Taxpayers Against the PG&E Powergrab

PRESS RELEASE CONTACT: Eric Wooten
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 916-849-2237
January 12, 2010

PG&E Initiative Qualifies:
TURN, Sierra Club and Local Power Inc. Join to Defend Consumer Choice & Oppose PG&E Locking-in High Rates and Dirty Power

SACRAMENTO: A growing coalition of consumer, environmental and economic justice groups are opposing Pacific Gas & Electric’s (PG&E) newly qualified ballot initiative that would lock-in high rates by killing honest competition from outside energy providers. Current law allows communities to purchase their power on the open market. PG&E wants to stop local communities from exercising their right to cleaner and cheaper alternatives. The Constitutional Amendment required 763,790 valid signatures in order to qualify by random sample. As of January 12, the California Secretary of State confirmed they had received 787,071.

“The law should protect consumer choice, not prevent it,” said The Utility Reform Network (TURN) executive director Mark Toney. “PG&E wants to buy themselves a constitutional amendment that will stop people from being able to chose clean, green and affordable energy. If they succeed, Californians will be stuck with PG&E’s high rates forever.”

The initiative, if passed, would amend the California constitution to require an undemocratic supermajority before communities could break away from PG&E. It would also set a dangerous precedent by allowing a private corporation to use the California Constitution to restrict competition.

“PG&E is woefully behind in meeting their state-mandated portfolio of renewable power, but their customers are increasingly deciding to buy power on the open market that’s 25%, 50% or even 100% renewable,” said Jim Metropulos, senior advocate for Sierra Club California. “We believe that this competition is the only thing that will wean PG&E away from their heavy dependence on dirty power, including a huge portion coming from coal-fired plants.”

PG&E has been the only backer of the initiative, investing more than $3 million thus far. The signature verification process has just been completed and the measure will appear on the June 8, 2010 statewide ballot.

“With a level playing field, California-based green energy producers will be able to compete with out-of-state dirty power,” said Paul Fenn of Local Power Inc. “PG&E would rather enshrine their monopoly in the California Constitution than compete fairly with other energy companies.”

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Paid for by Taxpayers Against the PG&E Powergrab, Sponsored by Local Power Inc. and The Utility Reform Network (FPPC# 1321957).