Sacramento, CA — The California Public Utilities Commission is set to vote on December 19 on a proposed rate increase by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). The utility company aims to raise funds to expedite new customer connections to the electrical grid. If approved, the hike would add an average of $4.33 per month to residential bills starting in 2026.
PG&E has cited a growing backlog of connection requests as the primary reason for the proposed increase. The company claims that this adjustment will allow them to connect twice as many homes, schools, and hospitals to the grid. This year alone, PG&E says it plans to bring 13,000 new connections online. The utility argues that expanding the customer base over time will help evenly distribute infrastructure and maintenance costs.
However, the proposal has met resistance from The Utility Reform Network (TURN), a consumer advocacy group. TURN contends that customers are already bearing significant financial burdens, with average bills having risen by $50 per month since January. The group argues that additional increases are unwarranted and place undue pressure on households.
PG&E maintains that the rate adjustment is necessary to ensure long-term reliability and support growing demand for grid access.
