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Professor: California Sees Nation's Least Affordable Electricity
Rising wildfire-related costs, surcharges, and distribution expenses drive California's 39% electricity rate increase from 2019 to 2025, the largest in the U.S., according to UC Berkeley research.
- UC Berkeley research shows California's electricity rates will rise 39% between 2014 and 2024, according to Borenstein.
- A key reason is wildfire liabilities under California law raised distribution costs, and investor-owned utilities passed those expenses to customers, not wholesale electricity prices.
- Investor-Owned utility customers began seeing a new base surcharge shifting costs onto conservation-minded users, while rooftop solar adopters and corporations such as data centers added pressure on non-solar customers.
- Lawmakers urged that rising electricity bills, blamed on higher distribution costs and cost-shifting, strain working-class households and prompt calls for audits or caps, critics say CPUC oversight is lacking.
- By contrast, the national average electricity rate stayed roughly with inflation and several states saw decreases, including Nevada at 12%.
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17 Articles
17 Articles
Electricity prices in California are roughly double the national average and are likely to continue rising. A former state energy commissioner recently detailed several factors contributing to this trend. According to data from the California Institute of Public Policy, since the late 1980s, Californians have consistently paid 10% more for electricity than the national average. However, with soaring energy prices in recent years, Californians p…
Coverage Details
Total News Sources17
Leaning Left2Leaning Right3Center3Last UpdatedBias Distribution38% Center, 37% Right
Bias Distribution
- 38% of the sources are Center, 37% of the sources lean Right
38% Center
L 25%
C 38%
R 37%
Factuality
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