PG&E Wants Customers To Pay For Most Of Pipeline Safety Plan
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) – The cost of Pacific Gas and Electric's pipeline safety enhancement plan following the 2010 explosion in San Bruno is expected to top $2 billion and the utility wants its customers to pay for most of it.
When asked about who should pay for the work needed to meet preexisting standards, PG&E Senior Vice President Tom Bottorff said "our shareholders should pay for that work. It's work that should have been done. Our customers shouldn't bear those costs."
KCBS' Chris Filippi Reports:
Bottorff said that would bring the company's share of the cost to nearly $360 million. But he said customers should pay for work that's necessary to meet the new state standards.
Bottorff said that means PG&E wants customers to pay for nearly $1.9 billion of its pipeline plan.
"It would probably add in the range of $1.85 per month to a typical residential bill. For a consumer, that's based on an average use of 37 therms per month," said Bottorff.
But consumer advocates said that pipeline safety is PG&E's responsibility and should be paid for exclusively by shareholders.
State regulators are expected to decide on PG&E's request later this year.
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