California consumers have already suffered as a result of the utilities' poor business decisions and tight credit situation. The utilities must apply any profit from the sale of the grid to correcting these mistakes and improving their credit. There must be an assurance that this bill will end all claims by the utilities. While we believe this lawsuit is without merit, the state must insist that the utilities drop their legal efforts as a condition of the transmission grid purchase. Consumers must not be forced to pay any higher charges on their power bills to pay for the transmission purchase.
Consumers already pay a transmission charge on their monthly bill.
There is absolutely no reason for this charge to increase once the state assumes ownership of the grid. The California Transmission Authority must be a state agency subject to the state's open meetings and public disclosure rules so that consumers will have full access to documents and proceedings. We are a comprehensive source of unbiased advice about products and services, personal finance, health, nutrition and other consumer concerns. Since 1936, our mission has been to test products, inform the public, and protect consumers.