Two of California's big utility companies have joined with a Bay Area consumer group to press for federally imposed electricity price controls.
Federal law requires that wholesale power rates be just and reasonable.
In addition to requesting a wholesale price cap, the utilities and the San Francisco-based consumer group asked FERC to expedite proceedings that could lead to new electricity market rules and possible refunds of recent rates. The filing for a rate cap comes as FERC moves toward completing an investigation of the California power market by Nov. 1.