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This Union Tribune Editorial by UCAN's Executive Director, Michael Shames, exposes the three big lies about the proposed Sunrise Powerlink. Those lies are: 1) That the PowerLink must be built next year. 2) That it will save ratepayers money, and 3) That it will provide green energy. FULL STORY.
San Diego Union Tribune - UCAN continues its fight against SDG&E's "ugly and unnecessary" Sunrise PowerLink. In an interesting twist, that may foreshadow CPUC's decision, Commissioner John Bohn made a passing reference to the "Utility of the Future." Read on to learn why this innocent-sounding statement is actually a dagger in SDG&E's side. Full Story.
SDG&E has announced that it may fight a proposed ruling that forces the utility to re-route the environmentally damaging Sunrise PowerLink away from the Anza Borrego National Forest. SDG&E may appeal the decision to F.E.R.C., the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. It is a vulgar expression, but some have called this process FERC-ing.
SDG&E has been put on notice that it can shut off power to customers. But, if it chooses to arbitrairily shuts off service, it may suffer the consequences and be forced to show the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) an actual plan justifying such an action. Utility Consumers' Action Network (UCAN) Executive Director Michael Shames is quoted in the article as follows: "With its action, the PUC put SDG&E on notice that it could be liable to regulators and ratepayers if it unjustifiably shuts off power". Read More.
A new locally-produced video takes a hard look at SDG&E's claims regarding this line and the
sustainable alternatives that could be San Diego's energy future if this line
is defeated.
Rob Davis wrote an article in the Voice of San Diego reporting that SDG&E had to back down to the fury from environmentalist groups that the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park was the only route for the Sunrise Powerlink. Read more.
UCAN's Executive Director Michael Shames is quoted in this article and tactfully stated that the move to change the Sunrise Powerlink's route appears to be a diversion.
Therefore, the real questions are whether or not winning this battle wins the war for more unnecessary taxpayer money spent for a project (lobbied for the sole purpose of making large corporate entities richer) and whether or not the real issue has been laid to rest using diversionary tactics.
The CPUC determined that regulatory violations involving SDGE's power lines caused the most destructive of last year's devastating San Diego County fires. The Witch Creek fire combined with the Guejito fire and killed two people, burned almost 200,000 acres and destroyed 1,141 homes. The Rice Canyon fire burned almost 9,500 acres and destroyed more than 200 houses.
Rather than address the real problems that caused the 2007 wildfires, SDG&E has asked the CPUC to approve, through an informal process, blanket authority to cut off power to backcountry ratepayers when SDG&E determines dangerous dry and windy conditions exist.
Affected schools, water districts and other ratepayers sternly objected at the CPUC's October 14 hearing inviting public comment on the 2007 San Diego fires.
Michael Shames, UCAN's Executive Director, opposes immediate implementation of SDGE's controversial plan because the "proposal raises some very complex and important policy issues" better suited to formal review by the CPUC.
Read more, including UCAN's protest letter to the CPUC
As part of the bailout, Congress extended solar tax credits, set to expire this year, through 2016.
Should you vote for Proposition 7 or Proposition 10? Our answer is NO. Read the following to learn why.
It was beyond outrageous when Southern California Edison's managment and employees provided rigged customer satisfaction survey data to the PUC in a scheme designed to swindle millions of dollars in Performance Based Ratemaking (PBR) customer satisfaction rewards from 1997-2003.
Edison admitted the scam after being turned in to the PUC by a whistleblower.
On September 18, 2008, the PUC penalized Edison $146 million for its outrageous conduct.
Need help resolving a dispute with a company? Get individualized help with your dispute from the Fraud Squad by using our Online Complaint Forms. Once you've filled out a complaint, call the Fraud Squad Hotline at (619) 696-6966!
Visit our page dedicated to the Sunrise Powerlink Transmission Project. You will find news, data, legal hearings and testimony, open-letters from UCAN's executive director, and just about everything else you might want to know regarding this important proposal. Or, listen to Michael Shames explain UCAN's opposition to Sunrise in this UCAN.org podcast.
Miracles don't happen often enough in our world. But when Michael starts growing his own fish and food in his garage, then you know that there's some divine intervention because Michael doesn't fish and he's got a brown thumb that makes all leafy things tremble. So how did Advocate Michael become Farmer Michael? One word: AQUAPONICS.
December 8th, 2006 was not a good day for San Diego. On that day, San Diego Gas & Electric asked state regulators for permission to raise base rates for electricity and natural gas customers by some $250 million annually for the years 2008 through 2013. You don't need a calculator to realize that adds up to a chilly $1.5 BILLION over those six years. Listen to Michael Shames explain UCAN's position on SDG&E's rate request.
From SDG&E to SBC, get the real story on undergrounding in San Diego inside this issue center.
In a filing with the Public Utilities Commission, SDG&E has asked for approval to deploy "real-time" advanced meters to all of SDG&E's small business and residential customers. Find out why the SDG&E AMI proposal needed to be substantially revised.
Watch Part 4 of Debra Reed's testimony as the Sempra Utilities CEO shares her sense of entitlement with the world while responding to questions from UCAN Executive Director Michael Shames.
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