Protecting Ratepayers

“SCE Seeks Rate Hike” [Nov. 18] did not go far enough to explain that the purpose of our plan now before the California Public Utilities Commission is to protect our ratepayers from rate shock and the price volatility of the state’s dysfunctional electricity market.

If the rate freeze were to end today under existing regulatory policy, our customers would be immediately exposed to the full wholesale price of electricity, which would mean a 45% increase in their electric bills. Summer prices would be even worse, as ratepayers in San Diego experienced when their bills soared by 200%-400% this summer.

We cannot subject SCE customers to that kind of unconscionable rate shock. That is why we continue to urge both state and federal authorities to develop solutions to control price volatility and to adopt a reasonable rate-making model that will ensure rate stability and predictability for the state’s electricity consumers.

We believe our rate stabilization plan is a far more sensible alternative to current policy.

CLARENCE BROWN

Director of corporate

communications

Southern California Edison

Rosemead