Energy RSS FeedNotice something missing? (we don't accept advertising)
UCAN is member supported and accepts no outside advertising.
Regulators are going to the Dark Side
Two prominent "regulators" have gone to work for Comcast - the same company they were supposed to be policing. The issue raises serious questions about the credibility and impartiality of the politically appointed bureaucrats that are supposed to be representing you in regulatory hearings. Full story.
SDG&E: Where's My Deposit?
If you initiate service with SDG&E and for whatever reason don’t measure up to their credit standards, they may ask you for a deposit. But don’t despair, the money is just that: a deposit that can be quickly credited to your account. We want to ensure that your deposit money gets back into your hot little hands ASAP. Here’s a Q&A on what you need to know about SDG&E deposits.
Sunrise Powerlink fails to deliver on promises of green energy
SDG&E sold the Sunrise Powerlink as a way to promote the development of "green" energy for San Diego. Now, the utility has terminated its Stirling solar energy project. Our warnings that SDG&E was "greenwashing" the project to sell it to a gullible public were accurate. More.
UCAN to PUC: Smart Meters Shouldn't Be Forced Upon SDG&E customers
UCAN has petitioned the Public Utilities Commission asking that SDG&E not be permitted to impose smart meters upon customers who don't want to use them. A small but strongly-felt set of customers have expressed concerns about the accuracy, the intrusiveness and the health effects of smart meters. UCAN has asked the Commission to give these customers the ability to opt-out of smart meter service.
CPUC orders SDG&E to give consumers usage information that’s actually useful
Although we haven’t gotten word yet on our proposed Smart Meter opt out policy, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has firmed up some of the longstanding issues around third party access to Smart Meter data. One part of this translated into a huge victory for San Diego consumers: SDG&E has been ordered to provide you with many more tools to keep your energy bill low.
Center For Sustainable Energy Holding Workshops For New Energy Program
The California Center for Sustainable Energy, a non-profit organization that helps California residents with energy efficiency, will be holding workshops over the next couple of months as part of a new California energy program.
New appointees could transform the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), from a "lap dog," into a watchdog
The end of an era at CPUC?
Governor Brown's new appointees to California's most powerful regulatory court - the California Public Utilities Commission - has the potential to restore integrity to a tarnished institution. Full Story.
Q&A - SDG&E and ESPs: What is direct access and how does it affect me?
Q&A time! We received received an inquiry from an SDG&E customer about some ESP charges that appeared on his bill. SDG&E bills him for his electricity use, but it is another company that actually provides him the electricity. Sidestepping the obvious ESP mind reading he should have seen it coming bad joke, let’s jump right in to the heart of the ESP issue.
City of San Diego Looking to Generate Money With Solar...I mean sewer
Getting to borrow my oh-so-punny headline from the other day, it looks like Councilman Kevin Faulconer has another way to generate money for the City of San Diego--selling sewer to SDG&E. Now, I'm sure there are a lot of UCAN members and SDG&E customers who would love to sell some of their sewer to SDG&E. Heck, I'm sure some of them would give it away--in a throwing manner, of course--to SDG&E. Is this another attempt to raise money like putting solar panels on the top of light poles or will this actually be a good way to generate some money for the City? Let's find out.
John Mattes is an embedded reporter for the New Media Rights Community Journalism Project investigating UCAN issues.
SDG&E General Rate Case - 2012
In 2010, SDG&E filed a proposal with the California Public Utility Commision (CPUC), to increase your SDG&E rates by $1.2 billion. UCAN has fought this proposed rate increase by submitting expert testimony and briefs. These documents demonstrate that SDG&E has wildly inflated its costs in a number of cost categories. UCAN argues that SDG&E should not receive extraordinary profits for doing what it is required to do by law – provide good utility service at reasonable rates. Get the full 418-page Opening Brief (pdf format), here, or a quick summary here.
The Electric Car --- cleaner than you'd think
So is the electric car an environmental blessing or curse? Some allege that they simply substitute one kind of pollution for another. Others see it as a second coming of environmental enlightenments. Usually, these kinds of disputes resolve somewhere in the middle. But, according to the Sierra Club, perhaps not.
- Consumer Resource Center (5)
- Issue Center (9)
- Legal & Regulatory Filings/Testimony (54)
- News/Articles (406)
- Policy Papers/Letters (28)
- UCAN Blog (98)
- Forum topic (12)
Utility Consumers' Action Network - (619) 696-6966
Terms and Conditions
UCAN.org is made available by the Utility Consumers' Action Network to assist you in becoming what you always knew you could be: a consumer ROCK STAR! We take no corporate money, and are beholden only to you, the consumer. As such, the site is here for educational, advocacy, and empowerment purposes, as well to to give you general information and a general understanding of the law. Just remember this site is NOT here to provide specific legal advice. By using this web site you of course understand that there is no attorney-client relationship between you and the Web Site publisher, UCAN. The Web Site should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state.
That said, get to digging on the site, inform yourself, speak your mind, and earn Watchdog Bones! This is YOUR site, and we mean it. So comment on any of the content, discuss the latest issues in the forums, file a complaint on a company with the Fraud Squad, and generally cut loose.
See our Terms of Use, Privacy, and Copyright complaint policies as well as our Content Reuse Policy, Some Rights Reserved. Remember, if you have any questions about copyright law or need legal information regarding intellectual property, the internet, or new technologies, visit our affiliate New Media Rights at www.newmediarights.org. If you are in the San Diego region, you can also can apply to use New Media Rights' multimedia studio and equipment for free.
