By Raj Mathai • Published April 26, 2024 • Updated on April 26, 2024 at 6:28 pm (NBC)
PG&E’s electric rates are now among the highest in the nation following a series of rate hikes earlier this year. Since 2019, the average power bill for PG&E customers has nearly doubled, reaching around $200 a month, excluding natural gas costs.
In a recent interview with NBC Bay Area’s Raj Mathai, PG&E CEO Patricia Poppe acknowledged the company’s strained public reputation. “Our goal this year is to rebuild trust with the people we serve,” she said, emphasizing the importance of earning customer confidence daily.
Despite rising bills, PG&E posted approximately $2 billion in profits last year. Poppe explained that these profits have been reinvested to improve efficiency, reduce wildfire risks, and enhance system reliability. She also mentioned that recent rate hikes were necessary to catch up on critical safety upgrades, but assured that PG&E is working towards lowering costs in the future.
However, Poppe did not provide a timeline for when customers might see lower bills or how much the reductions would be. She highlighted the role of state mandates in driving up costs but noted that PG&E’s investments have reduced wildfire risk by 94%.
While expressing optimism about future cost reductions, Poppe could not specify when customers will experience relief or the exact amount they can expect.
For more details on Poppe’s conversation with Raj Mathai, including discussions about customer costs, safety measures, and her own compensation, check out the full interview video.
