Former Executive Director Files Lawsuit Against the California Public Utilities Commission

By: Madison Orcutt On December 4, 2020, the former executive director of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), Alice Stebbins, filed a complaint against the Commission in the San Francisco Superior Court (Alice Stebbins v. California Public Utilities Commission, et Continue reading

California Public Utilities Commission’s Independent Watchdog Recommends $166 Million Fine Against Pacific Gas & Electric (R 18-12-005)

By Tristan Stidham On October 30, 2020, the Public Advocate’s Office (PAO), the consumer protection watchdog of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), recommended a $166 million fine against Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) for failing to warn customers of Continue reading

California Public Utilities Commission Issues Proposal For New Autonomous Vehicle Programs

By Rachel Rockwell On November 19, 2020, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will vote on whether to adopt Commissioner Shiroma’s October 15, 2020, Proposed Decision Authorizing Deployment of Drivered and Driverless Autonomous Vehicle Passenger Service (Rulemaking 12-12-011). The Proposed Continue reading

Public Utilities Commission Considers Regulating the Cost of Telecommunications Services Used by Incarcerated People

By Madison Orcutt At its meeting on October 8, 2020, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) unanimously voted to adopt an Order Instituting Rulemaking (OIR) to Consider Regulating Telecommunications Services Used by Incarcerated People (R.20-10-002) [Agenda Item 10]. The CPUC Continue reading

California Public Utilities Commission Jointly Issues Root Cause Analysis with Other State Agencies Regarding Rolling Blackouts

By Tristan Stidham On October 6, 2020, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued a preliminary “Root Cause Analysis” with respect to California’s August 14 and 15, 2020, rolling blackouts—the first time in nearly 20 years that such outages occurred. Continue reading

California Public Utilities Commission Adopts Framework for Assessing Utility Service Affordability (R.18-07-006)

By Madison Orcutt At its meeting on July 16, 2020, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) unanimously voted to adopt a decision (D.20-07-032) adopting metrics and methodology for assessing the relative affordability of utility service—specifically, electricity, natural gas, water, and Continue reading

California Public Utilities Commission Expands Southern California Edison’s Charge Ready 2 Transportation Electrification Program

By Rachel Rockwell On September 2, 2020, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued D.20-08-045 to authorize Southern California Edison’s (SCE) Charge Ready 2 infrastructure program. With the decision, the Commission approves $436 million in funding toward electric vehicle charge Continue reading

California Public Utilities Commission Approves SDG&E Power Line Despite Opposition of Local Government and Homeowners

By Tristan Stidham On October 5, 2020, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued its final decision granting San Diego Gas & Electric Company’s (SDG&E) request for a permit to construct the Tie Line (TL) 6975, San Marcos to Escondido Continue reading

Public Utilities Commission Dismisses Executive Director Following California Personnel Board Special Investigation Report on Hiring Practices

By Maddie Orcutt At the California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) meeting on August 31, 2020, the CPUC voted to dismiss Executive Director Alice Stebbins in closed session after a public hearing on the matter. Ms. Stebbins had served as the Continue reading

Assembly Revives AB 1350 (Gonzalez), a Proposal to Provide Free Transit Passes to California Youth

By Michael J. Melton AB 1350 (Gonzalez), as amended January 15, 2020, is a two-year bill that would add Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 99100), to Part 11, Division 10 of the Public Utilities Code to require transit agencies statewide Continue reading