689 --> 01:01:46.299
the next speaker on line. Our next public comment comes

01:01:46.299 --> 01:01:51.558
from Alan C. Alan, your line is open. Uh, yes. The reason

01:01:51.558 --> 01:01:55.948
natural gas is 3% increase. Federal CBO reported in

01:01:55.948 --> 01:01:59.398
January this year, Cap and Trade $6.5 billion huge

01:01:59.398 --> 01:02:03.239
tax increase on gas suppliers. $12 billion tax oil

01:02:03.258 --> 01:02:06.138
to force us into green energy. That's where the problem

01:02:06.138 --> 01:02:09.719
is and yet you guys wanna do another rate increase here

01:02:09.719 --> 01:02:12.789
locally. After two years COVID shutdown, we have all

01:02:12.789 --> 01:02:15.469
been struggling. Any increase affects the price of everything

01:02:15.469 --> 01:02:18.798
from lumber to eggs. Many small businesses shuttered

01:02:19.149 --> 01:02:24.559
tax were never paused. Why? $16 million assist SDG&E.

01:02:24.559 --> 01:02:26.768
How about just use that money and lower all of our

01:02:26.768 --> 01:02:30.599
bills? Do not raise the rates until the it economy recovers.

01:02:30.608 --> 01:02:34.219
To SDG&E, over 200 cities right now are taking away

01:02:34.219 --> 01:02:37.879
your customers and put them on the government run community

01:02:37.879 --> 01:02:40.749
power. Please Commission and Judge this needs to be

01:02:40.749 --> 01:02:43.928
addressed. Opted out of community power. But how many 10s

01:02:43.928 --> 01:02:47.599
of 1000 people are unaware they are no longer SDG&E customers.

01:02:47.608 --> 01:02:51.238
Will the rate increase push to wipe out the open market

01:02:51.238 --> 01:02:53.939
of power companies, and force us onto Venezuela style

01:02:53.948 --> 01:02:56.418
government control power utilities. I think that's

01:02:56.418 --> 01:02:59.678
what's really happening here to air resources. Instead

01:02:59.678 --> 01:03:02.879
of funding our taxes on car charge stations to an infrastructure

01:03:02.879 --> 01:03:06.289
that already has flex alerts. How about fund and bury

01:03:06.289 --> 01:03:10.608
the stupid power lines to prevent largest carbon footprint

01:03:10.619 --> 01:03:14.869
on which is the wildfires. You wanna help us out, start

01:03:14.869 --> 01:03:17.758
looking at how you're going to really help us. If this

01:03:17.758 --> 01:03:22.539
passes, it will be a 17.6% increase 2024. 10.5%

01:03:22.539 --> 01:03:29.339
increase 2025, 9.2% increase 2026. 7.7% increase in 2027.

01:03:29.349 --> 01:03:35.159
And that puts it out $285 average per customer. We

01:03:35.159 --> 01:03:37.208
sent a man of moon in '69. We can't even keep the

01:03:37.208 --> 01:03:40.589
lights on a reasonable cost. Voters look who's in charge.

01:03:40.599 --> 01:03:46.428
California and the President, Democrats. Boot them bastards

01:03:46.428 --> 01:03:49.789
out. Thank you for your time.

01:03:49.789 --> 01:03:53.508
I've got the fire.

01:03:53.508 --> 01:03:55.939
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call the

01:03:55.939 --> 01:03:59.439
next speaker on line. Our next public comment comes

01:03:59.448 --> 01:04:04.548
from Amanda Nelson. Amanda, your line is open. Thank

01:04:04.548 --> 01:04:07.659
you. My name is Amanda Nelson, N. E. L. S. O. N,

01:04:07.668 --> 01:04:10.869
and I live in a small house here in San Diego. I

01:04:10.869 --> 01:04:13.289
do my best to conserve energy at home. But last month

01:04:13.298 --> 01:04:17.558
my bill from SDG&E was $440. According to

01:04:17.568 --> 01:04:20.269
federal statistics, San Diegans pay among the highest

01:04:20.269 --> 01:04:22.918
energy rates in the country. And I'm appalled that

01:04:22.918 --> 01:04:24.959
the company is attempting to raise the rates again.

01:04:25.608 --> 01:04:29.498
To give a little context. In 2022, SDG&E earned

01:04:29.498 --> 01:04:33.558
$915 million, giving them a nearly $100 million increase

01:04:33.558 --> 01:04:38.159
over their 2021 earnings of $819 million. Its parent

01:04:38.159 --> 01:04:40.949
company, Sempra declared adjusted earnings of almost

01:04:40.959 --> 01:04:44.048
$3 billion. Sempra is also notably planning its

01:04:44.058 --> 01:04:47.378
13th consecutive year of dividends and has spent $1

01:04:47.378 --> 01:04:50.079
billion on share repurchases since July 2020. With

01:04:50.079 --> 01:04:53.368
another $1.5 billion already authorized for future share

01:04:53.368 --> 01:04:56.699
repurchases. Very healthy corporate profits, these companies

01:04:56.699 --> 01:04:59.988
are doing well. The $16 million offering assistance

01:04:59.998 --> 01:05:04.558
is frankly offensive. Despite this SDG&E has applied

01:05:04.568 --> 01:05:09.349
to raise revenues every year from 2024-2027. They

01:05:09.358 --> 01:05:13.289
filed that application on May 16, 2022. Just 4 days

01:05:13.289 --> 01:05:16.868
before that, on May 12, parent company Sempra declared another

01:05:16.868 --> 01:05:21.298
dividend for its shareholders. If there is a way SDG&E

01:05:21.298 --> 01:05:23.568
and Sempra can justify enriching their shareholders at the

01:05:23.568 --> 01:05:26.238
expensive of us consumers here. I would love to hear it.

01:05:26.248 --> 01:05:28.579
Because so far the most obvious explanation for their

01:05:28.579 --> 01:05:31.478
actions is unconscionable levels of corporate greed.

01:05:31.488 --> 01:05:34.678
I urge the Commissioners to put a stop to it. Thank

01:05:34.678 --> 01:05:38.418
you.

01:05:38.418 --> 01:05:41.219
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call the

01:05:41.219 --> 01:05:45.459
next uh, speaker on line. Our next public comment comes

01:05:45.469 --> 01:05:52.019
from Tammy T. Tammy, your line is open. Hello, can

01:05:52.019 --> 01:05:56.558
you hear me? Yes, we can hear you. Okay. Hey, uh let me get

01:05:56.568 --> 01:06:00.608
my phone on it. I wanna thank you for the opportunity uh,

01:06:00.618 --> 01:06:04.178
Your Honor and um, Commissioner Hail. For giving me

01:06:04.188 --> 01:06:07.868
the voice to be able to speak to the people of the

01:06:07.868 --> 01:06:11.839
public and um, defend myself as well. I don't have

01:06:11.839 --> 01:06:15.998
anything bad to say but, um I'm totally opposed the

01:06:16.009 --> 01:06:20.228
Bill. Um, and here I want to just read over something.

01:06:20.238 --> 01:06:23.649
I see that every, it says here that every 4 years that

01:06:24.779 --> 01:06:30.488
SoCal is required to file the uh, GRC application. And, um

01:06:30.498 --> 01:06:35.308
and let's see if the PUC um, to set the

01:06:35.308 --> 01:06:41.228
annual revenues. So, um the annual revenues are the

01:06:41.238 --> 01:06:44.988
total amount of money a utility is allowed to collect

01:06:44.998 --> 01:06:50.649
throughout the rate and in a given year. So um, I'm pleading

01:06:50.659 --> 01:06:55.209
please. Because, uh there are students and I was a young

01:06:55.219 --> 01:07:00.079
um, student. I couldn't afford the gas station. And wow there's,

01:07:00.089 --> 01:07:03.558
there's children graduating from college, high school.

01:07:03.568 --> 01:07:06.548
And it's even harder for the youth there, because I was

01:07:06.558 --> 01:07:10.899
that person. Um, down in Skid Row, Los Angeles, I made

01:07:10.899 --> 01:07:13.519
a way. I used programs even with the CARE program, like

01:07:13.529 --> 01:07:17.849
the elderly lady said. She mentioned, um to qualify

01:07:17.849 --> 01:07:20.449
and benefit, you know, even with low-income. It's still

01:07:20.449 --> 01:07:22.938
a struggle, because now we're going over the therm rates.

01:07:22.949 --> 01:07:26.599
Um, we're using the stove uh, some households that

01:07:26.599 --> 01:07:31.199
varies. And I see here in the paragraph, um that

01:07:31.209 --> 01:07:35.019
um these are evaluated in, um authorized in a separate

01:07:35.019 --> 01:07:42.149
proceeding. Um, for the actual um for,

01:07:42.159 --> 01:07:45.438
for as the, the gas the natural gas in the, in the

01:07:45.438 --> 01:07:51.058
infrastructure. Um, are different and um the, and the

01:07:51.058 --> 01:07:54.329
customer determines how (inaudible).

01:07:54.329 --> 01:08:00.339
Oh, so I'm asking that um, the Judge to please think

01:08:00.339 --> 01:08:03.498
about this right here, because obviously it's one sided.

01:08:03.509 --> 01:08:06.728
Um, and we need to meet somewhere in the middle. Um,

01:08:06.738 --> 01:08:10.759
we've already been charged for this and I said refund

01:08:10.769 --> 01:08:13.548
you know, for the people. And hear our voice and let

01:08:13.548 --> 01:08:16.769
us work together. Not to badger or throw rocks to step

01:08:16.769 --> 01:08:19.289
on toes. But let's come up with a plan together where

01:08:19.289 --> 01:08:22.688
we're both satisfied, because we need help. Thank you

01:08:22.699 --> 01:08:25.478
for letting me speak.

01:08:25.478 --> 01:08:28.478
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call the

01:08:28.478 --> 01:08:31.869
next speaker on line.

01:08:31.869 --> 01:08:35.348
Next we have Heather Hosshi. Heather, your line is open.

01:08:39.779 --> 01:08:42.218
Hello, can you hear me?

01:08:42.218 --> 01:08:46.139
Yes, we can please proceed. Oh, my name is Heather

01:08:46.139 --> 01:08:51.119
Hosshi, H. O. S. S. H. I. And um, I would like

01:08:51.119 --> 01:08:56.208
to just lay out the facts, you know. Um, SDG&E made

01:08:56.218 --> 01:09:00.159
$915 million in profits last year, which is up almost

01:09:00.208 --> 01:09:03.088
$100 million from the previous year. That is almost

01:09:03.098 --> 01:09:08.548
$2.5 million per day in just profit. That does not

01:09:08.548 --> 01:09:11.328
count the money they already have to run their business.

01:09:12.759 --> 01:09:16.029
We also know that more than 25% of San Diego residential

01:09:16.029 --> 01:09:19.448
customers are behind on payments. In the rate of their

01:09:19.458 --> 01:09:22.869
wake of their last rate increase, and also of the hardships

01:09:22.869 --> 01:09:24.889
that other people have mentioned with COVID and everything.

01:09:26.308 --> 01:09:28.708
The $16 million dollar community fund they're talking

01:09:28.708 --> 01:09:31.159
about. Sounds wonderful, it's less than a week of their

01:09:31.159 --> 01:09:34.999
profits. Any reasonable business that wanted to make

01:09:34.999 --> 01:09:38.188
improvements. Would take some of their profits and invest

01:09:38.188 --> 01:09:40.239
them in their own company and not just by themselves

01:09:40.249 --> 01:09:44.198
more yachts. It is very obvious that this company does

01:09:44.198 --> 01:09:47.909
not need a rate increase. And quite frankly given their

01:09:47.909 --> 01:09:50.359
performance as a company, I don't believe they deserve

01:09:50.359 --> 01:09:53.448
one either. This is a company that is, you know, the

01:09:53.448 --> 01:09:56.619
government Governor has called for a Federal Energy

01:09:56.619 --> 01:09:59.749
Regulatory Commission Investigation of. Because they

01:09:59.749 --> 01:10:02.048
are starting to do the same sort of rolling blackouts

01:10:02.048 --> 01:10:04.639
that we saw 20 years ago. When the energy market was

01:10:04.639 --> 01:10:07.249
being deliberately manipulated by them and by others.

01:10:07.739 --> 01:10:10.769
Of having the same problems again and their very own undergrounding

01:10:10.769 --> 01:10:13.789
VO program. Is going to take another century to actually

01:10:13.789 --> 01:10:16.808
complete, according to the Union Tribune. I don't see

01:10:16.808 --> 01:10:19.229
that the running a business well enough to deserve

01:10:19.229 --> 01:10:22.438
any sort of rate increase. I am strongly opposed. Thank

01:10:22.438 --> 01:10:25.369
you very much.

01:10:25.369 --> 01:10:28.109
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call the

01:10:28.109 --> 01:10:31.298
next speaker on line.

01:10:31.298 --> 01:10:34.369
Next we have Ron Garnett. Ron, your line is now open

01:10:36.029 --> 01:10:40.289
Oh right, thank you. Um, Judge and the um Commissioners.

01:10:40.298 --> 01:10:43.649
My name is Ron Garnet, G. A. R. N. E. T. T.

01:10:44.198 --> 01:10:46.639
and I live in (inaudible) and run a business in

01:10:46.639 --> 01:10:52.139
San Diego. I can't comment fully on the scope of the

01:10:52.149 --> 01:10:56.048
proposed budget. It's a complicated uh, situation. I've

01:10:56.048 --> 01:11:00.088
been in businesses, very large Fortune 100 companies.

01:11:00.098 --> 01:11:03.489
So I noticed a lot of things to consider in this, um

01:11:03.499 --> 01:11:06.889
area. What I do want to speak to is, you know, obviously

01:11:06.889 --> 01:11:11.418
SDG&E has a responsibility to deliver clean, safe

01:11:11.418 --> 01:11:16.688
and reliable energy, and all that that entails. Um, but

01:11:16.688 --> 01:11:20.708
I also want to focus on the idea that um, companies

01:11:20.708 --> 01:11:24.418
like SDG&E. Um like other, you know, anchor

01:11:24.418 --> 01:11:28.808
institutions in our, in our community. Have a responsibility

01:11:28.989 --> 01:11:33.558
and an opportunity really to contribute to the social

01:11:33.558 --> 01:11:36.678
and economic well being of our community as a whole.

01:11:36.688 --> 01:11:40.149
So I'd like to speak to that. One of the things that

01:11:40.159 --> 01:11:44.208
I uh, see with SDG&E. That they have been uh,

01:11:44.218 --> 01:11:48.139
extremely effective in terms of the area that I work

01:11:48.139 --> 01:11:51.239
in. Which is to work with small diverse businesses

01:11:51.239 --> 01:11:54.568
women-owned, minority, disabled, veteran, LGBTQ

01:11:54.578 --> 01:11:58.208
businesses in the community. And a lot of organizations

01:11:58.218 --> 01:12:01.359
talk about things that they can do to try to help that

01:12:01.359 --> 01:12:03.739
community. Because this is important for the economic

01:12:03.749 --> 01:12:06.999
well being of the entire community. Uh, and SDG&E

01:12:06.999 --> 01:12:10.359
has been, you know, quite frankly, a record setter.

01:12:10.649 --> 01:12:14.468
Uh, as it relates to supporting the regional uh, economic

01:12:14.468 --> 01:12:17.149
growth. I mean, I know that there are some requirements

01:12:17.159 --> 01:12:21.249
in the 20% range for spend in the diverse business

01:12:21.249 --> 01:12:25.779
community. But this company has done nearly 40% uh,

01:12:25.789 --> 01:12:28.499
in that area. So nearly a billion dollars has been

01:12:28.509 --> 01:12:33.039
used in this diverse business, um community. And I think

01:12:33.039 --> 01:12:35.639
that this is some one of those positive outcomes that

01:12:35.639 --> 01:12:38.399
we have to also look at and consider. As we look at

01:12:38.399 --> 01:12:43.229
the whole company as a whole. Um, so in saying that

01:12:43.239 --> 01:12:47.428
I'm, I'm indicating. That I support uh, the proposal

01:12:47.428 --> 01:12:52.598
for SDG&E. Thank you very much.

01:12:52.598 --> 01:12:54.918
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call

01:12:54.918 --> 01:12:58.989
the next speaker on line. Next, we have Ryan Naughton.

01:12:58.999 --> 01:13:02.999
Ryan, your line is now open. Hey, good evening. Thank you

01:13:02.999 --> 01:13:06.639
for the chance to comment. Brian Naughton, N. A. U. G. H.

01:13:06.639 --> 01:13:10.818
T. O. N. I'm a peasant calling from San Diego, California

01:13:10.828 --> 01:13:14.629
in opposition to the rate increase. So I love how SDG&E

01:13:14.629 --> 01:13:17.188
is offering assistance from a problem they created.

01:13:17.198 --> 01:13:20.418
Um and other, uh other fields we call that racketeering.

01:13:20.428 --> 01:13:25.289
Uh, but that's just my uh uneducated opinion. Um, so it

01:13:25.289 --> 01:13:29.539
sounds like SDG&E is using wildfire fear and climate

01:13:29.539 --> 01:13:33.269
change as a, as a tactic to get us scared of wildfires.

01:13:33.269 --> 01:13:36.039
So, what I didn't see was a guarantee that there's gonna

01:13:36.039 --> 01:13:39.749
be no wildfires uh, from this. And just to set the stage

01:13:39.749 --> 01:13:42.729
of where I'm calling from. We have our oven open uh,

01:13:42.739 --> 01:13:45.609
to, to let the heat out after we ate dinner. Sitting

01:13:45.609 --> 01:13:48.798
in front of an electric heater, uh covered in (inaudible) uh

01:13:48.808 --> 01:13:51.239
to generate warmth. Because our power bill last month

01:13:51.239 --> 01:13:55.308
was $615. I'm really glad that another speaker pointed

01:13:55.308 --> 01:13:57.869
out that California is a long history of mismanaging

01:13:57.879 --> 01:14:02.208
gas and electric profit. Uh, ie Enron. So, and this

01:14:02.208 --> 01:14:04.598
is the most money I've made in my life. We just moved

01:14:04.598 --> 01:14:07.808
here. Um, and we are not going to stay here. We have

01:14:07.808 --> 01:14:11.259
to live here because the energy is too unpredictable

01:14:11.269 --> 01:14:15.188
Gas prices will fluctuate again. So that's no excuse

01:14:15.188 --> 01:14:19.808
for talking about these high bills. So and uh solar

01:14:19.818 --> 01:14:23.178
uh we're no longer giving the tax incentives for that.

01:14:23.188 --> 01:14:25.838
So that's gotta, you know, we all have to pay our fair

01:14:25.838 --> 01:14:30.718
share. So SDG&E is making us go green by making

01:14:30.718 --> 01:14:32.938
us black and blue in the wallet. So thank you for the

01:14:32.938 --> 01:14:36.718
opportunity to speak.

01:14:36.718 --> 01:14:40.539
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call the

01:14:40.539 --> 01:14:44.558
next speaker. Next we have Camille Randol. Camille,

01:14:44.558 --> 01:14:47.509
your line is now open.

01:14:47.509 --> 01:14:53.159
Good evening. Camille Randol, R. A. N. D. O. L, I live in

01:14:53.168 --> 01:14:57.769
Sabre Springs, San Diego. Sempra has two rules: profit

01:14:57.769 --> 01:15:03.739
and expansion. Sempra winner take all approach has

01:15:04.348 --> 01:15:08.818
inflicted financial pain on all San Diegans. We need

01:15:08.818 --> 01:15:13.218
to have competition. Well, worded proposals to the

01:15:13.229 --> 01:15:19.489
CPUC have opened the door for the SDG&E to

01:15:19.489 --> 01:15:25.818
use San Diegans as cash cows. San Diegans have the

01:15:25.818 --> 01:15:30.519
highest uh utility rates as you know in the United

01:15:30.519 --> 01:15:33.558
States. But that seems to have no effect on anybody.

01:15:34.239 --> 01:15:40.058
Sempra is expanding while we struggle to pay our bills.

01:15:40.068 --> 01:15:45.938
Recently, they purchased another company INOS and

01:15:45.948 --> 01:15:53.139
LNG, and they will use that to uh expand to

01:15:53.149 --> 01:15:58.308
Europe. Sempra has windmills in Mexico. In fact, those

01:15:58.308 --> 01:16:02.928
windmills are sending power to sustain the Eagle substation

01:16:02.938 --> 01:16:06.458
echo. I just wonder if we get the benefit of that.

01:16:07.848 --> 01:16:14.588
The news proposal for fixed rates is a steal, not a

01:16:14.588 --> 01:16:22.708
deal a steal. Equity money with customers to determine

01:16:22.708 --> 01:16:30.659
rates makes SDG&E the winner. Yes, no matter what

01:16:30.668 --> 01:16:37.328
the gas prices, we're a fixed rate. So no matter what

01:16:37.338 --> 01:16:41.798
they get to raise the rates from the fixed rate and

01:16:41.798 --> 01:16:48.088
no matter what the cost to them, they win. So no matter

01:16:48.088 --> 01:16:54.369
what happens if they get,

01:16:54.369 --> 01:17:00.818
but they get what they want, we lose. Thank you.

01:17:00.818 --> 01:17:03.489
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call the

01:17:03.489 --> 01:17:08.588
next speaker on line. Next we have Stephen Forrest Smith.

01:17:08.719 --> 01:17:15.118
Your line is now open for Stephen Forrest Smith.

01:17:15.118 --> 01:17:18.318
Yes, hello. Can you hear me?

01:17:18.318 --> 01:17:22.529
Yes, we can hear you please proceed. Okay. Um, thank

01:17:22.529 --> 01:17:26.548
you very much for taking public comments, very appreciated.

01:17:26.558 --> 01:17:30.888
Uh, my name is Steven Forr Smith. Last name S. M. I.

01:17:30.898 --> 01:17:36.048
T. H. Uh and so, um I've been living in San Diego

01:17:36.048 --> 01:17:39.898
for some time now, and I've now actually been priced

01:17:39.898 --> 01:17:45.148
out of 3 different living situations. So, um obviously

01:17:45.148 --> 01:17:48.898
COVID has hit us all very hard. But even beyond that

01:17:49.509 --> 01:17:53.318
um there's been, you know, an eviction crisis. There's

01:17:53.318 --> 01:17:56.269
been an increase in cost of living, people losing their

01:17:56.269 --> 01:18:01.068
jobs. Um and of course, we're dealing with SDG&E

01:18:01.068 --> 01:18:04.848
who has provided terrible service in the past. Has

01:18:04.848 --> 01:18:07.759
increased rates continuously and plans to do so in

01:18:07.759 --> 01:18:12.429
the future. And the reasons um, that we are getting are

01:18:12.429 --> 01:18:15.439
not sufficient. And so I'd also like to just point

01:18:15.439 --> 01:18:18.969
out a couple of things that weren't mentioned uh, previously.

01:18:19.378 --> 01:18:24.449
Um so first of all, um there's no accountability for

01:18:24.459 --> 01:18:28.598
SDG&E. There's no civilian oversight, there's no

01:18:28.598 --> 01:18:32.009
way to hold them accountable when they cause literally

01:18:32.009 --> 01:18:36.078
cause wildfires, wildfires. With their negligence and

01:18:36.078 --> 01:18:39.209
with their, you know, unprofessional, unprofessional

01:18:39.209 --> 01:18:42.779
conduct. Um and that's, you know, pretty appalling

01:18:42.779 --> 01:18:46.348
but it's also not surprising. And uh so what we would

01:18:46.348 --> 01:18:48.989
like to, you know, demand as community members who

01:18:48.989 --> 01:18:52.479
live in the area and have seen rate increases. Is not

01:18:52.479 --> 01:18:58.878
only um you know, than to, to bury the power lines

01:18:58.878 --> 01:19:01.439
which I think is just common sense and the most logical

01:19:01.439 --> 01:19:04.058
thing. You know, whatever the price tag is, I think

01:19:04.058 --> 01:19:07.689
it's mandatory. Um secondly, there's absolutely no

01:19:07.689 --> 01:19:11.749
input from the Kumeyaay, right? And the other indigenous people

01:19:11.749 --> 01:19:14.798
who are living here. And who have for many, many, you

01:19:14.798 --> 01:19:20.078
know, generations overseeing things uh, like controlled

01:19:20.078 --> 01:19:23.908
wildfires. Uh in order to avoid these problems and prevent

01:19:23.908 --> 01:19:26.838
them from happening. And then my last point real briefly

01:19:26.838 --> 01:19:30.979
is that uh you know, this is a compromise. And I want

01:19:30.979 --> 01:19:34.128
to say we should say no to this, right? And if not

01:19:34.138 --> 01:19:37.499
we should take over community control of SDG&E.

01:19:37.509 --> 01:19:41.289
And consider something like nationalizing SDG&E, because

01:19:41.298 --> 01:19:44.929
they're not fit to, to run a public utility. Thank

01:19:44.929 --> 01:19:47.289
you.

01:19:47.289 --> 01:19:49.828
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call the

01:19:49.828 --> 01:19:53.858
next speaker on line. Next we have Mark with no last

01:19:53.858 --> 01:19:56.979
name given. Mark, with no last name given. Your line

01:19:56.979 --> 01:20:03.808
is open.

01:20:03.808 --> 01:20:07.189
Hi, my name is Mark Whitley, live in Oceanside, California.

01:20:07.199 --> 01:20:09.279
Good evening everyone. Thank you very much for your

01:20:09.279 --> 01:20:13.179
time this evening. Um, I am opposed to this rate increase

01:20:13.179 --> 01:20:16.199
as well. Uh, people should not have to choose between

01:20:16.199 --> 01:20:21.398
heat, electricity or eating or being comfortable. Um,

01:20:21.408 --> 01:20:25.388
these increases are just not justified. My bill personally

01:20:25.398 --> 01:20:31.158
for single household was over $466 in January. Freezing

01:20:31.169 --> 01:20:34.699
due to the increase. Stopped using my heat, wearing

01:20:34.699 --> 01:20:38.588
layers upon layers as other folks have mentioned. Um,

01:20:38.588 --> 01:20:41.729
walking around in the dark, um doing anything I can.

01:20:42.318 --> 01:20:46.459
I called Customer Advocate to uh, they ask you know,

01:20:46.459 --> 01:20:50.039
what could I do to lower my bill? They told me you

01:20:50.039 --> 01:20:55.108
could wash your clothes and wash your dishes at midnight.

01:20:55.749 --> 01:20:59.148
Does that really sound like a solution? I think we

01:20:59.148 --> 01:21:02.628
really need to adjust the way we think about these

01:21:02.628 --> 01:21:06.098
increases, and put the money where it's really going

01:21:06.098 --> 01:21:08.439
to count.

01:21:08.439 --> 01:21:11.048
People are leaving California at a rate we've never

01:21:11.048 --> 01:21:15.259
seen before again. Again, I oppose the rate increase. California

01:21:15.259 --> 01:21:20.919
can't afford it. Thank you for your time.

01:21:20.919 --> 01:21:24.959
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call the

01:21:24.959 --> 01:21:28.118
next speaker on line.

01:21:28.118 --> 01:21:31.138
Next we have Charles Ferry. Charles, your line is open.

01:21:32.489 --> 01:21:37.648
Yes, yes. This is uh Charles Ferry, F. E. R. R. Y, and

01:21:37.648 --> 01:21:41.479
I live in Oceanside, California. And I must say that

01:21:41.479 --> 01:21:43.328
there's some very interesting comments. Some of the

01:21:43.328 --> 01:21:48.878
things I didn't know, uh but uh one that I thought was very

01:21:48.878 --> 01:21:54.239
important. Was the gentleman who said that the SDG&E

01:21:54.239 --> 01:22:00.959
was selling um, wholesale gas and charging retail

01:22:00.959 --> 01:22:05.449
prices to the customers for that same gas. Uh, I don't

01:22:05.449 --> 01:22:08.298
quite understand that. It's like a play on, on arbitrage

01:22:08.298 --> 01:22:12.058
I guess, but I don't think that's quite right. They

01:22:12.058 --> 01:22:15.068
should not be allowed to do. That doesn't sound right.

01:22:15.078 --> 01:22:18.949
The other thing he mentioned was that the, they're

01:22:18.949 --> 01:22:24.739
not storing in tanks anymore. And, and that uh they're

01:22:24.739 --> 01:22:29.679
just uh, using their charging from what they're getting

01:22:29.679 --> 01:22:33.029
in the pipeline. I guess, but I don't think they should

01:22:33.029 --> 01:22:36.058
be doing that either. They should be storing so that

01:22:36.058 --> 01:22:41.808
they can buy futures on gas and store it. Uh, now I

01:22:41.808 --> 01:22:46.858
have three points. Uh one is uh, SDG&E has increased

01:22:46.868 --> 01:22:50.169
the therm rate starting with the period of December

01:22:50.169 --> 01:22:55.279
20th-January 19th, 23. They increased the therm

01:22:55.279 --> 01:22:59.368
rate by 60%. I know why nobody has mentioned that.

01:22:59.378 --> 01:23:03.469
But that's clear in the last two months that the rate

01:23:03.479 --> 01:23:08.908
for gas therms has gone up by 60%. However, the cost

01:23:08.919 --> 01:23:15.789
to SDG&E, has fallen by more than 2/3 or 70% since mid-

01:23:15.789 --> 01:23:22.138
December. And the last week, last uh week reached the

01:23:22.138 --> 01:23:27.868
lowest level since early in the pandemic year of 2020.

01:23:27.878 --> 01:23:31.358
That's astounding drop, astounding. So how can you

01:23:31.358 --> 01:23:35.298
talk about increasing? Somebody said it's obvious they

01:23:35.298 --> 01:23:39.479
shouldn't get an increase. That that is obvious. According

01:23:39.479 --> 01:23:42.519
to the Wall Street Journal, future pricing for gas.

01:23:42.529 --> 01:23:46.308
I'm almost finished will continue to decline for the

01:23:46.308 --> 01:23:51.818
utilities. In conclusion, San Diego Gas should claw back

01:23:51.828 --> 01:23:56.269
the recent 60% gas price increase immediately. There's

01:23:56.269 --> 01:24:00.128
no need for the increase gas pricing for profits or

01:24:00.128 --> 01:24:04.128
for capital use. SDG&E states that it needs

01:24:04.128 --> 01:24:07.459
additional capital to complete projects for safety

01:24:07.459 --> 01:24:11.578
reasons, and better infrastructure and efficiency. What

01:24:11.578 --> 01:24:15.658
they should be instead doing is increasing prices is

01:24:15.669 --> 01:24:20.189
uh instead of that, they should negotiate long term

01:24:20.189 --> 01:24:23.078
pricing right now. They should be at the negotiating

01:24:23.078 --> 01:24:26.749
table, negotiating for future supplies at the current

01:24:26.749 --> 01:24:32.618
low rates. Wake up guys and, and if they need more

01:24:32.618 --> 01:24:35.689
money for capital borrow from the State of California

01:24:35.699 --> 01:24:40.679
or issue common stock or issue preferred stock to raise

01:24:40.689 --> 01:24:44.479
capital. Thank you very much. I had a little table

01:24:44.479 --> 01:24:48.459
to show that they're, they're mispricing too. Uh, the last

01:24:48.459 --> 01:24:54.029
4 months, they owe me 8 therms. Because they overcharged

01:24:54.039 --> 01:24:57.158
you know they, they're charging different rates and

01:24:57.158 --> 01:25:02.529
what the (inaudible) saying. But anyway, uh I found it very

01:25:02.529 --> 01:25:06.818
interesting. Thanks, bye. Thank you for your comments.

01:25:06.818 --> 01:25:10.368
Um, I'd like to ask the operator. How many speakers

01:25:10.378 --> 01:25:15.118
do we have on line right now?

01:25:15.118 --> 01:25:20.039
We still have 39 uh, commenters left in the queue. Okay.

01:25:20.048 --> 01:25:24.469
Um, I would like to remind uh, the speakers to limit their

01:25:24.469 --> 01:25:29.939
comments to 2 minutes, and um and stay within that

01:25:29.939 --> 01:25:33.539
time limit. So that we can um take, you know, all the

01:25:33.548 --> 01:25:37.608
remaining public speakers um on this call today. So

01:25:37.618 --> 01:25:40.408
again, just reminding everybody to stay within the

01:25:40.408 --> 01:25:44.509
time limit, um appreciate that. Thank you. Operator,

01:25:44.509 --> 01:25:48.999
please call on the next speaker on line.

01:25:48.999 --> 01:25:52.098
Next, we have David Vernon. David, your line is now

01:25:52.098 --> 01:25:59.148
open. Thank you. Um, David Vernon here, Encinitas. I've been trying

01:25:59.148 --> 01:26:02.249
for 3 years to get the maintenance records on the

01:26:02.259 --> 01:26:05.769
smart meters attached to the home. Everybody, every

01:26:05.769 --> 01:26:11.259
moving part, every meter has moving parts. Moving parts

01:26:11.269 --> 01:26:15.039
just like your wristwatch. Has to be every 3 or

01:26:15.039 --> 01:26:18.638
4 years. You got to have it cleaned, inspected or

01:26:18.638 --> 01:26:22.098
you throw it away. Okay. When I asked for maintenance

01:26:22.098 --> 01:26:26.989
records, nobody knows anything. When I call uh, the service

01:26:26.989 --> 01:26:28.979
rep.

01:26:28.979 --> 01:26:33.749
They, they absolutely do not know where the maintenance

01:26:33.749 --> 01:26:38.578
records are. I mean, think of it. If you got a wristwatch

01:26:38.578 --> 01:26:42.148
you got moving parts. Moving parts wear out, they go

01:26:42.148 --> 01:26:44.618
out of whack. Otherwise you'd have one watch for the

01:26:44.618 --> 01:26:48.868
rest of your life. I have a 900 square foot apartment,

01:26:49.519 --> 01:26:52.419
by myself. You know, I cooked a couple of hamburgers

01:26:52.419 --> 01:26:56.229
a month and my bill is $150 a month. It's impossible.

01:26:56.789 --> 01:27:00.338
You know, I cannot get any answers from anybody. You

01:27:00.338 --> 01:27:03.048
got a phone number up there, I've been trying to call.

01:27:03.058 --> 01:27:05.848
You've got so many people calling in complaining about

01:27:05.848 --> 01:27:09.348
the bill, they're not even answering the phone. I mean

01:27:09.348 --> 01:27:12.969
it's, it's just, it's this is the whole thing is ridiculous.

01:27:12.979 --> 01:27:17.298
It's out of control. You gotta have some people

01:27:17.298 --> 01:27:20.279
overseeing the people who are making the $3 million

01:27:20.279 --> 01:27:25.398
dollars a year salary. For God's sakes, wake up. Thank

01:27:25.398 --> 01:27:28.318
you very much.

01:27:28.318 --> 01:27:30.848
Next.

01:27:30.848 --> 01:27:34.118
I would just uh, thank you for those comments. And I would

01:27:34.118 --> 01:27:37.318
just say that if uh, the number is not reachable right

01:27:37.328 --> 01:27:40.969
now. And um you know, you can always contact our Public

01:27:40.969 --> 01:27:45.789
Advisor's Office, um email them and they'll connect

01:27:45.789 --> 01:27:51.298
you with the customer service uh at the utility. So

01:27:51.308 --> 01:27:54.798
if you're unable to connect with them today, please

01:27:54.808 --> 01:27:58.118
do drop in an email. So that we can make the connection

01:27:58.118 --> 01:28:03.739
for you. Well, thank you for the comments. Um, operator

01:28:03.739 --> 01:28:07.908
please call the next speaker on line. Next we have Lynette

01:28:07.908 --> 01:28:12.318
Grant. Lynette Grant, your line is now open. Thank

01:28:12.318 --> 01:28:15.259
you so much. My name is Lynette Grant. Last name, G.

01:28:15.259 --> 01:28:20.308
R. A. N. T. I live in uh, San Diego here and

01:28:20.308 --> 01:28:23.209
this is actually my first public hearing. Because when

01:28:23.209 --> 01:28:26.419
my bill increased over 300%, I thought I should do

01:28:26.419 --> 01:28:30.019
something about it. So, a lot of really great information

01:28:30.019 --> 01:28:32.169
has already been shared and I don't want to take time

01:28:32.169 --> 01:28:35.779
to rehash it. But what I will say is that um, with

01:28:35.779 --> 01:28:38.408
these levels of profits. We really do need to stop

01:28:38.419 --> 01:28:42.388
pushing back, um these rate increases to the consumers.

01:28:42.398 --> 01:28:44.588
They really need to be taken on by the business and

01:28:44.588 --> 01:28:47.908
the business needs to reinvest in itself. Um as you've

01:28:47.908 --> 01:28:51.298
already heard, people are getting less money in their

01:28:51.298 --> 01:28:55.039
increases in their jobs. If they even have jobs post

01:28:55.039 --> 01:28:58.158
COVID. And at this point, these rate increases could

01:28:58.158 --> 01:29:01.388
take fully up to 10% of someone's raise. And with food

01:29:01.388 --> 01:29:04.199
prices and other prices that are increasing, it's not

01:29:04.199 --> 01:29:06.719
really feasible for families to be able to support

01:29:06.719 --> 01:29:10.588
this. Um again, 300% over the last couple of months

01:29:10.588 --> 01:29:12.949
with more blackouts in the last 11 years since we've

01:29:12.949 --> 01:29:16.388
lived here. Um an additional service challenges that

01:29:16.388 --> 01:29:20.618
we've actually faced here. So I do hope that people

01:29:20.618 --> 01:29:23.989
will say no to this. There should not be rate increases,

01:29:23.999 --> 01:29:26.838
with profit margins as high as they have been listed.

01:29:26.848 --> 01:29:30.578
To be able to simply push through rates of the gas

01:29:30.588 --> 01:29:32.989
directly through to the consumers and not being able

01:29:32.989 --> 01:29:36.209
to utilize that back. Also, I mentioned to my husband

01:29:36.209 --> 01:29:38.358
while we've been listening. Every person that's come on

01:29:38.358 --> 01:29:41.868
here, literally has prepared speeches which fit neatly

01:29:41.868 --> 01:29:44.419
within two minutes. And it's really taking away from

01:29:44.419 --> 01:29:47.189
the people who are trying to express their concerns

01:29:47.189 --> 01:29:49.779
against these increases. So, hoping that people will

01:29:49.779 --> 01:29:52.368
not approve these rates that you will hear from real

01:29:52.368 --> 01:29:56.158
citizens and that you will ensure that um the company

01:29:56.158 --> 01:29:58.148
is held accountable for their actions and reinvest

01:29:58.148 --> 01:30:00.259
their profits and not take them from their consumers

01:30:00.348 --> 01:30:04.658
Thank you.

01:30:04.658 --> 01:30:07.459
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call the

01:30:07.459 --> 01:30:10.638
next speaker on line.

01:30:10.638 --> 01:30:13.088
Next we have Janet Farrell. Janet, your line is not

01:30:13.088 --> 01:30:18.739
open. My name is Janet Farrell and I live in San Diego,

01:30:18.749 --> 01:30:23.489
California. F. A. R. R. E. L. L. Can you hear me?

01:30:24.479 --> 01:30:29.318
Yes, we can hear you. Please proceed. I am a financially

01:30:29.318 --> 01:30:33.378
comfortable retiree. Who owns a home that already has

01:30:33.388 --> 01:30:37.939
solar panels,installed under the old net metering 2

01:30:37.949 --> 01:30:43.939
which SDG&E and PUC killed. So I will not be suffering

01:30:43.949 --> 01:30:47.939
as much as most ratepayers from the obscene proposed

01:30:47.939 --> 01:30:52.838
rate increases, and greed of the Texas-based Sempra

01:30:52.838 --> 01:30:56.888
Energy. Whose greatest source of profits is SDG&E

01:30:56.898 --> 01:31:03.558
and whose CEO makes over $25 million a year. Rather

01:31:03.558 --> 01:31:06.759
I'm concerned about the young people in San Diego and

01:31:06.759 --> 01:31:09.919
young families who are already staggering under the

01:31:09.919 --> 01:31:13.878
cost of rents and housing here. Many of them are not

01:31:13.878 --> 01:31:17.098
poor enough to qualify for the meager energy assistance

01:31:17.098 --> 01:31:21.519
programs offered by SDG&E. Yet, these young people

01:31:21.519 --> 01:31:25.519
are having a hard time achieving a middle class lifestyle

01:31:25.519 --> 01:31:28.949
here. Most of them can't afford to buy homes here.

01:31:28.959 --> 01:31:32.469
And now they are facing further utility rate increases.

01:31:32.479 --> 01:31:35.999
When they are already paying more for their utilities

01:31:36.009 --> 01:31:39.578
than they would anywhere else in the country. With costs

01:31:39.578 --> 01:31:43.068
like this, they are faced with a choice of either leaving

01:31:43.068 --> 01:31:47.068
town or staying here and never getting ahead financially.

01:31:47.078 --> 01:31:51.699
Like we were able to do when we were young. While Sempra

01:31:51.699 --> 01:31:54.939
Energy continues to experience record profits. I can't

01:31:54.939 --> 01:31:57.908
understand why they need another rate increase. And

01:31:57.908 --> 01:32:01.029
why they can't lower their high rates of returns to

01:32:01.029 --> 01:32:05.039
their stockholders for the sake of San Diego ratepayers.

01:32:05.048 --> 01:32:09.429
I oppose any rate increase. No meeting in the middle

01:32:09.439 --> 01:32:13.568
as someone suggested. Because SDG&E is already high

01:32:13.568 --> 01:32:16.798
balling their increase. Probably with the idea that

01:32:16.798 --> 01:32:20.338
we will meet in the middle and they'll get half of

01:32:20.338 --> 01:32:23.489
what they're asking for. Which is way too much and

01:32:23.489 --> 01:32:28.999
then they'll complain. Thank you very much.

01:32:28.999 --> 01:32:31.169
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call the

01:32:31.169 --> 01:32:34.999
next speaker. Next we have Donna Byrd. Donna Byrd,

01:32:34.999 --> 01:32:41.098
your line is now open. Yes, hello. I'm totally amazed

01:32:41.098 --> 01:32:45.289
and just by my fellow Californians who have called

01:32:45.289 --> 01:32:50.338
in on this line. I will be very brief. Uh, my husband and

01:32:50.338 --> 01:32:53.949
I are in our 70's. We're both suffering from COVID

01:32:53.949 --> 01:32:59.539
right now because in part, we have suffered freezing

01:32:59.539 --> 01:33:03.169
temperatures in our home. Because we can't afford to

01:33:03.169 --> 01:33:08.039
use our heater electric. I wear just like other callers

01:33:08.039 --> 01:33:13.009
have said multiple layers of clothing. We sit underneath

01:33:13.019 --> 01:33:20.058
blankets, uh it's ridiculously expensive. And the profits

01:33:20.068 --> 01:33:25.699
that these company, SDG&E are making are ridiculous.

01:33:25.709 --> 01:33:29.638
Compared to the suffering that so many of us are going

01:33:29.638 --> 01:33:34.709
through. My husband's a veteran. Uh, we live on a

01:33:34.719 --> 01:33:39.348
fixed income. We have too much money, which is not

01:33:39.358 --> 01:33:42.618
much money. But to much money to qualify for any

01:33:42.618 --> 01:33:46.739
kind of payback. And we are respectfully requesting

01:33:46.739 --> 01:33:50.679
that you do not grant any increase to Sempra or SDG&E.

01:33:50.679 --> 01:33:54.679
Please listen to these caller, we're begging you.

01:33:54.689 --> 01:34:00.699
Please say no, thank you.

01:34:00.699 --> 01:34:03.429
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call

01:34:03.429 --> 01:34:07.528
the next speaker on line. Next we have Gary Powell.

01:34:07.718 --> 01:34:13.848
Gary, your line is now open.

01:34:13.848 --> 01:34:19.028
Yes. Thank you for, um for allowing me to uh express my concerns

01:34:19.028 --> 01:34:24.368
this evening. Uh as, as you hear the sentiments of most

01:34:24.368 --> 01:34:27.618
of the people. I think it's very clear what their voices

01:34:27.618 --> 01:34:31.019
are saying. I just pray that it's, their voices are

01:34:31.019 --> 01:34:37.408
being heard. That uh, they're in opposition to a rate increase

01:34:37.419 --> 01:34:42.808
for SDG&E and any of the other uh, power energy companies.

01:34:42.819 --> 01:34:48.178
And I strongly urge uh, the CPUC to deny the

01:34:48.178 --> 01:34:53.629
increase from uh, SDG&E. When you look at Sempra

01:34:53.629 --> 01:35:02.189
and SDG&E, at $2.9 billion profit. Um, a lot of that money can

01:35:02.189 --> 01:35:06.098
be used to be reinvested into any of research and development,

01:35:06.109 --> 01:35:12.419
and product and service enhancement. Instead of constantly

01:35:12.428 --> 01:35:16.508
trying to, trying to get the reinvestment money off

01:35:16.508 --> 01:35:21.138
of your customers. I mean, we're seniors on a lot of

01:35:21.138 --> 01:35:24.908
us on a, on a fixed income. And it's, and of course

01:35:24.908 --> 01:35:27.609
our best earning days are behind us. And it's hard to

01:35:27.609 --> 01:35:32.928
keep up with the rising rates that SDG&E keeps throwing

01:35:32.928 --> 01:35:41.109
down. And rarely does the CPUC, deny a rate increase

01:35:41.118 --> 01:35:45.618
when SDG&E asked for it. And like I said, it's obvious

01:35:45.618 --> 01:35:50.169
not hurting for any money. Um and, and

01:35:50.178 --> 01:35:54.198
if they take some of those heavy bonuses that

01:35:54.198 --> 01:35:58.169
they've given these executive officers. And put that

01:35:58.169 --> 01:36:02.468
back into. They would, they wouldn't have to ask and

01:36:02.468 --> 01:36:05.758
try to bear everything on the backs of the customers.

01:36:05.769 --> 01:36:08.069
And then when you have the program that they're saying

01:36:08.069 --> 01:36:10.718
they're offering to help you with the bills. And I

01:36:10.718 --> 01:36:13.549
live in San Diego, one particular is the Mac project. That's

01:36:13.549 --> 01:36:18.638
a farce in itself as well. You know, you call the program

01:36:18.638 --> 01:36:22.058
and it, the line's open from 8:00 to 4:00.

01:36:22.058 --> 01:36:24.979
At 8:01, you call the Automatic Voice saying

01:36:24.979 --> 01:36:27.258
they've reached their call, the maximum calls for the

01:36:27.258 --> 01:36:29.979
day. You call the next day, it's the same thing and

01:36:29.979 --> 01:36:33.278
they tell you to call back next week. I went out there

01:36:33.289 --> 01:36:36.109
in person to, to try to put in an application. They

01:36:36.109 --> 01:36:38.289
wouldn't accept it, saying you have to do it over the phone.

01:36:38.289 --> 01:36:40.089
I said, well how can you do it if you never can

01:36:40.089 --> 01:36:44.888
get through? So we just need you guys to be a little

01:36:44.888 --> 01:36:48.238
more sensitive on the side of humanity and deny the

01:36:48.249 --> 01:36:53.238
rate increase for SDG&E. Thank you.

01:36:53.238 --> 01:36:55.919
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call

01:36:55.919 --> 01:36:59.729
the next speaker. Next we have Rebecca Young. Rebecca

01:36:59.729 --> 01:37:04.058
Young, your line is now open. Hello. Thank you so much

01:37:04.058 --> 01:37:07.289
for allowing us to make public comments. I live in

01:37:07.289 --> 01:37:10.328
San Diego, specifically in Terra Santa with my husband.

01:37:10.339 --> 01:37:14.098
We're both in our mid thirties. Um, I'm requesting for

01:37:14.098 --> 01:37:17.618
CPUC and the ALJ to deny SDG&E'S

01:37:17.618 --> 01:37:20.828
application to increase revenues. My husband and I

01:37:20.828 --> 01:37:23.769
have already made significant changes to our home. To

01:37:23.778 --> 01:37:26.689
improve, improve and increase our home's insulation

01:37:26.689 --> 01:37:29.629
and energy efficiency. We're fortunate enough to be

01:37:29.629 --> 01:37:33.698
able to add a 4 inch insulation layer to our roof.

01:37:33.709 --> 01:37:36.278
We've also replaced all of our single pane windows

01:37:36.278 --> 01:37:40.209
with double pane windows. We have kept our homes temperature

01:37:40.209 --> 01:37:44.988
to 65 degrees in the winter and 78 in the summer. Um,

01:37:44.999 --> 01:37:47.488
like other people we also, you know, sleep in two

01:37:47.488 --> 01:37:50.468
layers. We wear a long sleeve shirt and a sweater to

01:37:50.468 --> 01:37:53.879
bed in addition to our winter comforters. Um, we try

01:37:53.879 --> 01:37:58.249
to make sure all of our major um, energy usage like

01:37:58.258 --> 01:38:01.558
washing clothes is done after 9 pm. But for those

01:38:01.558 --> 01:38:04.618
who have young kids or children, that's basically impossible

01:38:04.618 --> 01:38:07.888
to do without waking up your kids. Even at these super

01:38:07.888 --> 01:38:11.479
off peak rates, it's still 41 cents a kilowatt hour.

01:38:11.488 --> 01:38:15.609
Which is double those rates in L.A. and basically double

01:38:15.609 --> 01:38:18.419
or triple the rates for other states across the country.

01:38:19.189 --> 01:38:22.008
And despite all of our attempts to increase our home's

01:38:22.019 --> 01:38:25.988
energy efficiency. We cannot live in San Diego and

01:38:25.999 --> 01:38:29.278
save for retirement. Um in fact due to the increased

01:38:29.278 --> 01:38:31.819
rates, we've had to take on tenant. A tenant in our

01:38:31.819 --> 01:38:35.359
home to help offset these costs. So we just really

01:38:35.359 --> 01:38:39.319
request the CPUC to please deny this application for

01:38:39.328 --> 01:38:42.718
increased revenues. Because young couples like me and

01:38:42.718 --> 01:38:45.129
my husband and I will not be able to live in San

01:38:45.129 --> 01:38:47.439
Diego. I will not be able to raise our families here

01:38:47.448 --> 01:38:51.249
Thank you.

01:38:51.249 --> 01:38:53.729
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call the

01:38:53.729 --> 01:38:57.698
next speaker. Next we have John Muhly. John, your line

01:38:57.698 --> 01:39:01.638
is now open.

01:39:01.638 --> 01:39:07.598
Thank you, can you hear me? Yes, we can hear you. Please proceed. Okay,

01:39:07.609 --> 01:39:10.968
thank you. Uh, first I just wanted to say. That um, I am

01:39:10.968 --> 01:39:14.828
against the raise for the utilities. And I would hope

01:39:14.828 --> 01:39:21.049
that the CPUC would stand and help the uh, consumers. Because

01:39:21.049 --> 01:39:23.499
you're the only thing standing between us and SDG&E

01:39:23.499 --> 01:39:27.339
and Sempra. I was gonna tell you basically our story,

01:39:27.339 --> 01:39:30.569
but I think I've heard it about 15 or 16 times already

01:39:30.569 --> 01:39:33.459
on the phone. I just wanted to say that, you know,

01:39:33.459 --> 01:39:36.439
we stepped down from a home. My wife and I are retired,

01:39:36.448 --> 01:39:40.319
fixed income. We stepped down to a one bedroom condominium.

01:39:40.328 --> 01:39:45.229
And our electric bill is more money in the one bedroom,

01:39:45.229 --> 01:39:47.269
than it was when we left our house. And that was only

01:39:47.269 --> 01:39:50.808
about 4 or 5 years ago. And that's how bad these

01:39:50.808 --> 01:39:54.658
increases have gotten. We use one little electric heater

01:39:54.669 --> 01:39:57.859
to heat our place. So we're pretty much always cold

01:39:57.868 --> 01:40:01.299
and my wife does laundry at 9:00, midnight.

01:40:01.308 --> 01:40:04.928
I mean, you start to listen to people sleeping in their

01:40:04.928 --> 01:40:08.299
long johns, and having COVID or being sick because

01:40:08.299 --> 01:40:11.919
they're freezing. And my God, you know, we're the United

01:40:11.919 --> 01:40:14.819
States. This is supposed to be America's finest city,

01:40:15.399 --> 01:40:18.249
and it sounds more like we're, you know, our building

01:40:18.249 --> 01:40:21.149
was blown out in the Ukraine for crying out loud. So

01:40:21.149 --> 01:40:24.729
please don't allow this, this increase. I mean, the

01:40:24.729 --> 01:40:29.399
quality of life obviously is going down. Life, life

01:40:29.399 --> 01:40:32.828
is hard enough with the um, inflation with everything

01:40:32.828 --> 01:40:37.138
else, gasoline, food and whatnot. So please don't allow

01:40:37.138 --> 01:40:41.209
this thing. And um, and basically I really feel bad

01:40:41.209 --> 01:40:43.178
for everybody that's having to suffer like this. And

01:40:43.178 --> 01:40:45.528
it really should not be. I mean, we live in the mildest

01:40:45.528 --> 01:40:48.629
climate in the country, and we have the highest utility

01:40:48.638 --> 01:40:52.799
rates right now before they even raise anymore. So uh,

01:40:52.808 --> 01:40:55.908
like I said, you stand between us and the gas/electric

01:40:55.908 --> 01:41:01.408
company. So please do your job. Thank you.

01:41:01.408 --> 01:41:03.638
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call the

01:41:03.638 --> 01:41:07.499
next speaker. Next we have Megan Manni. Megan, your

01:41:07.499 --> 01:41:11.948
line is now open. Hi, thank you so much for listening

01:41:11.948 --> 01:41:15.999
everyone. My name is Megan Manni. Uh, M. A. N. N.

01:41:15.999 --> 01:41:21.089
I. I live in San Diego in the Pacific Beach. Um I

01:41:21.098 --> 01:41:24.258
you know, I did the math on these increases and it's

01:41:24.269 --> 01:41:28.669
um, you know I'm, I'm opposed to them. But I um, it's

01:41:28.678 --> 01:41:31.999
you know, a nine it's an average of 9% increase in

01:41:31.999 --> 01:41:34.629
revenues every year. I mean it just you know, they're

01:41:34.629 --> 01:41:37.758
asking for increasing the hundreds of million every

01:41:37.758 --> 01:41:42.479
year for three years, and $3.6 billion with a B. And

01:41:42.479 --> 01:41:46.019
you know, we're not getting 9% raises and, you know

01:41:46.019 --> 01:41:49.258
I recognize the $16 million funds. But you know

01:41:49.258 --> 01:41:53.539
that it's quite clearly you know, well times pr wise,

01:41:53.549 --> 01:41:57.169
we can all see through that. And $60 million if just

01:41:57.169 --> 01:42:01.468
apply it to SDG&E customers, that's a $4.30 per customer.

01:42:01.479 --> 01:42:05.229
Now rates just went up in January, January 1st of 2023.

01:42:05.229 --> 01:42:07.799
How can they ask for an increase for the next 3

01:42:07.799 --> 01:42:11.278
years? Um, I appreciate that the grid upheld during

01:42:11.278 --> 01:42:14.278
the coldest winter in recent memory. I've been here

01:42:14.278 --> 01:42:17.399
12 years and during the heat waves of last year, I

01:42:17.399 --> 01:42:20.169
appreciate that. And I also did my part and I cut my

01:42:20.169 --> 01:42:23.319
use when we were asked. Even though my house gets up

01:42:23.319 --> 01:42:28.459
into the 90s in, in heat waves in the inside. Um, you

01:42:28.459 --> 01:42:31.218
know, I appreciate SDG&E's good service when we need

01:42:31.218 --> 01:42:33.638
it. Um but you know, we're already paying for that. We shouldn't

01:42:33.638 --> 01:42:36.459
be paying more for what we already have a right to

01:42:36.459 --> 01:42:39.319
and have been paying for. You know, we want clean energy

01:42:39.319 --> 01:42:42.549
to, we know infrastructure has to be maintained. We

01:42:42.549 --> 01:42:45.519
need to make sure that companies asking for this increase

01:42:45.519 --> 01:42:48.698
are prioritizing what's needed and making sound decisions,

01:42:48.709 --> 01:42:51.839
and none of that information is being made available.

01:42:51.848 --> 01:42:54.948
You know, we need to know how this money is being used

01:42:55.039 --> 01:42:58.808
for $3.6 billion. We should have a say in the investment,

01:42:58.819 --> 01:43:02.539
the infrastructure, the contractors chosen um, you

01:43:02.539 --> 01:43:04.999
know, where the money is being allocated. And I haven't

01:43:04.999 --> 01:43:07.649
seen that level of detail. I certainly hoping that

01:43:07.649 --> 01:43:10.278
these advocate groups are reviewing them for us. I

01:43:10.289 --> 01:43:12.729
really appreciate you guys, I listen to all your statements.

01:43:12.738 --> 01:43:15.308
You know we, we know costs are going up across the

01:43:15.308 --> 01:43:17.669
board, we're paying them. But, you know, but this increases

01:43:17.669 --> 01:43:21.258
astronomical. And you know, um like insulation in

01:43:21.269 --> 01:43:24.149
is a problem in California houses. Not all of us own

01:43:24.149 --> 01:43:27.789
our homes and can get them insulated. Um, I'm happy

01:43:27.789 --> 01:43:29.488
for the people who have been able to, you know. But

01:43:29.488 --> 01:43:32.948
I don't, I don't own mine and, and it gets freezing

01:43:32.948 --> 01:43:36.169
cold in the winter and it gets really hot in the Summer.

01:43:36.169 --> 01:43:38.589
And, and you know, I'm trying to find a better job

01:43:38.589 --> 01:43:40.919
to absorb the fact that every single bill has gone

01:43:40.919 --> 01:43:44.558
up. And you know, um but it's not easy to find one.

01:43:44.558 --> 01:43:48.698
You know, my bill was $424 in January and $300 in February.

01:43:48.709 --> 01:43:52.319
Thank God for the credits. Um but so yes we're, we

01:43:52.319 --> 01:43:55.019
are doing our part, we're using less. You know, we're

01:43:55.028 --> 01:44:00.109
um we appreciate what you guys are doing. We are wearing

01:44:00.109 --> 01:44:03.218
more layers, you know. I um, I know there are resources

01:44:03.218 --> 01:44:06.138
out there, none of them apply to me. Um, but you know

01:44:06.138 --> 01:44:08.098
I have to use my heat. I have pets. You know, I

01:44:08.098 --> 01:44:09.928
can't be cold in my house, I can't sleep when it's

01:44:09.928 --> 01:44:13.589
cold. And when it's 90° in this house and in the Summer,

01:44:13.589 --> 01:44:16.718
it's hard to think. So I appreciate you guys listening.

01:44:16.729 --> 01:44:19.539
Um I just wish that, you know, if there's a great increase

01:44:19.549 --> 01:44:22.368
proposal. The number one, there's more transparency

01:44:22.379 --> 01:44:25.558
and number two that, you know, it's justified

01:44:25.558 --> 01:44:28.799
and it's fair, you know, for God's sake. This is insane.

01:44:28.808 --> 01:44:31.638
So these informed consumer comments I've listened to

01:44:31.638 --> 01:44:33.939
tonight, I'm really impressed. They should tell you

01:44:33.939 --> 01:44:36.859
guys that we're paying attention and I thank you again

01:44:36.859 --> 01:44:39.908
for your time and for listening. Thanks so much. Thank

01:44:39.908 --> 01:44:42.459
you for your comments. Operator, please call the next

01:44:42.459 --> 01:44:46.019
speaker on line. Next we have Christopher Margraff.

01:44:46.089 --> 01:44:49.089
Christopher, your line is open.

01:44:49.089 --> 01:44:53.289
Hi, can the Board here me? Yes, we can. Thank you.

01:44:53.299 --> 01:44:56.808
Great. Uh, my name is Christopher Margraff and I along with many

01:44:56.808 --> 01:44:59.549
other San Diego area residents. Are against any further

01:44:59.549 --> 01:45:02.689
increases requested by SDG&E, and vehemently urge

01:45:02.698 --> 01:45:05.408
the CPUC to deny the request to raise electric and

01:45:05.408 --> 01:45:08.448
gas rates. As stated by SDG&E themselves, their

01:45:08.459 --> 01:45:16.049
only goal is to increase revenues by $3.6 billion over the next 4 years. Which is more than 11%

01:45:16.058 --> 01:45:21.098
per year. Was the $3 billion made by Sempra in 2022, not enough profit

01:45:21.109 --> 01:45:24.039
already? Instead of having assistance programs, why

01:45:24.039 --> 01:45:26.508
not use that money to maintain rates across the board.

01:45:27.229 --> 01:45:30.028
As we have seen time and time again, this additional

01:45:30.028 --> 01:45:32.189
revenue does not go back into infrastructure and clean

01:45:32.189 --> 01:45:34.229
energy investments as they say it does. But rather

01:45:34.229 --> 01:45:37.408
lines the pockets of Sempra's stockholders. They cannot

01:45:37.408 --> 01:45:40.328
meet basic summertime peak demand, asking us to cut

01:45:40.328 --> 01:45:42.468
electricity instead of increasing supply or finding

01:45:42.468 --> 01:45:45.368
it from cleaner sources. While Sempra is able to achieve

01:45:45.379 --> 01:45:48.528
record profits quarter after quarter. These rate hikes

01:45:48.528 --> 01:45:50.879
are simply unsustainable for San Diegans who already

01:45:50.879 --> 01:45:53.189
pay some of the highest, if not the highest energy

01:45:53.189 --> 01:45:56.459
rates in the entire country. The CPUC should treat

01:45:56.468 --> 01:45:58.919
SDG&E like a public service and make it affordable

01:45:58.919 --> 01:46:02.368
for all denying any further rate increases. In closing,

01:46:02.379 --> 01:46:04.808
I'm vehemently against any further rate increases.

01:46:04.819 --> 01:46:07.098
And in fact, I am in favor of putting the power back

01:46:07.098 --> 01:46:09.328
into the hands of the people and turning electric and

01:46:09.328 --> 01:46:12.539
gas supply into a true public utility run by the municipality

01:46:12.539 --> 01:46:15.519
rather than a for profit company. On a personal note,

01:46:15.528 --> 01:46:18.569
I pay over $300 a month for electric and gas in a

01:46:18.569 --> 01:46:21.348
one bedroom apartment. I recently moved here from Boston

01:46:21.359 --> 01:46:25.278
another very expensive city. And my electric bill was

01:46:25.289 --> 01:46:28.479
a quarter of what I pay now. And that's in the Summer

01:46:28.488 --> 01:46:31.339
with A/C running. Thank you for the opportunity to

01:46:31.339 --> 01:46:35.758
speak and I urge you to deny this rate increase.

01:46:35.758 --> 01:46:38.388
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call the

01:46:38.388 --> 01:46:42.198
next speaker. Next we have Jenny Brooke. Jenny, your

01:46:42.198 --> 01:46:44.928
line is now open.

01:46:44.928 --> 01:46:49.328
Thank you. This is Penny Brooke and I live in Coronado.

01:46:49.339 --> 01:46:53.678
And my husband and I are retired and live alone. And

01:46:53.689 --> 01:46:56.968
we've been on the phone for over 4 hours today,

01:46:56.979 --> 01:47:01.789
listening and learning. And um, many of the facts I was

01:47:01.789 --> 01:47:04.879
going to share with you have already been stated. The

01:47:04.879 --> 01:47:09.729
only one I haven't heard stated is. I heard on television

01:47:09.729 --> 01:47:14.709
last night that the parent company of SDG&E, made

01:47:14.718 --> 01:47:19.229
$9.6 billion dollars in profit last year. And I think

01:47:19.229 --> 01:47:25.649
that this um, asked to increase the rate is insulting.

01:47:25.649 --> 01:47:30.839
And I request that you please deny this. It is um, we

01:47:30.839 --> 01:47:35.658
look to you to be the reasonable and the, the conscience

01:47:35.658 --> 01:47:39.419
of our community. Um, the charges that were paying right

01:47:39.419 --> 01:47:43.328
now are too high. And their earnings are unreasonable

01:47:43.328 --> 01:47:47.359
in today's economy, for a public necessity. I heard on

01:47:47.359 --> 01:47:51.149
the television last night that um, California and New

01:47:51.149 --> 01:47:55.749
York are having more people leave because of the cost

01:47:55.749 --> 01:47:59.399
of housing. And after listening to today's discussion

01:47:59.408 --> 01:48:02.238
I think they're also going to say, and the cost of

01:48:02.238 --> 01:48:06.448
utilities in California is another reason people are

01:48:06.448 --> 01:48:12.339
leaving. Um we also, we keep our temperature at 59°

01:48:12.348 --> 01:48:16.519
and where a down coat or a sweater in the house at

01:48:16.519 --> 01:48:22.209
all times. And our bill in January was $465 and our

01:48:22.209 --> 01:48:26.769
bill in February was $390. I do get up at midnight to

01:48:26.769 --> 01:48:30.729
start the dishwasher. I've done everything I can do

01:48:30.729 --> 01:48:35.428
to be super off peak and nothing ever seems to reflect

01:48:35.428 --> 01:48:40.129
that on the bill. I just you know, I feel like it's

01:48:40.129 --> 01:48:47.718
all just a big cloud of um a big curtain.

01:48:47.718 --> 01:48:51.999
Sorry to go over, but please deny this request. Thank

01:48:51.999 --> 01:48:56.049
you. Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call

01:48:56.049 --> 01:48:59.888
the next speaker. Next we have Sophie Logan. Sophie,

01:48:59.888 --> 01:49:09.359
your line is now open.

01:49:09.359 --> 01:49:13.089
Again Sophie Logan? Hello?

01:49:13.089 --> 01:49:16.609
Your line is open.

01:49:16.609 --> 01:49:20.339
Hello, can anyone hear me? Yes, we can hear you. Please

01:49:20.339 --> 01:49:25.839
go. Hi. My name is Chelsea Logan, L. O. G. A. N.

01:49:25.848 --> 01:49:31.129
Um, I'm a resident of Oceanside. Um, I'm a new homeowner

01:49:31.138 --> 01:49:36.209
in Oceanside, I bought a condo last year. Um, before

01:49:36.209 --> 01:49:39.848
I bought this condo, I had dreams of buying a hybrid.

01:49:40.028 --> 01:49:43.169
Um, and driving an electric car and supporting because

01:49:43.169 --> 01:49:47.769
of uh, green energy and that seems to be unaffordable at

01:49:47.778 --> 01:49:51.269
this point. I can't afford to buy an electric car to

01:49:51.269 --> 01:49:55.109
charge it at home. Um, I also can't afford to put solar

01:49:55.118 --> 01:49:58.729
on my condo's roof. That would be substantial enough

01:49:58.738 --> 01:50:03.028
to offset my cost. I'm actually considering leaving

01:50:03.028 --> 01:50:05.709
my condo and renting it and moving back in with my

01:50:05.709 --> 01:50:09.758
parents. Because it's so unaffordable at this point.

01:50:10.539 --> 01:50:13.558
I understand the need to update infrastructure. But

01:50:13.558 --> 01:50:18.428
after looking at the uh Public Advocate's Office, uh

01:50:18.439 --> 01:50:24.899
2022 report on SDGE&E. They spend the least

01:50:24.968 --> 01:50:29.149
out of all of the other electric companies in California

01:50:29.158 --> 01:50:33.169
on wildfire expenses per percentage. They should be

01:50:33.169 --> 01:50:35.808
investing much more in that. I feel like they're threatening

01:50:35.808 --> 01:50:39.249
us with wildfires um, when they should just be doing

01:50:39.249 --> 01:50:43.178
their job. And keeping us safe and providing us a service.

01:50:43.539 --> 01:50:48.569
We are the highest rate in the U.S. in the Continental

01:50:48.569 --> 01:50:53.549
U.S. More than 67% than the national average, but we

01:50:53.549 --> 01:50:57.959
do not get 67% or more in terms of service. Please

01:50:57.968 --> 01:51:02.939
deny this rate increase and any further expenses. Thank

01:51:02.939 --> 01:51:05.828
you for your time.

01:51:05.828 --> 01:51:09.448
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call the

01:51:09.448 --> 01:51:14.109
next speaker. Next we have Sharon Doormain. Sharon,

01:51:14.109 --> 01:51:18.019
your line is now open. Hi, my name is Sharon Money.

01:51:18.028 --> 01:51:22.558
I have spoken to the CPUC once before in

01:51:22.558 --> 01:51:26.109
January 2016. I was a former resident with my children

01:51:26.118 --> 01:51:30.109
of Porter Ranch. We were chased out. We left Porter

01:51:30.109 --> 01:51:33.269
Ranch for 7 months, while we endured the natural

01:51:33.269 --> 01:51:37.299
gas blowout from Sempra Energy, the parent company

01:51:37.299 --> 01:51:41.269
of SDG&E. I moved my children down to San Diego,

01:51:41.278 --> 01:51:45.339
to Escondido. To avoid and get away from the natural

01:51:45.339 --> 01:51:49.569
gas which they refused to close down Aliso Canyon. Because

01:51:49.578 --> 01:51:53.098
they insisted that they needed to store natural gas.

01:51:53.109 --> 01:51:59.189
I have had since 2019, in September of 2019. Uh

01:51:59.198 --> 01:52:01.859
no, excuse me, September of 2020. At the height of

01:52:01.868 --> 01:52:09.178
COVID, my power went out 3 times on each weekend

01:52:09.189 --> 01:52:14.419
in September. To the point of where my, because of supposed

01:52:14.428 --> 01:52:18.839
uh, wildfire danger. They had to shut off the power

01:52:18.839 --> 01:52:21.888
when it was over 110 degrees outside. I have

01:52:21.888 --> 01:52:24.269
lived in Florida. I have lived through hurricanes.

01:52:24.278 --> 01:52:27.328
I have lived through winters in Chicago. I have no

01:52:27.348 --> 01:52:32.919
never had the 22 years of life impacted by electricity

01:52:32.919 --> 01:52:37.299
companies as I have in California. I have been poisoned

01:52:37.308 --> 01:52:40.638
by, by Sempra. And now you're going to try to raise

01:52:40.638 --> 01:52:45.908
rates again on us. This is crazy. My parents paid $600

01:52:45.919 --> 01:52:51.008
in gas. They put a $50,000 system on their house, in

01:52:51.019 --> 01:52:56.198
2018. They do not have any, they don't have any power.

01:52:56.198 --> 01:52:58.618
They don't have any money that they have to pay Sempra

01:52:58.629 --> 01:53:04.859
in or SDG&E in, in electricity. Gas $600 in November.

01:53:04.868 --> 01:53:13.678
$1300 in December, $1800 in January, $3100 in February.

01:53:13.689 --> 01:53:17.138
They are 3 people living in that house and they're

01:53:17.138 --> 01:53:21.218
not running anything extra. I get up at, I get up at

01:53:21.229 --> 01:53:25.348
12 pm to do, 12 am to do my laundry, for my

01:53:25.348 --> 01:53:29.328
kids. This is crazy, we have no power. We had outages

01:53:29.339 --> 01:53:34.528
in September 19, September 20, September 21, September

01:53:34.528 --> 01:53:38.778
22. Why? These lines should have been buried decades

01:53:38.778 --> 01:53:42.419
ago. They are not doing anything but lining their profits

01:53:42.428 --> 01:53:52.249
and you are helping them.

01:53:52.249 --> 01:53:54.698
Thank you for the comments. Operator, please call the

01:53:54.698 --> 01:53:57.908
next speaker on line.

01:53:57.908 --> 01:54:01.089
Next we have Suzanne Ziggler. Suzanne, your line is now

01:54:01.089 --> 01:54:03.089
open.

01:54:03.089 --> 01:54:07.919
Hi, my name is Suzanne Ziggler and I have MS. So

01:54:07.919 --> 01:54:12.868
I am on your special discount, and I still because of

01:54:12.879 --> 01:54:18.968
my discount my bill was only $400 this last month.

01:54:18.979 --> 01:54:21.859
I don't understand what exactly are you trying to

01:54:21.859 --> 01:54:26.899
do to people that have disabilities? I am totally against

01:54:26.908 --> 01:54:32.388
this, this increase. And I, I like everybody else I'm

01:54:32.388 --> 01:54:36.428
just amazed that we're even having this discussion.

01:54:36.428 --> 01:54:42.269
When it clearly shows you made a $915 million dollars

01:54:43.379 --> 01:54:47.348
increase. So I don't, I really don't get it. But I'm

01:54:47.348 --> 01:54:50.698
gonna post everything on Facebook and, and everywhere

01:54:50.698 --> 01:54:54.008
else. And talk about how ridiculous these prices are

01:54:54.008 --> 01:54:57.689
that you're increasing. So please don't allow this

01:54:57.698 --> 01:55:01.428
to happen. This is really, really, sad to me

01:55:01.428 --> 01:55:06.089
that we're even having this discussion. So please make

01:55:06.089 --> 01:55:09.169
sure that you don't allow this to happen to us. Because

01:55:09.178 --> 01:55:12.408
people that have disabilities can barely afford everything

01:55:12.408 --> 01:55:17.368
else that they have to, to try and make money from.

01:55:17.379 --> 01:55:23.499
Thank you for listening.

01:55:23.499 --> 01:55:26.229
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call the

01:55:26.229 --> 01:55:28.669
next speaker.

01:55:28.669 --> 01:55:31.638
Next we have Michael Bezic. Michael, your line is now open.

01:55:32.508 --> 01:55:35.988
Hi there. This is Michael Bezic from Escondido, California. Thank you for

01:55:35.988 --> 01:55:38.488
taking the time to listen to me. I had called actually

01:55:38.488 --> 01:55:41.158
about this very issue. To SDG&E after talking to my

01:55:41.158 --> 01:55:44.269
local representative about the rate hikes. When I informed

01:55:44.269 --> 01:55:47.428
them was a while back, rate hike spiked and the public

01:55:47.428 --> 01:55:50.479
were outraged. When that happened, both the Democrat

01:55:50.479 --> 01:55:52.908
and Republican got together and threatened an audit.

01:55:53.209 --> 01:55:55.308
Which as we all know during these times, getting a

01:55:55.308 --> 01:55:58.198
Republican and Democrats together to agree on something

01:55:58.198 --> 01:56:01.178
is near impossible. But for this cause against the

01:56:01.189 --> 01:56:04.368
SDG&E and rate hikes. It was they were more than glad

01:56:04.379 --> 01:56:06.999
to work together to find out what is going on. When

01:56:06.999 --> 01:56:10.879
that happened, the rate hikes miraculously went back

01:56:10.879 --> 01:56:13.879
to the way they were. But then recently again, the rate

01:56:13.879 --> 01:56:17.058
heights spiked again. Now when they spiked again, I

01:56:17.058 --> 01:56:19.828
reached out to my local representatives and also they

01:56:19.828 --> 01:56:22.549
put me in contact with SDG&E. What I said is

01:56:22.549 --> 01:56:26.138
it seems like there's fuzzy math. SDG&E is advertising

01:56:26.138 --> 01:56:29.058
and promoting both in public releases as well as on

01:56:29.058 --> 01:56:32.069
the national. I'm sorry. Local news. That rates would

01:56:32.069 --> 01:56:35.729
go up roughly 18%. What we're hearing tonight is fuzzy

01:56:35.729 --> 01:56:38.019
math. What is happening is instead of people's rates

01:56:38.019 --> 01:56:40.959
going up about $25, on average. People's rates are more

01:56:40.959 --> 01:56:45.948
than doubling even tripling. So I, my question really

01:56:45.948 --> 01:56:48.669
to you is what, what kind of mathematics has been used?

01:56:48.828 --> 01:56:52.019
Um, I really want people to look into the math. My solution

01:56:52.019 --> 01:56:56.649
is send people, keep your $26 and send back people's

01:56:56.658 --> 01:56:59.689
hundreds and hundreds of dollars per month that they're

01:56:59.689 --> 01:57:05.278
over paying SDG&E. Thank you.

01:57:05.278 --> 01:57:09.749
Thank you for the comments. Operator, how many more

01:57:09.749 --> 01:57:13.959
callers do we have in queue? We have 29 callers in queue.

01:57:14.749 --> 01:57:20.138
Okay, great. So it looks like if we all uh, the speakers

01:57:20.149 --> 01:57:22.919
can stay within the time limits. We should be able

01:57:22.919 --> 01:57:28.189
to uh, cover everybody in the next hour. Um again, I request

01:57:28.189 --> 01:57:31.129
and remind everyone um, to be conscious of the next

01:57:31.129 --> 01:57:33.379
speaker in line. And please stay within the limits so

01:57:33.379 --> 01:57:36.618
that we can um take all the speakers that are in queue

01:57:36.618 --> 01:57:40.269
right now. With that, Operator. Please call the next

01:57:40.269 --> 01:57:43.388
speaker in line. Of course, Your Honor. Next, we have

01:57:43.388 --> 01:57:47.758
Carl Miller. Carl, your line is now open.

01:57:47.758 --> 01:57:50.448
Thank you very much for allowing me to present to this

01:57:50.459 --> 01:57:55.499
distinguished group. I'm Carl Miller, M. I. L. L. E. R.

01:57:55.508 --> 01:57:58.778
I live in San Diego. I'm a mechanical engineer. I've

01:57:58.789 --> 01:58:01.178
been in the power and power delivery business for 40

01:58:01.178 --> 01:58:04.649
years. I'm familiar with many electrical utilities

01:58:04.649 --> 01:58:07.519
and systems in the United States and throughout the

01:58:07.519 --> 01:58:13.289
world. Uh, I am clearly advocating for SDG&E. SDG&E

01:58:13.289 --> 01:58:17.689
utilizes a union workforce for us who live here.

01:58:17.698 --> 01:58:20.698
That's the most skilled and the safest workforce that's

01:58:20.698 --> 01:58:23.709
available on the market. We're very lucky to have them.

01:58:24.448 --> 01:58:28.278
From a safety perspective, the employees and contractors

01:58:28.289 --> 01:58:32.919
um on the SDG&E system. Work together to, to afford

01:58:32.919 --> 01:58:35.778
one of the safest places to work in the United States

01:58:35.778 --> 01:58:39.229
for an electric utility. They go to extreme measures

01:58:39.238 --> 01:58:42.508
all of us do. To ensure that the safety is there for

01:58:42.508 --> 01:58:46.408
the employees and for the customers. I want to point

01:58:46.408 --> 01:58:50.999
out that um, the last place I lived was Chicago. And

01:58:50.999 --> 01:58:54.649
the difference in the traffic control setups here in

01:58:54.649 --> 01:58:58.549
San Diego and in the SDG&E territory. Is, is

01:58:58.558 --> 01:59:03.269
extreme, it is the best I've ever seen. Uh, safety is

01:59:03.278 --> 01:59:07.638
emphasized in every way. Job creation in coordination

01:59:07.638 --> 01:59:10.229
with SDG&E. We've developed a workforce, create

01:59:10.238 --> 01:59:13.589
workforce management program. This program creates

01:59:13.589 --> 01:59:17.209
jobs for many young men and women. But also we have

01:59:17.209 --> 01:59:20.008
a program for transitioning veterans to get into the

01:59:20.008 --> 01:59:25.658
utility industry, for good jobs. Uh, SDG&E has a lot

01:59:25.658 --> 01:59:28.948
of innovative designs, significant under grounding.

01:59:28.959 --> 01:59:33.249
That's done safely, environmentally safely and, and

01:59:33.249 --> 01:59:35.698
done with good planning. And so that it's going to be

01:59:35.698 --> 01:59:38.289
there as a solid infrastructure for many, many years

01:59:38.289 --> 01:59:42.479
to come. There's also lots of reliability enhancement

01:59:42.488 --> 01:59:45.789
and battery systems that are being installed. I hope

01:59:45.789 --> 01:59:48.459
the Commission supports the General Rate Case. Thank

01:59:48.459 --> 01:59:52.618
you very much. Thank you for the comments. Operator,

01:59:52.618 --> 01:59:53.908
please call the next speaker.

01:59:54.928 --> 01:59:57.898
Next, we have uh, Louise Simpson. Louise, your line is

01:59:57.898 --> 02:00:00.158
now open.

02:00:00.158 --> 02:00:04.767
Hello. My name is Louise Simpson, S. I. M. P. S. O.

02:00:04.767 --> 02:00:09.017
N. I live in Rancho San Diego, an unincorporated area

02:00:09.027 --> 02:00:13.098
of San Diego County. Can you hear me? Yes, we can.

02:00:14.377 --> 02:00:19.958
Um, so I would just like to say um, a few things

02:00:19.967 --> 02:00:24.677
a lot has already been said. I have asthma and so bundling

02:00:24.677 --> 02:00:28.877
up doesn't help me. It can keep my body warm, but when

02:00:28.877 --> 02:00:32.667
cold air hits my lungs, my asthma can be triggered.

02:00:32.678 --> 02:00:36.798
So at night when the temperatures drop, I have to turn

02:00:36.798 --> 02:00:40.457
on the heat. I get up at 5:00 in the morning to go to

02:00:40.457 --> 02:00:43.858
work, I'm a teacher. I can't do laundry at midnight

02:00:43.868 --> 02:00:47.027
or dishes at midnight. I need to be asleep so I can

02:00:47.027 --> 02:00:50.408
be up early, so I can go to work as a lot

02:00:50.408 --> 02:00:55.498
of people uh, have to do. So uh, fitting into the parameters

02:00:55.508 --> 02:01:00.308
of uh best use of time is not really feasible for many,

02:01:00.308 --> 02:01:04.867
many people. I would also like to say that it seems

02:01:04.877 --> 02:01:09.267
that SDG&E is kind of being guaranteed profits.

02:01:09.278 --> 02:01:12.427
Every time they put in for a rate hike, it seems to

02:01:12.427 --> 02:01:16.328
be approved. And they're not being accountable for using

02:01:16.328 --> 02:01:20.798
some of their billions in profits to put back in to

02:01:20.808 --> 02:01:24.757
the business. They certainly over pay their executives.

02:01:24.767 --> 02:01:28.088
Many of their executives make tens of millions of dollars.

02:01:28.097 --> 02:01:32.487
These are obscene salaries and obscene profits that

02:01:32.487 --> 02:01:34.828
should go back with, which is money that should go

02:01:34.828 --> 02:01:38.438
back into the business. And finally, I would like to

02:01:38.438 --> 02:01:41.908
say that not being able to turn on the heat or turn

02:01:41.908 --> 02:01:44.888
on air conditioning can really be life threatening

02:01:44.888 --> 02:01:48.507
for people. It is a safety issue. And when prices are

02:01:48.507 --> 02:01:52.888
so high and so many people can't afford to turn these

02:01:52.897 --> 02:01:56.427
on the heat and the air conditioning, their lives are

02:01:56.427 --> 02:02:00.017
literally at risk. And financially, we are all being

02:02:00.028 --> 02:02:03.857
very impacted by the people at the top of SDG&E

02:02:03.857 --> 02:02:08.387
who are making ridiculous and undeserved profits.

02:02:08.398 --> 02:02:11.947
Um, thank you very much for time, for your time. I am

02:02:11.947 --> 02:02:14.567
against this increase and I hope you vote against it.

02:02:14.577 --> 02:02:17.047
Thank you.

02:02:17.047 --> 02:02:19.877
Thank you for the comments. Operator, please call the

02:02:19.877 --> 02:02:23.458
next speaker. Next we have Chris Anderson. Chris, your

02:02:23.458 --> 02:02:26.688
line is now open.

02:02:26.688 --> 02:02:31.167
Yes, good evening. Uh, can you hear me okay? Yes, we can

02:02:31.167 --> 02:02:35.268
hear you fine. Okay. Thank you, Your Honor. Uh, yeah

02:02:35.268 --> 02:02:39.968
I just want to quickly address the Commission. I strongly

02:02:39.968 --> 02:02:44.817
oppose the rate hike proposed by Sempra and SDG&E. Um,

02:02:44.817 --> 02:02:47.577
sorry. Chris Andersen, A. N. D. E. R. S. O. N, from

02:02:47.577 --> 02:02:50.518
Escondido, California. I strongly oppose the rate

02:02:50.518 --> 02:02:54.588
hike. Um, I'm just gonna reiterate a couple of things that

02:02:54.588 --> 02:02:58.667
other people have said. We're paying 3 to 4 times the

02:02:58.667 --> 02:03:03.257
kilowatt hour than any other part of the country is.

02:03:03.268 --> 02:03:06.898
And that just shows that there's gross inefficiency

02:03:06.908 --> 02:03:10.958
and negligence among the utility company here. They

02:03:10.958 --> 02:03:15.127
need to be able to use what is within their operating

02:03:15.127 --> 02:03:19.058
costs, to do all these improvements. There's no reason

02:03:19.338 --> 02:03:24.158
that when they can go from earning $2.6 billion in 2021

02:03:24.158 --> 02:03:29.408
to $2.9 billion in 2022. That they require any more

02:03:29.408 --> 02:03:32.938
money from the public in order to run their business.

02:03:32.947 --> 02:03:38.007
And provide us safe, resilient, secure, power. And, and

02:03:38.007 --> 02:03:40.447
they're not even providing a safe, resilient, secure

02:03:40.447 --> 02:03:44.908
power, as was stated. By those same energy officials

02:03:44.908 --> 02:03:48.847
at the start of this call. Um many of us have chimed

02:03:48.847 --> 02:03:52.868
in how. You know we're told we can't run our A/C,

02:03:52.877 --> 02:03:56.308
can't run the dishwasher, can't run the oven or washing

02:03:56.308 --> 02:04:00.817
machine. Between 4 and 9 during flex alert in

02:04:00.817 --> 02:04:05.727
the Summertime. Because our energy grid is not, doesn't

02:04:05.727 --> 02:04:09.887
have the capacity to handle it. Um, I've had experienced

02:04:09.887 --> 02:04:13.218
several times where my power is going out here locally,

02:04:13.227 --> 02:04:17.878
uh due to faulty equipment. Um, and I just think that

02:04:17.878 --> 02:04:19.958
this company needs to be held accountable. I think

02:04:19.958 --> 02:04:22.778
that there does need to be audit. There does need to

02:04:22.778 --> 02:04:26.138
be a programmatic review of how they're spending their

02:04:26.138 --> 02:04:29.838
operating funds. And to stop putting it on the backs

02:04:29.847 --> 02:04:35.297
of us, the citizens, the paying public. Uh, because there's

02:04:35.297 --> 02:04:38.477
no competition and there's no one to put them in check.

02:04:38.487 --> 02:04:42.898
So I urge you to not approve this, and I urge some

02:04:42.908 --> 02:04:47.097
stronger regulation and audit systems on this company.

02:04:47.097 --> 02:04:49.408
For them to show where they're spending their money

02:04:49.417 --> 02:04:52.088
and to find efficiencies within their, their own operating

02:04:52.088 --> 02:04:55.107
budget. Thank you.

02:04:55.107 --> 02:04:57.448
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call

02:04:57.448 --> 02:05:02.167
the next speaker. Next we have Jan Hull from San Diego.

02:05:02.537 --> 02:05:07.807
Jan, your line is open. Hi, Jan Hull, H. U. L. L, San

02:05:07.807 --> 02:05:12.588
Diego. I'm thoroughly opposed to this rate hike and

02:05:12.597 --> 02:05:15.677
mirror what many other people have said. Especially

02:05:15.677 --> 02:05:18.698
want to emphasize. I've listened to Governor Reynolds

02:05:18.708 --> 02:05:22.408
speak on the 28th of February. And she pointed out that

02:05:22.417 --> 02:05:26.227
the goal is to meet greenhouse gas reduction goals

02:05:26.227 --> 02:05:29.758
at a pace that will meet those goals. Which I understand,

02:05:29.773 --> 02:05:34.114
but she also pointed out that the CPUC had to make

02:05:34.114 --> 02:05:39.434
over 556 decisions in 2022. And I can see where you

02:05:39.434 --> 02:05:42.723
guys are under a lot of pressure from the utility companies,

02:05:42.734 --> 02:05:46.223
just to give them what they asked for. But it's important

02:05:46.223 --> 02:05:49.564
I think that SDG&E be, as other people have said

02:05:49.573 --> 02:05:53.633
thoroughly audited. They have used smoke and mirrors,

02:05:53.633 --> 02:05:56.299
as someone else said. They've been advertising the

02:05:56.309 --> 02:06:05.720
$16 million supposed, you know, rebate or whatever. Which basically amounts to $5 a person. They keep using these smoke

02:06:05.720 --> 02:06:08.379
and mirrors. They said they were giving California

02:06:08.379 --> 02:06:11.530
climate credits. All they were doing is pushing them

02:06:11.540 --> 02:06:14.160
from one month to a little bit earlier, that doesn't

02:06:14.160 --> 02:06:18.290
save anybody. And also I believe they're hiding behind

02:06:18.290 --> 02:06:23.528
this. Um, California goals to become more climate conscious

02:06:23.528 --> 02:06:27.247
are admirable. But doing it at the pace that Governor

02:06:27.247 --> 02:06:30.687
Reynolds is suggesting is possibly just not doable.

02:06:30.698 --> 02:06:33.857
And it's not fair to put this on the backs of utility

02:06:33.857 --> 02:06:37.968
payers. If you call SDG&E as another man pointed

02:06:37.968 --> 02:06:41.682
out. And I urge any of you on that Commission to just

02:06:41.693 --> 02:06:44.372
pick up the phone and call them and see what it's like

02:06:44.383 --> 02:06:48.242
to have a phone call with them. It's absolutely impossible.

02:06:48.253 --> 02:06:51.903
This company is not being run efficiently, it needs

02:06:51.912 --> 02:06:56.472
to be investigated. Um, and so we cannot afford to keep

02:06:56.472 --> 02:06:59.783
giving them rate in crisis, increases. Until somebody

02:06:59.783 --> 02:07:03.232
does a thorough investigation. Thank you very much.

02:07:04.898 --> 02:07:07.437
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call the

02:07:07.437 --> 02:07:13.167
next speaker. Next we have Duncan Mullins. Uh,

02:07:14.148 --> 02:07:18.107
Duncan Mullis. Duncan, your line is open. Yes, hi. My name

02:07:18.107 --> 02:07:20.718
is Duncan Mullis. That's, D. U. N. C. A. N. M. U.

02:07:20.718 --> 02:07:24.367
L. L. I. S, and I live in Lakeside, California. The recent

02:07:24.378 --> 02:07:27.487
SDG&E proposed rate hike is laughable, ironic and

02:07:27.487 --> 02:07:29.917
nothing short of sickening corporate greed. This is

02:07:29.917 --> 02:07:32.208
not a complicated matter. The company that has been

02:07:32.208 --> 02:07:35.867
directly responsible for wildfires, blackouts, environmental

02:07:35.867 --> 02:07:38.958
degradation and ridiculous power rates. Now seek to

02:07:38.958 --> 02:07:41.258
exploit their customer base further by charging an

02:07:41.258 --> 02:07:44.097
exorbitant amounts for commodity, they already have

02:07:44.097 --> 02:07:47.198
a monopoly on. We pay some of the highest rates in

02:07:47.198 --> 02:07:50.617
the country, while Sempra post record profits. SDG&E

02:07:50.617 --> 02:07:53.013
does not need more money to achieve it claimed

02:07:53.013 --> 02:07:56.362
goals, despite the political groveling. It is insulting

02:07:56.412 --> 02:07:58.833
that a company that has provided a minimalistic and

02:07:58.833 --> 02:08:01.862
in some cases, directly harmful product. Expects us

02:08:01.862 --> 02:08:04.343
to pay out of pocket for the same amount of power.

02:08:04.573 --> 02:08:07.992
In truth, it is they who should be paying to minimalize

02:08:08.112 --> 02:08:10.872
the risk of wildfires. By burying their power lines,

02:08:10.883 --> 02:08:14.263
rehabilitating the land that they ruined, and sacrificing

02:08:14.263 --> 02:08:17.362
their monopoly over power. To allow Indigenous and community

02:08:17.362 --> 02:08:20.242
control of our own utilities. Please reject the rate

02:08:20.242 --> 02:08:23.727
increase. Thank you.

02:08:23.727 --> 02:08:25.988
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call the

02:08:25.988 --> 02:08:29.807
next speaker. Next we have Paul Heineken. Paul, your

02:08:29.807 --> 02:08:32.197
line is now open.

02:08:32.197 --> 02:08:38.677
Thank you, Paul Hankin, H. A. N. K. I. N, from Bonita.

02:08:39.577 --> 02:08:46.837
The biggest issue today is trust SDG&E has lost the trust

02:08:46.837 --> 02:08:52.057
of most people, here. SDG&E documents have three different

02:08:52.057 --> 02:08:56.638
estimates at least for the amount of increase to experts

02:08:56.648 --> 02:09:02.087
and one from the Chief Financial Officer. The increase

02:09:02.087 --> 02:09:10.358
is based on 2021 data. Testimony from January 2023,

02:09:10.358 --> 02:09:18.258
includes pricing in 2024. The 17 or 18% requested

02:09:18.268 --> 02:09:23.498
is way over inflation. How can you justify that giving

02:09:23.498 --> 02:09:26.807
this to an organization with such poor accounting.

02:09:26.817 --> 02:09:30.118
Even if you have the time and patience to reconcile it.

02:09:30.133 --> 02:09:35.473
Many people are hurting financially and medically because

02:09:35.473 --> 02:09:39.863
of the SDG&E rate increases. If you have the colder

02:09:39.863 --> 02:09:44.153
arthritis, an extra degree lower can cause a whole

02:09:44.153 --> 02:09:49.158
lot of pain. Many of the improvements are really sporting

02:09:49.158 --> 02:09:54.187
state projects. It would be fairer to use the tax structure

02:09:54.187 --> 02:09:57.947
based on how much income someone has reference and

02:09:57.947 --> 02:10:02.787
charge everyone at the same rate. SDG&E is also

02:10:02.787 --> 02:10:07.098
being audited by the state. Any rate increase should

02:10:07.098 --> 02:10:11.187
wait for completion of this audit. We need to know

02:10:11.187 --> 02:10:16.278
whether SDG&E uses double speak or cooks its books to

02:10:16.278 --> 02:10:22.317
jack up the rates unnecessarily. CBS News reports that

02:10:22.327 --> 02:10:27.457
SDG&E buys natural gas during the last 5 days of

02:10:27.457 --> 02:10:32.817
months. Why not buy it when the rates are low or store

02:10:32.817 --> 02:10:38.087
it? You know, this is gross market manipulation, some

02:10:38.087 --> 02:10:42.927
increases. They are based on the 5 year average

02:10:42.927 --> 02:10:46.337
some on the 3 year average. More manipulation.

02:10:46.348 --> 02:10:52.937
Thanks. Please reject this increase. Thanks.

02:10:52.937 --> 02:10:55.278
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call

02:10:55.278 --> 02:10:57.728
the next speaker.

02:10:57.728 --> 02:11:01.177
Next we have Chilese Brown. Chilese Brown, your line

02:11:01.177 --> 02:11:05.957
is now open.

02:11:05.957 --> 02:11:10.667
Did you say Joyce Brown?

02:11:10.667 --> 02:11:14.758
Hello? Yes, your line is open. Go ahead.

02:11:14.758 --> 02:11:18.518
Yes. Can you hear me? This is Joyce Brown and I live

02:11:18.518 --> 02:11:23.408
in okay. I live in San Diego, North Park area. And

02:11:23.408 --> 02:11:27.408
first of all, I oppose this increase. Please listen

02:11:27.408 --> 02:11:31.908
to all of the consumers that have called in. I tell

02:11:31.908 --> 02:11:37.478
you, my heart is hurting. I am upset and I am a

02:11:37.478 --> 02:11:42.748
retired airline employee and I'm on disability. And

02:11:42.758 --> 02:11:45.057
I live in a small place as well as some of the

02:11:45.057 --> 02:11:49.518
others have said. And this, in this increase with the

02:11:49.518 --> 02:11:54.087
utility bill has been ridiculous. And I do believe

02:11:54.098 --> 02:11:57.758
that the Governor of California called the State of

02:11:57.758 --> 02:12:02.797
Emergency during the COVID. Uh and there was money

02:12:02.807 --> 02:12:07.108
sent to the State of California. Now, they knew that

02:12:07.108 --> 02:12:12.978
they needed to upgrade all the equipment. SDG&E and Sempra so to me

02:12:12.978 --> 02:12:16.368
that should be something done with the federal government

02:12:16.378 --> 02:12:21.817
not the consumers. Like I said, I'm retired and disabled

02:12:21.817 --> 02:12:27.427
as well, on a fixed income. And everyone is hurting and

02:12:27.437 --> 02:12:30.748
suffering and going through. Whether it's physically

02:12:30.748 --> 02:12:34.778
mentally, uh just all kinds of things that are really

02:12:34.778 --> 02:12:39.067
bothering us. And I just would like to say I oppose

02:12:39.077 --> 02:12:44.138
this increase. Please do not let SDG&E any increase

02:12:44.148 --> 02:12:49.018
the bills. Let them take money from the CEOs

02:12:49.028 --> 02:12:53.337
and whatever. The whatever the CEOs and run the

02:12:53.337 --> 02:12:59.268
company owners. Thank you so much. God bless.

02:12:59.947 --> 02:13:02.287
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call the

02:13:02.287 --> 02:13:06.207
next speaker. Next we have Edith Hernandez from Los

02:13:06.207 --> 02:13:10.648
Angeles. Edith, your line is open.

02:13:10.648 --> 02:13:13.158
Hello?

02:13:13.158 --> 02:13:25.797
Yes, we can hear you.

02:13:25.797 --> 02:13:28.618
Hello. Edith Hernandez from Los Angeles again,

02:13:28.618 --> 02:13:32.927
your line is open. We can hear you. Hello? Can you

02:13:32.927 --> 02:13:35.368
hear me now?

02:13:35.368 --> 02:13:39.577
Yes, we can hear you. All right. My name is Edith Hernandez

02:13:39.577 --> 02:13:42.748
from Los Angeles, and I am not in favor of the rate

02:13:42.748 --> 02:13:46.118
increase. I oppose this rate increase. It's not fair

02:13:46.118 --> 02:13:48.917
that Californians have to choose between food, heat

02:13:48.927 --> 02:13:54.228
and medicines and these companies that are raking in

02:13:54.228 --> 02:13:57.638
billions in profits. Keep asking for more. I mean,

02:13:57.638 --> 02:14:01.028
I would like the CPUC to hold the companies accountable

02:14:01.037 --> 02:14:04.447
by investigating what happened to the storage tax and

02:14:04.447 --> 02:14:07.557
also by holding an audit of the company to figure out

02:14:07.567 --> 02:14:11.067
where is the money going. Californians are not cash

02:14:11.067 --> 02:14:14.908
cows and I live in the US, not Venezuela. And I should

02:14:14.908 --> 02:14:20.388
not have to choose between heat, medicine and paying

02:14:20.388 --> 02:14:23.037
my taxes to the state of California. Which frankly

02:14:23.037 --> 02:14:26.868
I don't see the quality of life that I used to have

02:14:26.878 --> 02:14:31.537
before. Uh so please, I respectfully ask that you do

02:14:31.537 --> 02:14:36.317
not accept the rate increase for Sempra Energy and

02:14:36.317 --> 02:14:42.728
SDG and gas. Thank you. Thank you for your comments. Operator,

02:14:42.728 --> 02:14:45.947
please call the next speaker.

02:14:45.947 --> 02:14:49.368
Next we have JD Iman. JD Iman, your line is now

02:14:49.378 --> 02:14:56.457
open.

02:14:56.457 --> 02:15:02.837
My name is Jerry Emond, E. M. O. N. D.

02:15:02.837 --> 02:15:09.307
I'm 85 years old. I was one of the California grandmothers

02:15:09.317 --> 02:15:14.008
taken by Enron and they bragged about it and I feel

02:15:14.008 --> 02:15:18.878
like I'm getting it again.

02:15:18.878 --> 02:15:24.108
The profit that San Diego Gas and Electric and Sempra

02:15:24.118 --> 02:15:30.608
Energy are making are absolutely obscene. And they're

02:15:30.608 --> 02:15:34.807
doing it on the backs of the people of California.

02:15:34.817 --> 02:15:41.008
And it is time for the California Public Utilities

02:15:41.018 --> 02:15:48.268
Commission to be a Public Utilities Commission for

02:15:48.278 --> 02:15:53.898
California. We need relief from this. Not another.

02:15:54.598 --> 02:15:58.927
Every time I open the bill, there's another request

02:15:58.937 --> 02:16:05.037
for more funds. It's time to say no. I am so against

02:16:05.047 --> 02:16:09.728
this increase.

02:16:09.728 --> 02:16:14.508
And I hope that you will absolutely take into account

02:16:14.518 --> 02:16:18.638
people who are seniors. Who have worked their entire

02:16:18.638 --> 02:16:22.947
lives and are in retirement on a fixed income. Now

02:16:22.957 --> 02:16:27.868
we don't deserve this. We don't need it and you can

02:16:27.878 --> 02:16:33.337
help. Thank you.

02:16:33.337 --> 02:16:36.128
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call

02:16:36.128 --> 02:16:39.937
the next speaker. Next we have Whitney Call. Whitney,

02:16:39.937 --> 02:16:43.498
your line is now open.

02:16:43.498 --> 02:16:49.217
Hi, can you hear me? Yes, we can. I had a whole

02:16:49.217 --> 02:16:51.837
speech prepared but a lot of the things that I was

02:16:51.837 --> 02:16:55.417
gonna say have been iterated by so many other community

02:16:55.417 --> 02:17:00.237
members. Um so I wanna make it brief.

02:17:00.237 --> 02:17:06.118
SDG&Es proposed increase would increase allegedly $449

02:17:06.128 --> 02:17:18.158
million for next year in revenue. That is significantly lower than the $915 million in profit that had for 2022. They're saying that they

02:17:18.158 --> 02:17:22.398
need this money in order to create safety changes and

02:17:22.408 --> 02:17:25.927
that they have the safest workplace. No one on this

02:17:25.937 --> 02:17:29.138
call has once argued that they don't have a safe workplace

02:17:29.138 --> 02:17:32.497
or work environment or that those aren't necessary

02:17:32.497 --> 02:17:35.997
changes. All we have said is that they have the money

02:17:35.997 --> 02:17:39.477
they have the funds to do so and they're robbing the

02:17:39.477 --> 02:17:44.727
community of hard earned money for only profit and

02:17:44.737 --> 02:17:48.497
doing it under the guise of safety. But we have yet

02:17:48.497 --> 02:17:51.957
to see a single safety measure increase. In fact, I

02:17:51.957 --> 02:17:56.977
argue that the CPUC should, should demand rate decreases.

02:17:56.987 --> 02:18:00.507
Because it has become apparent that the company is

02:18:00.517 --> 02:18:05.828
only for profit and not for utility. On my most recent

02:18:05.828 --> 02:18:10.138
bill, my electricity charge was three times less than

02:18:10.138 --> 02:18:14.298
my electric, electricity delivery charge. And I encourage

02:18:14.308 --> 02:18:17.388
all of you who are outraged at your cost to look at

02:18:17.388 --> 02:18:20.417
the breakdown of your bill. Because if you do, you

02:18:20.417 --> 02:18:24.348
notice that there is already a wildfire, wildfire charge

02:18:24.358 --> 02:18:27.818
built into each and every one of our bills, every single

02:18:27.818 --> 02:18:32.217
month. During the hottest month of the year, my apartment

02:18:32.217 --> 02:18:36.517
my single apartment with two bedrooms and two bathrooms.

02:18:36.517 --> 02:18:41.308
A small apartment in Kearny Mesa was $400 for electricity.

02:18:41.318 --> 02:18:45.437
We had our A/C to 78 while it was 100 degrees

02:18:45.437 --> 02:18:48.828
outside. It was only 78 in here. And when I called

02:18:48.838 --> 02:18:51.987
SDG&E to request or to have more information

02:18:51.987 --> 02:18:54.947
on the bill and see what the error was. The lady on

02:18:54.947 --> 02:18:58.007
the other line shamed me for the amount of electricity

02:18:58.007 --> 02:19:01.417
that I had used. When the only thing that we had on

02:19:01.427 --> 02:19:06.997
was the A/C. This company is just criminal. Like this, this

02:19:06.997 --> 02:19:10.427
is a public utility service and what they are doing

02:19:10.437 --> 02:19:16.128
is just absolutely absurd. That's all.

02:19:16.128 --> 02:19:19.158
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call the

02:19:19.158 --> 02:19:24.658
next speaker. Next we have Barbara Powell, Bone. Barbara,

02:19:24.658 --> 02:19:29.088
your line is now open. Hi, this is Barbara Powell Bowen,

02:19:29.088 --> 02:19:33.588
B. O. W. E. N, and I am extremely opposed to this.

02:19:33.598 --> 02:19:37.108
Um to go over my, my bills that I had gotten from

02:19:37.108 --> 02:19:40.538
the past few months in November to December. I used

02:19:40.538 --> 02:19:46.177
96 therms and my bill was $262 that was in 42 cents.

02:19:46.187 --> 02:19:54.148
December to January. I used less 93 my bill was $475.31.

02:19:56.118 --> 02:20:02.477
For January to February. My bill is $281.27. And when

02:20:02.477 --> 02:20:09.207
I looked over the breakdown and I seen that they had

02:20:09.207 --> 02:20:16.858
decreased my therm usage from 30 to 4 therms and still

02:20:16.858 --> 02:20:22.207
use the same, um, amount of money and then from 60

02:20:22.217 --> 02:20:27.138
to 5 funds for baseline and they slide. And so my

02:20:27.148 --> 02:20:32.288
baseline was at a dollar five and it was changed to

02:20:32.288 --> 02:20:37.068
3.45 which caused the high increase of my bill. I called

02:20:37.068 --> 02:20:41.128
SDG&E, they say. Well, you use more uh, therms

02:20:41.128 --> 02:20:44.747
and absolutely not. I use less and I'm being charged

02:20:44.747 --> 02:20:49.777
more. So what that said SDG&E is using us as

02:20:49.777 --> 02:20:53.237
a bottomless money pit. Their increase that they're

02:20:53.237 --> 02:21:00.308
actually asking for is 17.5% increase and I'm retired

02:21:00.967 --> 02:21:07.318
and I'm on fixed income. And I do know that SDG&E

02:21:07.318 --> 02:21:12.487
as everybody said. Their profit margin has been $915

02:21:12.487 --> 02:21:16.138
million, and what are they doing with this money? It's

02:21:16.138 --> 02:21:21.788
like they're charging us for the backfires that went

02:21:21.788 --> 02:21:25.997
on in 2007. Because of their lack of maintenance of

02:21:25.997 --> 02:21:29.408
cutting down trees from their power lines, which is

02:21:29.408 --> 02:21:34.048
causing us to have to pay that bill. So I am just

02:21:34.058 --> 02:21:37.338
asking the Commission to just really, really

02:21:37.348 --> 02:21:41.798
you know, take charge and consider the customers that

02:21:41.808 --> 02:21:48.997
SDG&E is exploiting. Thank you very much.

02:21:48.997 --> 02:21:51.237
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call

02:21:51.237 --> 02:21:53.908
the next speaker.

02:21:53.908 --> 02:21:56.578
Next we have Jennifer Van Meter. Jennifer, your line

02:21:56.578 --> 02:21:59.507
is open.

02:21:59.507 --> 02:22:03.148
Hi, good evening. Thank you for your time. I listened

02:22:03.158 --> 02:22:06.007
in on the 2pm hearing and waited in the queue, but

02:22:06.007 --> 02:22:10.298
didn't get in. Um I just want to say that I am

02:22:10.298 --> 02:22:16.207
opposed to any rate increase. I agree with and second

02:22:16.217 --> 02:22:20.348
all of the other callers who have been opposed and their

02:22:20.348 --> 02:22:27.628
reasons. Um I don't believe that a company should be

02:22:27.628 --> 02:22:32.598
run this way. I'm a small business owner and when I

02:22:32.598 --> 02:22:37.158
have unforeseen unbudgeted expenses for equipment,

02:22:37.158 --> 02:22:41.638
repairs, tool replacement, etcetera. Um you know, I

02:22:41.638 --> 02:22:45.957
have to take a cut in my pay to pay for those

02:22:45.967 --> 02:22:49.967
things. I don't pass those expenses on to my customers.

02:22:50.398 --> 02:22:55.757
And when my service vans are broken into and tools

02:22:55.757 --> 02:22:58.308
are stolen. That I have to replace, that are not covered

02:22:58.308 --> 02:23:01.838
by insurance. Or my gas tanks in my service vans get

02:23:01.838 --> 02:23:04.697
drilled out and I have to pay insurance deductibles

02:23:04.707 --> 02:23:09.568
I don't pass that on to my customers. So I don't believe

02:23:09.578 --> 02:23:13.957
that the energy companies should be passing their costs

02:23:13.967 --> 02:23:18.318
for maintenance onto us. I do maintenance on my tools

02:23:18.318 --> 02:23:20.858
and equipment and vehicles. That I need to operate my

02:23:20.858 --> 02:23:25.997
business and I don't pass additional costs onto my

02:23:25.997 --> 02:23:31.828
customers. Thank you for your time.

02:23:31.828 --> 02:23:34.058
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call

02:23:34.058 --> 02:23:37.568
the next speaker. Next we have Mike Wells. Mike, your

02:23:37.568 --> 02:23:40.677
line is open.

02:23:40.677 --> 02:23:45.398
Okay. Thank you. Can you hear me? Yes, we can thank you.

02:23:45.398 --> 02:23:47.967
All right. Thank you, Your Honor. My name is Mike Wells. I'm

02:23:47.977 --> 02:23:50.997
retired. I live in Ladera Ranch, California have for

02:23:50.997 --> 02:23:54.027
the last two years. I have lived in Manhattan Beach

02:23:54.027 --> 02:23:57.348
for about 15 years before our company relocated to

02:23:57.348 --> 02:24:00.838
Plano, Texas. And obviously Texas has their own issues

02:24:00.848 --> 02:24:03.977
uh that they deal with from a power and electric standpoint

02:24:03.977 --> 02:24:07.638
But um during that time, I lived in Manhattan or beach

02:24:07.638 --> 02:24:11.378
or in Texas. I had never seen a bill over over $300.

02:24:11.808 --> 02:24:15.277
And, and I understand in California that climate has

02:24:15.277 --> 02:24:19.757
been relatively mild. And the purpose of, of my comments

02:24:19.757 --> 02:24:23.538
are not in regards to my bill. Uh even though it's

02:24:23.538 --> 02:24:31.058
gone from $59.69 in November to $1213 in January. After

02:24:31.058 --> 02:24:33.548
hearing all the people speak today and looking at the

02:24:33.548 --> 02:24:37.658
comments online. There are a lot of young families

02:24:37.667 --> 02:24:42.487
single parents and seniors that are just barely making

02:24:42.487 --> 02:24:46.987
it. And an increase that's being proposed of this magnitude

02:24:46.997 --> 02:24:50.808
as if it's not devastating already is going to be even

02:24:50.808 --> 02:24:54.288
more devastating. And now while I can't discuss with

02:24:54.288 --> 02:24:58.237
any level of intelligence power grids or distribution

02:24:58.237 --> 02:25:01.427
technologies or even with the compliance challenges

02:25:01.427 --> 02:25:06.578
are for SDG&E. What having worked for the largest

02:25:06.578 --> 02:25:10.527
car company on the planet. What I can discuss um

02:25:10.538 --> 02:25:14.237
is that when you work annually off of a zero based

02:25:14.237 --> 02:25:19.207
budget, you are forced to look at every single expense

02:25:19.207 --> 02:25:22.207
you have. And I can guarantee you if there was a line

02:25:22.207 --> 02:25:25.908
item that we could charge the public. To meet whatever

02:25:25.917 --> 02:25:29.088
expenses we had anticipated. Whether it was further

02:25:29.088 --> 02:25:32.237
development or technology or compliance challenges

02:25:32.247 --> 02:25:34.588
that would have been, that would have been a nice road.

02:25:34.588 --> 02:25:38.667
But, but, but the company is Toyota like many other

02:25:38.677 --> 02:25:42.308
automotive companies or companies in general. Like

02:25:42.308 --> 02:25:45.457
the last lady that spoke. You have to manage up of about

02:25:45.457 --> 02:25:48.608
this. All I would say is I don't support the increase.

02:25:48.618 --> 02:25:51.338
Um I think we have to teach us a hard, hard to

02:25:51.338 --> 02:25:53.477
look at some of the expenses and thank you for your

02:25:53.477 --> 02:25:56.977
time and any consideration. Um have a great evening.

02:25:58.648 --> 02:26:01.608
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call the

02:26:01.608 --> 02:26:05.247
next speaker. Next we have Mary Davis. Mary, your line

02:26:05.247 --> 02:26:11.358
is open. Hi, Mary Davis, D. A. V. I. S, Alpine in

02:26:11.368 --> 02:26:14.767
San Diego County. I'm calling in tonight as I sit shivering

02:26:14.767 --> 02:26:18.027
in my 59 degree house, as I do most nights from 4

02:26:18.027 --> 02:26:21.648
to 9. Because I'm trying to keep my bill under $500

02:26:21.648 --> 02:26:24.318
this month. You know, things are bad when your house

02:26:24.318 --> 02:26:27.687
could double as a wine cellar. As a consumer, I have

02:26:27.687 --> 02:26:30.788
a hard time believing you're even giving any consideration

02:26:30.788 --> 02:26:34.368
to a rate increase when people are hurting economically

02:26:34.378 --> 02:26:37.507
and under such financial stress with inflation and

02:26:37.507 --> 02:26:41.108
sky high gas prices. On top of recent astronomical

02:26:41.108 --> 02:26:44.838
natural gas bills. Your duty is to uphold the public

02:26:44.838 --> 02:26:47.177
good and to balance the needs of the public with the

02:26:47.177 --> 02:26:50.977
desires of the utility organizations. When companies

02:26:50.977 --> 02:26:54.048
are making millions in profit, which you have already

02:26:54.048 --> 02:26:57.177
enabled them to do. I cannot believe you allow them

02:26:57.177 --> 02:27:00.338
to further profit on the backs of the working class.

02:27:00.348 --> 02:27:03.578
For the record, I am a public official in an elected

02:27:03.578 --> 02:27:06.088
position with the Alpine Community Planning Group in

02:27:06.088 --> 02:27:09.017
San Diego County. I believe public officials should

02:27:09.017 --> 02:27:12.068
be equal with the public and not get to jump the line.

02:27:12.237 --> 02:27:15.308
Please do the right thing and look out for consumers.

02:27:15.318 --> 02:27:19.267
No to any rate hikes, stop any appearance of regulatory

02:27:19.267 --> 02:27:23.148
capture or compromise and put people before profits.

02:27:23.158 --> 02:27:26.128
Thank you.

02:27:26.128 --> 02:27:28.707
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call

02:27:28.707 --> 02:27:32.098
the next speaker.

02:27:32.098 --> 02:27:35.108
Next we have Ellen. No, last name given Ellen. Your

02:27:35.108 --> 02:27:39.947
line is open. Hi, how are you? Uh thank you for hearing

02:27:39.947 --> 02:27:44.128
me. I've been in the Securities and Exchange Commission

02:27:44.138 --> 02:27:47.717
job realm for years and I've watched these filings

02:27:47.727 --> 02:27:52.477
for years. And know that they are strictly out for profit.

02:27:52.487 --> 02:27:57.308
I've been reading and following them. Um, their major

02:27:57.308 --> 02:28:03.767
shareholders are Vanguard, Blackrock uh zero just to

02:28:03.767 --> 02:28:07.088
name a couple and they are also the same shareholders

02:28:07.098 --> 02:28:11.558
major shareholders as the pipeline companies that uh

02:28:12.277 --> 02:28:17.608
that these, that Sempra uses to court in their gas. That guy

02:28:17.618 --> 02:28:22.608
gets a dollar paycheck and, and I listened to the earlier

02:28:22.608 --> 02:28:27.038
call and also was agreeing with everyone. I know you

02:28:27.038 --> 02:28:30.828
guys were all appointed by Mr. Newsom. And I know he

02:28:30.828 --> 02:28:33.957
has an agenda to get rid of our gas and I think

02:28:33.957 --> 02:28:37.507
they are definitely trying to make a dollar before

02:28:37.507 --> 02:28:42.737
they are shut down. So please do not vote for this.

02:28:42.747 --> 02:28:46.527
They have the money as you know, we can see their filings.

02:28:46.527 --> 02:28:52.848
We can see that the main shareholder made $400,000 and

02:28:52.848 --> 02:28:57.048
just his profit sharing from last year to this year

02:28:57.068 --> 02:29:02.737
has 8 million, 503 shares. That's 401K alone,

02:29:02.747 --> 02:29:07.767
that's not his personal. So I'm just telling you this

02:29:07.767 --> 02:29:11.177
is all profit. This has nothing to do with the ratepayers

02:29:11.187 --> 02:29:15.908
and please vote no.

02:29:15.908 --> 02:29:19.838
Thank you. Thank you for your comments. Operator, please

02:29:19.838 --> 02:29:24.038
call the next speaker. Next we have Emma Leach. Emma,

02:29:24.048 --> 02:29:28.808
your line is not open. Yes, thank you. I appreciate

02:29:28.818 --> 02:29:31.538
the opportunity to speak. As everyone else has

02:29:31.548 --> 02:29:35.908
mentioned there should be no rate increase. My increase

02:29:35.908 --> 02:29:38.767
has been the last three or four months. Now, I've learned

02:29:38.767 --> 02:29:40.937
it doesn't matter what you turn off or turn on your

02:29:40.937 --> 02:29:43.717
rate is still going to be the same. Good example, I

02:29:43.717 --> 02:29:46.707
was out of town in December for 15 days, rate didn't

02:29:46.707 --> 02:29:50.898
go down investment and lower. It is the audacity to

02:29:50.898 --> 02:29:53.917
ask some more money after they are drained, we can

02:29:53.917 --> 02:29:56.868
hardly pay our bill. That's the time I paid my bill

02:29:56.868 --> 02:30:00.618
every month. Um, just keep it on now because

02:30:00.618 --> 02:30:03.068
I realize that I paid everything in light bill. I wouldn't

02:30:03.068 --> 02:30:06.858
have food or a place to live. So I reversed that I

02:30:06.858 --> 02:30:09.878
pay mortgage first. I need some place to live. I may

02:30:09.878 --> 02:30:12.697
not have heat, which I don't most of the time. And

02:30:12.697 --> 02:30:16.368
that is ridiculous to live in this country, live in

02:30:16.368 --> 02:30:18.947
your home, but you can't put the heater on. Because

02:30:18.947 --> 02:30:21.348
when the bill comes, you would be sick just looking

02:30:21.348 --> 02:30:24.558
at it. And even though we asked tonight, no increase

02:30:24.568 --> 02:30:26.808
we know pretty much the money speaks, it will probably

02:30:26.808 --> 02:30:29.687
be an increase. But it's horrible. Each month my bill

02:30:29.687 --> 02:30:34.937
grew up $100 more, $100 more. Eventually you just can't

02:30:34.937 --> 02:30:38.257
pay that kind of bill. And anybody in their thinking to

02:30:38.257 --> 02:30:40.507
say let's pass to the members. They've already done

02:30:40.507 --> 02:30:43.088
that. Let's pass some more or less drain them as much

02:30:43.088 --> 02:30:48.338
as we can. Insensitive callous, non caring and that's

02:30:48.338 --> 02:30:52.558
a bad place to be. Thank you.

02:30:52.558 --> 02:30:55.408
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call the

02:30:55.408 --> 02:30:59.638
next speaker. Next we have Donna Tailbone. Donna. Your

02:30:59.638 --> 02:31:03.138
line is now open. Hi, good evening. And thank you for

02:31:03.138 --> 02:31:07.747
this opportunity. Um as with many of the speakers that

02:31:07.747 --> 02:31:10.477
have come previously or that I've heard previously.

02:31:10.487 --> 02:31:14.308
Um I agree with every single thing they have said.

02:31:14.318 --> 02:31:18.888
Um I vehemently oppose this increase and I ask CPUC

02:31:18.888 --> 02:31:23.007
to deny this. Um, the rate requests that are being

02:31:23.007 --> 02:31:25.957
asked over the next four years are much higher than

02:31:25.957 --> 02:31:29.318
anyone's paycheck ever gets over any of the years.

02:31:29.328 --> 02:31:32.927
Let alone uh those people that are on fixed incomes.

02:31:32.937 --> 02:31:38.288
Um these rate increases also don't even come close

02:31:38.298 --> 02:31:42.997
to the so called credits that SDG& E claim that

02:31:42.997 --> 02:31:46.108
they're going to provide. There was a woman earlier

02:31:46.118 --> 02:31:49.927
in the commenting section. Who talked about, you know,

02:31:49.927 --> 02:31:52.967
they probably really increased what they really want

02:31:53.118 --> 02:31:57.257
so that they could come down. Um and then think, oh

02:31:57.257 --> 02:31:59.167
gee, this will be, you know, we've, we've made the

02:31:59.167 --> 02:32:03.267
compromise by coming lower. Um I don't think CPUC should

02:32:03.267 --> 02:32:06.767
give any kind of increase whatsoever. They need to

02:32:06.767 --> 02:32:09.588
deny it completely. There was a woman earlier in the

02:32:09.588 --> 02:32:14.027
hearing who talked about no profits. I had to laugh

02:32:14.048 --> 02:32:18.257
You're claiming no profits. Give me a break. Um SDG&E

02:32:18.257 --> 02:32:23.658
any um and Sempra Energy, their a monopoly. And at least

02:32:23.658 --> 02:32:25.937
to my knowledge, I thought monopolies were against

02:32:25.937 --> 02:32:28.088
the law. And I thought that many, many

02:32:28.088 --> 02:32:31.878
years ago, decades ago that was, there was a law put

02:32:31.878 --> 02:32:36.608
into place to prevent that from happening. Um these

02:32:36.608 --> 02:32:41.967
rate increases. Uh these, these requests simply simply

02:32:41.967 --> 02:32:46.257
simply are just corporate greed at its finest. And

02:32:46.257 --> 02:32:49.128
these profits that are being made by Sempra Energy

02:32:49.138 --> 02:32:53.507
and SDG&E. They should be used to repair and to

02:32:53.517 --> 02:32:57.957
update the infrastructure and not be. Um and the increases

02:32:57.957 --> 02:33:02.197
should not come on the backs of the consumers and just.

02:33:02.207 --> 02:33:07.977
In closing, to whom much has been given much is expected.

02:33:07.987 --> 02:33:13.217
So be careful. All of these companies that are profiteering

02:33:13.217 --> 02:33:16.038
off of the backs of the consumers. Thank you and good

02:33:16.038 --> 02:33:18.207
evening.

02:33:18.207 --> 02:33:20.277
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call

02:33:20.277 --> 02:33:25.017
the next speaker. Next we have Kendall Polio. Kendall,

02:33:25.017 --> 02:33:30.257
your line is now open. Thank you. My name is Kendall Polio,

02:33:30.257 --> 02:33:34.917
and I live in Encinitas, California. I wanted to express my support

02:33:34.927 --> 02:33:38.618
for SDG&E in this case. Specifically, I'd like

02:33:38.618 --> 02:33:41.828
to recognize the investment that SDG&E has been

02:33:41.828 --> 02:33:45.727
placing on the environment and wildfire mitigation.

02:33:45.737 --> 02:33:48.937
I have seen firsthand how important environmental due

02:33:48.937 --> 02:33:52.707
diligence, environmental analysis and the compliance

02:33:52.717 --> 02:33:56.757
on construction of the projects are to SDG&E. And

02:33:56.757 --> 02:34:00.358
this is from cradle to grave there has been strong

02:34:00.358 --> 02:34:03.518
emphasis on undergoing a thorough environmental process

02:34:03.527 --> 02:34:07.018
from early planning stages through construction compliance

02:34:07.018 --> 02:34:10.908
of projects and into operation and maintenance of projects

02:34:10.918 --> 02:34:14.067
So it's important to recognize and acknowledge the

02:34:14.067 --> 02:34:16.888
environmental stewardship and environmental technologies

02:34:16.897 --> 02:34:21.927
being implemented by SDG&E. I also think it's extremely

02:34:21.927 --> 02:34:24.947
important to recognize the wildfire mitigation programs

02:34:24.947 --> 02:34:29.958
that are committed. These programs are essential um

02:34:29.967 --> 02:34:32.638
part of what SDG&E has been working on for the

02:34:32.638 --> 02:34:37.677
past years. It's been reassuring to csg any take wildfire

02:34:37.677 --> 02:34:41.607
mitigation seriously. Um They use drone technology

02:34:41.618 --> 02:34:44.458
They've been replacing what polls clearing vegetation

02:34:44.467 --> 02:34:47.868
and strategic under grounding. We all know what can

02:34:47.877 --> 02:34:51.248
happen if we ignore wildfire mitigation and then it's

02:34:51.257 --> 02:34:55.447
too late. So I think it's essential that both environmental

02:34:55.458 --> 02:34:58.998
and fire mitigation stay in the forefront of planning

02:34:59.007 --> 02:35:02.067
and implementation of projects in the years to come.

02:35:02.908 --> 02:35:07.518
Thank you very much for allowing me to speak.

02:35:07.518 --> 02:35:10.067
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call

02:35:10.067 --> 02:35:13.168
the next speaker.

02:35:13.168 --> 02:35:15.868
Next we have Suzanne Southpole, Suzanne, your line

02:35:15.868 --> 02:35:20.677
is now open. Thank you. It's Suzanne Southwell, S. O.

02:35:20.677 --> 02:35:25.728
U. T. H. W. E. L. L, in Escondido. I wanted you

02:35:25.728 --> 02:35:29.067
to know I am totally against this rate increase. They

02:35:29.067 --> 02:35:31.507
have had sufficient rate increases. As a matter of

02:35:31.507 --> 02:35:35.737
fact, I've never, never noticed that the CPUC has

02:35:35.748 --> 02:35:39.607
ever denied a rate increase or even a reduction in

02:35:39.607 --> 02:35:43.418
the rate increase. So perhaps you would be better called

02:35:43.418 --> 02:35:47.257
the California Private Utilities Commission. Because

02:35:47.268 --> 02:35:51.777
this company is only interested in their private works

02:35:51.788 --> 02:35:58.118
and not being um, a public company in the real sense.

02:35:58.127 --> 02:36:01.268
If I wasn't on a fixed, I am out of fixed income.

02:36:01.268 --> 02:36:04.777
And if I didn't have low housing costs, I wouldn't

02:36:04.777 --> 02:36:08.228
be able to afford the bills I have. These people haven't

02:36:08.228 --> 02:36:10.757
been audited. They are spending money on political

02:36:10.757 --> 02:36:14.578
contributions and those that agitate for their cause

02:36:14.587 --> 02:36:18.558
to various political groups and chambers and city councils

02:36:18.558 --> 02:36:21.797
and they're not spending the money on equipment and

02:36:21.797 --> 02:36:25.647
on the good of the people. Please vote no on this

02:36:25.647 --> 02:36:28.797
rate increase. You owe it to the public. Thank you.

02:36:31.277 --> 02:36:33.507
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call

02:36:33.507 --> 02:36:37.737
the next speaker. Next we have Perry Slon. Perry, your

02:36:37.737 --> 02:36:40.388
line is now open.

02:36:40.388 --> 02:36:45.777
Thank you for taking my call. I'm 86 years old. My

02:36:45.777 --> 02:36:51.138
bill went from $200 to $1,000 in like 4, 5 months.

02:36:52.127 --> 02:36:55.558
I'm just going to add to what was said that I agree

02:36:55.567 --> 02:36:59.427
against the rate. I think it should also be on the

02:36:59.427 --> 02:37:02.547
table to reduce it to what it was before they raised

02:37:02.547 --> 02:37:07.458
it like 3, 4 months ago. And I did call SDG&E,

02:37:07.458 --> 02:37:10.067
after an hour and a half. I got somebody to answer

02:37:10.067 --> 02:37:14.438
the phone, and I left a message for them too. They said

02:37:14.447 --> 02:37:20.217
as an excuse, the representative said. But

02:37:20.217 --> 02:37:23.348
he cannot do much because they are paying so much more

02:37:23.348 --> 02:37:26.408
for the gas. And I said, well, if you can do to

02:37:26.418 --> 02:37:30.127
take the recorded message to the PUC, take it to the White

02:37:30.127 --> 02:37:33.647
House. Because the source of the problem of the oil

02:37:33.647 --> 02:37:37.438
inflation that that's happening all over. Is the lead

02:37:37.438 --> 02:37:41.007
of the oil company and the gas company. That just went

02:37:41.007 --> 02:37:45.147
to triple or quadruple the price of their product.

02:37:45.158 --> 02:37:49.918
Which is national treasurer that belongs to the American

02:37:49.918 --> 02:37:54.607
people. America should be the first to enjoy this and

02:37:54.618 --> 02:37:57.647
they cannot raise the price just because across the

02:37:57.647 --> 02:38:01.748
ocean, other countries are raising the prices. So I

02:38:01.748 --> 02:38:05.047
want to see what you can do and raise it to the

02:38:05.058 --> 02:38:09.757
presidential level. And so it doesn't happen again.

02:38:09.768 --> 02:38:13.507
And it will stop because they set a path for everybody

02:38:13.507 --> 02:38:18.147
to raise prices for another cycle of price increases.

02:38:18.158 --> 02:38:23.047
And also I think appropriate will be to refund the

02:38:23.047 --> 02:38:26.248
money that they took that they should have taken. And

02:38:26.257 --> 02:38:29.078
while doing that and wondering how did they raise

02:38:29.087 --> 02:38:32.647
the price the way they did. Before this hearing, before

02:38:32.647 --> 02:38:36.158
the PUC could react on it. Thank you very much for

02:38:36.158 --> 02:38:38.708
listening.

02:38:38.708 --> 02:38:42.558
Have a great day. Bye, bye. Thank you for your comments.

02:38:42.567 --> 02:38:45.947
Operator, please call the next speaker. Next we have

02:38:45.947 --> 02:38:55.567
Dolla Brown, Dolla, your line is open.

02:38:55.567 --> 02:39:01.558
Do you mean, can you hear me? Yes, we can. Oh, he's

02:39:01.558 --> 02:39:04.927
pronounced my name wrong. I'm sorry. Um It's Star, S.

02:39:04.938 --> 02:39:10.438
T. A. R. Brown, B. R. O. W. N. uh, Spring Valley,

02:39:10.438 --> 02:39:15.688
California. And I'm calling to um, advocate against

02:39:15.697 --> 02:39:20.967
uh, the increases as well. Um, our gas bill has been

02:39:20.978 --> 02:39:25.197
between the last three months, over $1300. That's over

02:39:25.197 --> 02:39:30.027
$400 a month. Our electricity thanks to having solar

02:39:30.038 --> 02:39:34.348
you know, has kind of been around a negative balance.

02:39:34.357 --> 02:39:39.107
But once we threw up, our electricity has gone at the

02:39:39.118 --> 02:39:42.558
next estimated bill is, um, almost $300. So that would

02:39:42.558 --> 02:39:46.138
put us at almost $1000 for our gas and electric come

02:39:46.138 --> 02:39:52.217
next month. Um we have upgraded twice two solar panels.

02:39:52.228 --> 02:39:54.757
Um two different solar panel installations trying to

02:39:54.757 --> 02:39:59.618
beat, you know, the cost of the electricity. Um previously

02:39:59.618 --> 02:40:02.408
SDG&E didn't even communicate with us that, you know

02:40:02.408 --> 02:40:05.478
if we upgraded our panel the second time. That we would

02:40:05.478 --> 02:40:09.208
be forced into the round 2.0, which took us out of

02:40:09.208 --> 02:40:11.697
the grandfather's system. They allowed, they spoke

02:40:11.697 --> 02:40:15.217
with us both to cut the solar company and SDG&E allowed us

02:40:15.228 --> 02:40:18.067
to make the change. Did not give us any information

02:40:18.067 --> 02:40:22.288
as to what we have and how it would remove us, you

02:40:22.288 --> 02:40:26.208
know, and bump us into the next charge. So we got screwed

02:40:26.208 --> 02:40:29.357
over with that as well. Um you know, no matter what

02:40:29.357 --> 02:40:32.397
we try to do to beat the cost, can you get

02:40:32.397 --> 02:40:35.697
him, please? No matter what we try to do to beat the

02:40:35.697 --> 02:40:39.478
cost of, you know, the rising cost, cost of electricity.

02:40:39.487 --> 02:40:42.288
They're determined to not allow solar customers, customers

02:40:42.288 --> 02:40:45.788
to save money. Every time you find a way to save, they

02:40:45.797 --> 02:40:48.877
find a way to screw you over again. We also have a

02:40:48.877 --> 02:40:51.308
medical baseline that we use and that doesn't make

02:40:51.308 --> 02:40:54.958
a difference. Um you know, they claim that infrastructure

02:40:54.967 --> 02:40:58.138
is the reason that they're making all of these increases.

02:40:58.147 --> 02:41:00.788
But when you look at every other state in the United

02:41:00.788 --> 02:41:04.487
States, you know, no one else has rates higher than

02:41:04.487 --> 02:41:07.578
us and they're able to make it work. You know, I encourage

02:41:07.578 --> 02:41:11.848
everyone to go to um bls.gov. That's boy,

02:41:11.848 --> 02:41:15.248
Lincoln.gov. And look at the difference in the cost

02:41:15.248 --> 02:41:18.418
of rates in states like Chicago, you know where it's

02:41:18.427 --> 02:41:20.697
almost the coldest state in the country and they're

02:41:20.697 --> 02:41:25.947
charged 15 cents per kilowatt for electricity and 1.26

02:41:25.947 --> 02:41:28.978
cents for gas. And these are the places where it snows

02:41:28.978 --> 02:41:31.677
in the winter and they have blizzards and yet our rates

02:41:31.688 --> 02:41:36.897
are twice as high as all of them. Thank you. Thank

02:41:36.897 --> 02:41:43.168
you. Operator, please call the next speaker.

02:41:43.168 --> 02:41:48.388
Next we have Berta Ticnado, your line is now open.

02:41:48.388 --> 02:41:54.357
Good afternoon. My name is Berta Ticnado, T. I. C. N. A. D O,

02:41:54.368 --> 02:41:58.268
and I'm from San Diego. I work for a nonprofit organization

02:41:58.268 --> 02:42:01.797
supporting cancer patient. And I'm here to express

02:42:01.808 --> 02:42:05.348
my gratitude to San Diego Gas and Electric and their

02:42:05.348 --> 02:42:08.627
programs that benefit our cancer patient in San Diego

02:42:08.627 --> 02:42:12.768
Kearny. Thanks to the baseline. We were able to register

02:42:12.768 --> 02:42:15.828
more than 2000 patients that benefit with more than

02:42:15.837 --> 02:42:20.518
40% discount without checking their income. That means

02:42:20.527 --> 02:42:23.967
this program, they are not asking for income and the

02:42:23.978 --> 02:42:29.598
patient can be with A/C or with the heating with

02:42:29.598 --> 02:42:34.788
no high cost. And they provide a very quality of life.

02:42:34.797 --> 02:42:38.578
But also (inaudible) was able to help us with more

02:42:38.578 --> 02:42:43.067
than 500 patients and families with their bills. When

02:42:43.067 --> 02:42:46.368
there was not able to pay that, that was very helpful

02:42:46.368 --> 02:42:50.518
and very easy. They had the application online and

02:42:50.518 --> 02:42:54.308
for us, we was very easy just to download and print

02:42:54.308 --> 02:42:58.828
it. And it is only a few questions. Very simple that

02:42:58.828 --> 02:43:02.978
we was able to the patient, able to, to answer it in

02:43:02.978 --> 02:43:07.647
send to San Diego Gas and Electric. We have very,

02:43:07.647 --> 02:43:11.487
very thankful for all the service and all the benefits

02:43:11.498 --> 02:43:16.817
for our community in San Diego. Thank you.

02:43:16.817 --> 02:43:19.188
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call the

02:43:19.188 --> 02:43:23.938
next speaker on line. Next we have Vivian DePaula. Vivian

02:43:23.938 --> 02:43:28.127
your line is open. Thank you. Um I don't need to repeat

02:43:28.127 --> 02:43:31.547
what everybody else has expressed. In the horror and

02:43:31.547 --> 02:43:35.598
the shock and the disgust of the amount of profits

02:43:35.598 --> 02:43:38.897
that SDG&E makes and Sempra, Sempra Energy.

02:43:39.498 --> 02:43:45.237
The bonuses, those bonuses come from our rates, dividends

02:43:45.248 --> 02:43:49.397
come from our rates, the profits come from our rates.

02:43:49.408 --> 02:43:55.277
That's us paying that money. But what is also horrifying

02:43:55.277 --> 02:44:00.447
is the company is not being audited for things like

02:44:00.458 --> 02:44:04.728
campaign contributions, millions and millions of dollars.

02:44:04.737 --> 02:44:08.248
So that candidates will shut up about rate increases.

02:44:08.458 --> 02:44:11.138
The same with the money that goes with partnerships

02:44:11.147 --> 02:44:14.578
to nonprofits and corporations and money that goes

02:44:14.578 --> 02:44:17.168
to the city and county. That's really, really nice

02:44:17.168 --> 02:44:21.328
isn't it? But that's our money, that's our money that's

02:44:21.337 --> 02:44:25.918
being paid to shut up the corporations and the nonprofits

02:44:25.927 --> 02:44:30.277
and the city and the and the political candidates. That's

02:44:30.277 --> 02:44:34.677
hush money basically. So the audit is really, really

02:44:34.677 --> 02:44:38.127
important. Where is all this money going? We're making

02:44:38.138 --> 02:44:41.308
billions of dollars. Okay. It's going to pay profits

02:44:41.308 --> 02:44:45.277
and shareholders and high salaries. That's great. It's

02:44:45.288 --> 02:44:47.967
also money that could be reinvested as everybody else

02:44:47.967 --> 02:44:52.127
has said. Back into infrastructure and it should be

02:44:52.138 --> 02:44:59.788
reinvested and not paid out in dividends. So I don't

02:44:59.788 --> 02:45:04.297
need to repeat what everybody else has said on unaffordability.

02:45:04.297 --> 02:45:08.837
But it has gotten to the point where housing is unaffordable

02:45:08.837 --> 02:45:12.547
but the utilities to run the houses is making it even

02:45:12.547 --> 02:45:15.418
more so. And that is just increasing our homelessness

02:45:15.418 --> 02:45:20.388
problem and dragging people out of California. Thank

02:45:20.388 --> 02:45:23.418
you.

02:45:23.418 --> 02:45:28.447
Thank you. Operator, please call the next speaker.

02:45:28.447 --> 02:45:32.328
We have John with no last name given. John with no last

02:45:32.328 --> 02:45:37.998
name given your line is open.

02:45:37.998 --> 02:45:40.717
I'm just gonna ask this customer how much they like

02:45:40.717 --> 02:45:54.078
online shopping. John, your line is open, sir.

02:45:54.078 --> 02:46:00.308
Once again, John, your line is open.

02:46:00.308 --> 02:46:05.668
It's like I'm just Googling offense.

02:46:05.668 --> 02:46:10.728
Next up we have, uh Morris De Nosa. Your line is now

02:46:10.728 --> 02:46:13.067
open.

02:46:13.067 --> 02:46:17.467
Hi, my name is Marco Espinoza.

02:46:17.467 --> 02:46:20.777
Chula Vista, California. You can find me on Facebook at Marco

02:46:20.788 --> 02:46:25.647
A Espinoza, the second. I just want to know that. I'm, there's

02:46:25.647 --> 02:46:29.098
been over 60 people who have spoken before me. And only

02:46:29.107 --> 02:46:31.768
6 of them have been in support and I've been taking

02:46:31.768 --> 02:46:35.007
notes, pen and paper notes. Um, everything that people

02:46:35.007 --> 02:46:38.107
have been saying names where they're from and only

02:46:38.107 --> 02:46:40.337
six people have come in support. One of them was from

02:46:40.337 --> 02:46:42.598
a member of the Chamber of Commerce, Commerce from

02:46:42.598 --> 02:46:45.078
I believe it was Ocean Side. Two of them were union

02:46:45.078 --> 02:46:49.158
workers for SDG&E, another one did not say where

02:46:49.158 --> 02:46:52.297
she was from. And the last one worked for the cancer

02:46:52.308 --> 02:46:56.598
um the cancer clinic. Anyways, I've lived in Sandy

02:46:56.598 --> 02:46:58.967
I'm born and raised San Diego, California and I've

02:46:58.967 --> 02:47:01.027
lived here all my life except for 6 years when I

02:47:01.027 --> 02:47:03.377
left for the military. And now I'm back in San Diego.

02:47:03.388 --> 02:47:07.268
And again, San Diego has always been known for, unfortunately

02:47:07.268 --> 02:47:09.478
having bad roads, but the mayor I know is doing something

02:47:09.478 --> 02:47:12.897
about it. And SDG&E has always been known for being

02:47:12.897 --> 02:47:15.837
an absolutely horrible company. Absolutely horrible

02:47:15.837 --> 02:47:18.578
company. And now to learn about the California Public

02:47:18.578 --> 02:47:21.478
Utilities Commission, it may have the seal, the great

02:47:21.478 --> 02:47:24.337
state of California and I love my state. But this body

02:47:24.337 --> 02:47:26.197
this Commission is just a bunch of bureaucrats. That

02:47:26.197 --> 02:47:30.098
clearly represents only Sempra Energy. Governor Reynolds,

02:47:30.107 --> 02:47:35.067
and the CEO of SDG&E whose name is Jeffrey Walker

02:47:35.078 --> 02:47:39.677
Martin. There's a reason the expression exists, feed

02:47:39.677 --> 02:47:43.047
the poor, eat the rich. And I don't mean that literally

02:47:43.047 --> 02:47:46.668
I mean that figuratively. But listen to everything

02:47:46.668 --> 02:47:50.578
that everyone has said this entire session from all

02:47:50.578 --> 02:47:52.897
the notes I've been taking. This, this is America.

02:47:52.908 --> 02:47:56.397
This quite literally is America at its current and

02:47:56.397 --> 02:47:59.777
its finest. Apparently, that's great. This is my country

02:47:59.777 --> 02:48:03.877
This is who I served. Absolutely not. I do not accept

02:48:03.877 --> 02:48:07.848
this 100%. Do not. So when, so when that that scary

02:48:07.848 --> 02:48:11.237
word that people like to call Bernie Sanders, a socialist.

02:48:11.467 --> 02:48:15.317
When I say that this company and this Commission needs

02:48:15.317 --> 02:48:18.427
to be turned over and actually be made into a Public

02:48:18.438 --> 02:48:21.828
Commission, a public company owned by the government

02:48:21.837 --> 02:48:25.288
owned by the public. That is why because profit over

02:48:25.288 --> 02:48:32.047
grade is unacceptable. I'm done.

02:48:32.047 --> 02:48:37.467
Thank you. Operator, please call the next speaker. Next

02:48:37.467 --> 02:48:41.658
we have John Domenick, John, your line is now open.

02:48:43.768 --> 02:48:46.828
Thank you for your time and we allow us to speak folks.

02:48:46.837 --> 02:48:51.038
My name is John J D Domenichelli. That's D. O. M. E.

02:48:51.038 --> 02:48:55.368
N. I. C. H. E. L. L. I. I do work for a

02:48:55.368 --> 02:48:57.837
small woman owned business that does provide direct

02:48:57.837 --> 02:49:01.567
services to any part of their supplier diversity program

02:49:01.567 --> 02:49:06.288
that was spoken about earlier. Our employees, our ratepayers

02:49:06.297 --> 02:49:09.328
and work live and work in the SDG&E territory.

02:49:09.697 --> 02:49:14.027
Uh many of the initiatives that are left here are significant

02:49:14.038 --> 02:49:16.857
California requirements to meet our climate goals.

02:49:16.868 --> 02:49:20.368
uh address our aging infrastructure and many of these

02:49:20.368 --> 02:49:22.947
items require significant upgrades, improvements to

02:49:22.947 --> 02:49:27.458
meet mandated requirements along with safety, reliability

02:49:27.467 --> 02:49:30.217
and especially in the areas of wildfire mitigation

02:49:30.228 --> 02:49:33.438
battery, energy storage, resiliency and meeting the

02:49:33.438 --> 02:49:36.188
increased demand. Part of California's increases in

02:49:36.197 --> 02:49:39.768
electrification. We provide project management, financial

02:49:39.768 --> 02:49:42.478
controls on many of the projects currently being delivered.

02:49:42.487 --> 02:49:45.857
SDG&E does have significant demands for strict management

02:49:45.857 --> 02:49:49.688
oversight of all of those projects and finances. Were

02:49:49.688 --> 02:49:52.697
continually seeking to improve processes and efficiencies

02:49:52.708 --> 02:49:56.007
to deliver more cost effective projects. And recognize

02:49:56.018 --> 02:49:59.337
that daily cost management is a key component of every

02:49:59.337 --> 02:50:03.697
project success. Since we support the key initiatives

02:50:03.697 --> 02:50:06.047
were keenly aware of the need to meet our climate goals.

02:50:06.058 --> 02:50:08.947
But more importantly, it's a discipline that SDG&E

02:50:08.947 --> 02:50:11.618
the ratepayers demand for cost effective delivery for

02:50:11.618 --> 02:50:15.188
all the work. As ratepayers were keenly aware of this.

02:50:15.337 --> 02:50:18.257
Um so we understand everyone's concerns and our work

02:50:18.257 --> 02:50:20.817
is focused on delivering the safe, efficient and cost

02:50:20.817 --> 02:50:23.728
effective projects. That meet the stated goals that

02:50:23.728 --> 02:50:26.527
benefit all of us while employing local professionals.

02:50:26.538 --> 02:50:29.418
We do in fact support the GRC submission and support

02:50:29.418 --> 02:50:32.498
these initiatives to meet our goals for safety, reliability

02:50:32.498 --> 02:50:35.668
and resiliency. And I appreciate the time for me today.

02:50:35.677 --> 02:50:39.197
Thank you.

02:50:39.197 --> 02:50:41.947
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call

02:50:41.958 --> 02:50:46.188
the next speaker. Next we have Mark Mcallister. Mark,

02:50:46.188 --> 02:50:51.147
your line is now open. Thank you. This is Mark McAllister,

02:50:51.158 --> 02:50:55.098
M. C. A. L. L. I. S. T. E. R from Vista.

02:50:56.877 --> 02:51:00.208
My wife and I are lucky enough to have installed a

02:51:00.208 --> 02:51:06.897
solar system in 2019 under NEM 2.0. We have

02:51:06.897 --> 02:51:10.188
reportedly paid the wholesale rate of approximately

02:51:10.188 --> 02:51:14.808
four cents per kilowatt hour for the 2400 excess kilowatt

02:51:14.808 --> 02:51:18.978
hours. We send back to the grid each year. I'd like

02:51:18.978 --> 02:51:22.578
to understand why at the wholesale cost of approximately

02:51:22.578 --> 02:51:26.638
four cents per kilowatt hour, SDG&E cannot make

02:51:26.638 --> 02:51:31.578
enough profit. When they're charging 65 cents per kilowatt

02:51:31.578 --> 02:51:36.737
hour during the summer. Many other utilities in California

02:51:36.737 --> 02:51:39.897
and other states managed to run their utilities and

02:51:39.897 --> 02:51:42.938
make a profit while selling their electricity at one

02:51:42.938 --> 02:51:47.007
quarter of that cost. Instead of approving this rate

02:51:47.007 --> 02:51:52.058
increase. Why not ask SDG&E what they need

02:51:52.058 --> 02:51:56.638
to do to make their operations more efficient and effective

02:51:56.647 --> 02:52:00.908
with the earnings they currently have. As you can tell

02:52:00.908 --> 02:52:08.377
I'm against this proposed rate increase. And as a taxpaying

02:52:08.377 --> 02:52:12.418
member of the public, I ask that the Public Utilities

02:52:12.418 --> 02:52:19.527
Commission deny this request. Thank you.

02:52:19.527 --> 02:52:22.708
Thank you for your comments. Operator, please call the

02:52:22.708 --> 02:52:25.478
next speaker on line.

02:52:25.478 --> 02:52:29.288
Our next caller is Truth. Truth, your line is now open.

02:52:30.527 --> 02:52:34.487
Great. My name's Truth in San Diego. On the SDG&E

02:52:34.487 --> 02:52:38.757
page about this forum, it says quote "SDG&E is requesting

02:52:38.757 --> 02:52:41.538
to increase revenues. The cumulative requested revenue

02:52:41.538 --> 02:52:45.717
increases about $1.35 billion. This will impact your

02:52:45.717 --> 02:52:48.728
monthly bill." End quote. That's what they talk about

02:52:48.728 --> 02:52:52.728
us all about the revenue, not customers. SDG&E is

02:52:52.728 --> 02:52:55.208
making themselves billionaires while they revert to

02:52:55.208 --> 02:52:57.958
poor peasants in the dark ages with no electricity.

02:52:57.967 --> 02:53:00.817
And the California Public Utilities Commission allows

02:53:00.817 --> 02:53:04.677
this monopoly. This is why the parent company of SDG&E

02:53:04.677 --> 02:53:08.788
is Sempra Energy. Sempra is a world economic foreign partner

02:53:08.797 --> 02:53:13.018
who pushes totalitarian, fascist ideas such as the infiltration

02:53:13.018 --> 02:53:15.348
of countries governments with their members. People

02:53:15.348 --> 02:53:17.918
like San Diego County Supervisor, Nathan Fletcher or

02:53:17.918 --> 02:53:20.947
California, Governor Gavin Newsom and things like carbon

02:53:20.947 --> 02:53:24.467
taxes, mind control using sound waves, Pfizer pills

02:53:24.467 --> 02:53:27.447
with microchips, cricket, the so called sustainable

02:53:27.447 --> 02:53:30.697
food, trans humanism, making sure people own nothing

02:53:30.697 --> 02:53:33.938
and have no privacy by 2030. Smartphones planted

02:53:33.947 --> 02:53:36.927
into people's bodies and car control schemes such as

02:53:36.938 --> 02:53:39.228
parking fees, emission fees, congestion fees, curb

02:53:39.368 --> 02:53:42.857
zone fees, vehicle type, vehicle size fees, trip fees

02:53:42.857 --> 02:53:45.168
per ride and tracking people's cars through the use

02:53:45.177 --> 02:53:49.447
of 5G internet censors. But hey SDG&E offered

02:53:49.447 --> 02:53:52.697
what amounted to a $100 bribe to keep the $1000 plus

02:53:52.708 --> 02:53:56.208
increase in everyone's bill. How kind of the mafia.

02:53:56.217 --> 02:53:59.197
We've got rates that amounts to complete discrimination

02:53:59.197 --> 02:54:02.317
against the elderly, working families, the underserved

02:54:02.328 --> 02:54:05.158
the disadvantage of the disabled and everyone else.

02:54:05.717 --> 02:54:08.688
The prices SDG&E are charging are already an electric

02:54:08.697 --> 02:54:11.518
bill. That cost the same as a house payment and an

02:54:11.518 --> 02:54:14.047
even higher costs and all of the other bills combined.

02:54:14.058 --> 02:54:17.018
You guys are literally and intentionally putting people

02:54:17.018 --> 02:54:20.538
in the dark. Because that puts SDG &Es parent company

02:54:20.547 --> 02:54:23.677
Sempra's partner, the World Economic Forum and the

02:54:23.677 --> 02:54:27.098
goal of everyone owning nothing. SDG&E and their

02:54:27.098 --> 02:54:29.308
parent company Sempra. Want us to end up just like

02:54:29.308 --> 02:54:32.748
Europe with no heat, no electricity, no gas to cook

02:54:32.757 --> 02:54:36.808
nothing. We're not happy and you can shove your tyrannical

02:54:36.808 --> 02:54:49.777
green future fees. Absolutely. No.

02:54:49.777 --> 02:54:53.708
Thank you for your comments. Truth.

02:54:53.708 --> 02:54:58.817
Um Looks like um, um, just a quick check with the operator.

02:54:58.828 --> 02:55:02.257
Do we have other speakers on the line? Your Honor,

02:55:02.257 --> 02:55:04.567
there are no more speakers on the public comment telephone

02:55:04.567 --> 02:55:09.728
line at this time. Okay. Thank you. So, with that,

02:55:09.737 --> 02:55:13.888
I would like to thank all the public speakers and all

02:55:13.888 --> 02:55:18.587
those who participated at the Public Participation

02:55:18.587 --> 02:55:21.098
Hearing today.

02:55:21.098 --> 02:55:23.998
If you would like to provide additional comments, you

02:55:23.998 --> 02:55:27.038
may submit written comments on the docket card for

02:55:27.038 --> 02:55:30.237
this proceeding. Which can be found on the Commission's

02:55:30.237 --> 02:55:35.677
website at apps.cpuc.

02:55:35.677 --> 02:55:44.498
ca.gov/c/A2205016.

02:55:45.507 --> 02:55:48.638
And for assistance with providing additional comments

02:55:48.647 --> 02:55:52.277
please contact the Commission's Public Advisor's Office

02:55:52.317 --> 02:56:00.357
at public.advisor@cpuc.ca.gov. Commissioner

02:56:00.357 --> 02:56:04.668
Houck, would you like to make any closing remarks today?

02:56:07.228 --> 02:56:09.777
Um just I wanted to thank you, Judge Lakhanpal

02:56:09.777 --> 02:56:13.018
for your work. The court reporters, our IT Staff,

02:56:13.027 --> 02:56:16.857
um and the public for taking the time to provide feedback

02:56:16.857 --> 02:56:21.777
and comment on the proceeding. Thank you.

02:56:21.777 --> 02:56:24.938
Thank you, and likewise. I want to thank the entire

02:56:24.938 --> 02:56:30.728
team that helps with this uh webex enabled Public Participation

02:56:30.728 --> 02:56:34.927
Hearing. So that we can reach out to our members of

02:56:34.927 --> 02:56:39.897
the public. This concludes our evening Public Participation

02:56:39.897 --> 02:56:42.808
Hearing. We will now be off the record. Thank you very

02:56:42.808 --> 02:56:43.368
much.