PG&E Seeks Rate Hike To Pay For System Upgrades
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS / AP) -- Pacific Gas & Electric wants to raise customers' bills by as much as $12 per month to upgrade its gas and electricity systems.
The company sent its proposal to raise rates by more than $2 billion over three years to California regulators on Monday.
PG&E says much of the money would go to replace older gas lines, install leak detection systems and make other upgrades.
The utility has come under fire for poor management of its aging network of gas pipelines since the 2010 San Bruno explosion that killed eight people and destroyed 38 homes.
KCBS' Chris Filippi Reports:
PG&E senior vice president of regulatory relations Tom Bottorff said the improvements are necessary to make the system "one of the safest in the nation."
The rate increase must be approved by the California Public Utilities Commission.
(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
