Descriptions

FACTS ABOUT CALIFORNIA ENERGY DEREGULATION

1. New About Energy Deregulation and Senate Bill 695.

2. Facts on PG&E Peak Day Pricing starts May 2010

3. New Direct Access Service In The News

4. Direct Access Load Cap in the news

Direct Access (DA) is an option that allows eligible customers to purchase their electricity directly from competitive energy service providers (ESPs). The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued Decision D.10-03-022 on March 11, 2010, approving a limited reopening of DA for non-residential customers. PG&E will continue to transport and deliver electricity for all its customers taking service under DA.

Decision D.10-05-039, approved May 20, 2010, extended the initial Open Enrollment Window from April 16, 2010 to July 15, 2010, and changed the enrollment date for Direct Access Enrollment for 2011 to July 16, 2010.

Background
DA has not been available to new customers in California since the Legislature suspended the program during the energy crisis in September 2001. CPUC Decision D.10-03-022 implements Senate Bill 695, a new law signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in October 2009, providing for a limited reopening of DA to non-residential customers starting in April 2010.

For more information on this, see frequently asked questions

Details on DA Reopening
Under the reopening rules, customers may enroll in DA up to a maximum allowable annual limit (measured in gigawatt-hours). PG&E’s DA load will be permitted to increase over the next four years from the current (November 2009) 5,574 GWh of DA load to a new total cap of 9,520 GWh.

The approximate annual increases permitted under the new cap are:

• First year (April - December 2010): Up to 35% of the room available under the cap (1,381 GWh)
• Second year: Up to 70% of the room available under the cap (an additional 1,381 GWh)
• Third year: Up to 90 % of the room available under the cap (an additional 789 GWh)
• Fourth year: Up to 100% of the room available under the cap (an additional 395 GWh)

CA.gov says. Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) General Rate Case

May 6, 2010: DRA Urges CPUC to Clamp Down on PG&E's Request to Raise Rates by $4.2 Billion

PG&E tenered its Notice of Intent (NOI) for a General Rate Case (GRC) on July 20, 2009. PG&E filed its GRC Application 09-12-020 on December 21, 2009.

PG&E is requesting authorization from the Commission for revenue increases associated with its Electric Distribution, Gas Distribution, and Electric Generation operations which fall within the Commission's ratemaking jurisdiction. If the Commission were to grant PG&E's requests, the utility's GRC revenue requirement would increase from a currently project levelo of $5.6 billion to $6.7 billion in Test Year (TY) 2011.

PG&E Proposes a 3-Year General Rate Case Cycle and Requests:

• A $1.0 Billion (or 18.6%) Increase in its Test Year 2011 Revenue Requirement over Present Levels; and
  
• Additional Annual Revenue Increases Averaging $309 Million (or 4.5%) in 2012 and 2013.