Regulators Slap PG&E on the Wrist

California Public Utilities Commission puts stop to some "hardball" tactics

Pacific Gas and Electric's attempts to derail community choice aggregation efforts in Marin County earned it a rebuke from the California Public Utilities Commission.

Marin's program, set to go online this year, is part of efforts by local governments to set up "community choice aggregation" programs to offer public power to residents.

PG&E, which has spent millions trying to stop CCA efforts around the state, was accused of offering sweet deals to cities if they dropped out of the program, and of convincing customers to preemptively opt-out using false and misleading claims.

PG&E denied any wrongdoing, with a spokesperson telling the San Francisco Chronicle that the San Francisco-based company "was in full compliance with the law.

Under the new CPUC rules, anyone who opted out of the Marin program before Feb. 5 will have to opt-out again once the flip is switched on the CCA.

State Senator Mark Leno, who represents San Francisco, responded to the move via Twitter, saying "PG&E must stop threats to public power agencies."

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