By Dave Canny

We’ve heard loud and clear from customers in Marin and across our service area that recent rate increases are unsustainable.

California’s energy needs are changing, and as we plan for tomorrow, our focus at Pacific Gas and Electric Co. remains centered on three core commitments: ensuring community safety with a focus on wildfire mitigation, investing in greater capacity for new customer connections and delivering cost efficiencies — without compromising safety — to benefit our customers.

Now, as of Jan. 1, electric rates are flat compared to a year ago — a crucial step in stabilizing and driving down costs, returning those savings to you, and making energy more affordable. Here’s how we’re making progress.

The heartbreaking wildfires in Los Angeles are a sobering reminder that none of us needed: California’s wildfire seasons have lengthened and intensified. Given our involvement in past wildfires, customers ask us if we’re doing enough. Here, our focus is relentless.

We’ve now gone more than two years without a damaging wildfire caused by our equipment. We’re determined to extend that record into 2025 and beyond. PG&E has increased repairs, upgraded equipment and expanded inspections of electricity poles and towers by 600% through drones and advanced imaging.

We plan to further enhance our multiple layers of protection — including underground and overhead hardening — which has already reduced wildfire risk from our equipment by over 90%. And we are doing this work with an eye squarely on cost effectiveness. Did you know that just $1 per month of the average customer bill goes to undergrounding, while tree-trimming costs about $20 per month? When we say undergrounding is cheaper in the longer run, we mean it.

Looking ahead, some wildfire prevention costs will phase out beyond 2025, which we anticipate will contribute to overall rate stabilization. We’re committed to transparency about possible fluctuations, recognizing that both rate stability and ultimately rate decreases are what customers want.

Energy usage patterns are evolving as more customers adopt electric vehicles, battery storage and other clean technologies. To meet those demands, PG&E connected 14,000 new customers to the electric grid in 2024 and did so at a significantly lower unit cost than previous years.

We are partnering with customers and local, county, state, federal and tribal governments to plan for more in the coming years — including housing, data centers and electric-vehicle charging stations. Because the grid is only used at about 45% of its total capacity, more load coming online and coordinated effectively can lead to lower rates for all customers.

Reliable, safe energy doesn’t need to translate into higher bills. In 2024, PG&E teams completed 250 cost-cutting projects that saved $650 million — without compromising safety. We achieved this by using new technologies, improving processes, renegotiating contracts and reinvesting the savings into infrastructure upgrades to help stabilize rates.

Moreover, we’re working to lower financing costs and boost our credit rating to pass along additional savings. To further minimize rate volatility, we’re pursuing cost-effective financing through federal grants and a potential $15 billion loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Energy.

These efforts are all about reducing costs for customers. The resulting savings from efficient financing are passed directly on to you, our customer.

Dramatic improvements to enhancing wildfire safety, expanding capacity and reducing costs reflect our commitment to becoming a safer, more reliable and affordable utility. It’s all part of being a hometown utility you can trust and be proud of.

We can build a stronger, more sustainable energy future for everyone by addressing the issues our customers care about most. We recognize there is still more work to do and remain dedicated to delivering the progress you deserve. Importantly, through our new “Open Lines” campaign, we are looking to continue the conversation. We invite you to share your feedback and partner with us in shaping California’s energy future. Learn more online at pge.com/open-lines.

Marin resident Dave Canny is vice president of the North Coast Region for the Pacific Gas and Electric Co.