Public Advocates Office Press Room

The Public Advocates Office's Press Room is intended to facilitate inquiries from the media.

Through this venue, members of the press can find current press releases on the Office's hottest consumer issues, read relevant news stories, and link to other informative areas on the Office's website.

In January 2021, the Public Advocates Office released its 2020 Annual Report. You can read it here.

New Fact Sheet: Five Things to Know About PG&E’s Wildfire Safety Issues

 Petition of the Public Advocates Office for Rulemaking Service Quality

Press Release - Petition of the Public Advocates Office for Rulemaking Service Quality

Media Inquiries

Matthew Marcus

(916) 327-3455

PublicAdvocatesOffice_Press@cpuc.ca.gov 

 Cal Advocates In the News

2021

• Power Blackouts Recorded in Winds Less Than 30 Miles per Hour - Malibu Times - March 31, 2021 
• Telecommunication companies must provide backup power during PSPS outages, CPUC says - The Mercury News - February 14, 2021

• Regulators: Utilities to buy energy to prevent blackouts, pass cost to customers - Associated Press - February 11, 2021
• CPUC Requires 3 Days Of Backup Power For Some With Wired Phone, Internet Service - SFGate/Bay City News - February 11, 2021
• New requirements will keep phone and internet going in wildfire zones -  KTVU Fox News - February 11, 2021
• CPUC requires backup power for wireline communications companies during outages - Lake County News - February 11, 2021
• CPUC to Vote on Requiring Backup for Landline Phones - KQED Radio - February 11, 2021
• Wildfire response: Commission urging telephone ‘resiliency’ during disasters - Malibu Surfside News - February 10, 2021
• Southern California Edison criticized for 2020 power shutoffs during fire conditions - Victorville Daily Press - January 28, 2021 
• Will SCE have to answer for de-energizing? - Antelope Valley Press - January 28, 2021 
• SCE settles 2018 wildfire insurance claims for $2.2B, faces potential fines over energy efficiency program - Utility Dive - January 26, 2021
• Report: Public Advocates Office saved California ratepayers more than $3 billion in avoided rate increases in 2020 - Lake County News - January 21, 2021
• SoCalGas denies knowledge of texts sent to Santa Barbara residents - Santa Barbara News Press - January 15, 2021
• New San Diego-area community choice energy program feuding with SDG&E - San Diego Union-Tribune - January 11, 2021 

•  California ratepayer advocate recommends $124M SoCalGas fine for bucking CPUC directive on energy efficiency lobbying - Utility Dive - December 15, 2020
• California Watchdog Wants SoCalGas to Pay Bigger Lobby Fine - Bloomberg - December 11, 2020 
• SDG&E on the verge of refunding $51.6 million to customers for botched lightbulb program - San Diego Union Tribune - December 11, 2020 
• PG&E argues its 2019 power shutoff problems shouldn't be punished - Bakersfield Californian - November 18, 2020
• PG&E disputes $166 million fine linked to 2019 power shut offs - KTVU - November 18, 2020 
•  PG&E, California watchdog battle over proposed fines for 2019 shut-offs - North Bay Business Journal - November 17, 2020
• Emergency Help for Wildfire Victims - New York Times - November 11, 2020 
• Preventive power outages are less than those approved by PG&E last year and not enough - Epoch Times - November 11, 2020 
• SoCalGas merits $255M fine for opposing efficiency standards with customer funds: ratepayer advocate - Utility Dive - November 9, 2020 
• Wildfires: This year’s power shutoffs were smaller, but critics say PG&E is avoiding the real problem - Mercury News - November 9, 2020 
• SoCalGas should be fined $255 million for fighting climate action, watchdog says - Los Angeles Times - November 6, 2020  
• Public Advocates Office Submits Request to Fine PG&E - KSRO - November 2, 2020
• Public Advocate Requests PG&E Be Fined $166 Million Over 2019 Power Cuts - The Motely Fool - November 2, 2020
•  California federal legislators press SoCalGas on reported efforts to 'undermine' California's climate goals - Utility Dive - November 2, 2020
• PG&E may be fined $165.7 million for 2019 shut-off missteps - San Francisco Chronicle - October 30, 2020 
• $166M In Fines Recommended for PG&E Over Public Safety Power Shutoffs - CBS Sacramento - October 30, 2020
• PG&E May Face $166 Million Penalty for Mismanaging Blackouts - Bloomberg - October 30, 2020 
• PG&E should be fined $166 million for botched power shut-offs, watchdog agency says - Los Angeles Times - October 30, 2020 
• Consumer agency wants PG&E fined $166 million for botching California wildfire blackouts - Sacramento Bee - October 30, 2020 
• Cal Advocates says it’s wrong to assume that wider clearance distances reduce wildfire risk - San Diego Union-Tribune - October 2, 2020
• Regulators Approve SDG&E Wildfire Plan Despite Serious Flaw­ - Voice of San Diego - September 25, 2020 
• How SoCalGas leveraged mayors and minority groups to score a fossil fuel win - POLITICO - September 24, 2020 
• Public Advocates Office Applauds CPUC Decision Making Water Bills More Affordable and Predictable For Millions of Californians - Coronado Times - September 15, 2020
• Environment Report: State Throws Cold Water on Pricing Scheme - Voice of San Diego - September 14, 2020 
• California wildfires: Reps blast cell companies’ ‘unconscionable’ move to block backup power rules - The Mercury News - September 11, 2020
• CPUC Gives Cal Am Customers A Future Water Bill Reduction - KAZU Radio (NPR) - September 1, 2020 
• Cal Am had a terrible week with setbacks at CPUC and Coastal Commission. - Monterey County Weekly - August 31, 2020 
•  It could happen again: Why residents who fled Bay Area wildfires never got evacuation alerts - The Mercury News - August 31, 2020 
• California Public Utilities Commission cancels controversial water charge - Monterey Herald - August 28, 2020
• CPUC approves structural change to water bills - Bakersfield Californian - August 27, 2020 
•  Watchdog Warns: SDG&E’s Tree-Trimming Plan Could Worsen Wildfires - Voice of San Diego - August 24, 2020 
• (Opinion) CPUC ‘yes’ vote could cut water bill surcharges for millions - Capitol Weekly - August 12, 2020
• A proposal to end surcharges on water bills is up for a vote, and utility companies fight back - Monterey County Weekly - August 6, 2020

• A Small City Wants To Unload A Leaky Water System, But Regulators Say Not So Fast - LAist - August 5, 2020

• Water bills would fundamentally change under proposal headed for CPUC - Bakersfield Californian - August 2, 2020

• Blaming coronavirus, T-Mobile is abandoning merger promises - Los Angeles Times - July 26, 2020 

• Is America’s biggest gas utility abusing customer money? A California watchdog demands answers - Los Angeles Times - July 23, 2020

• California Gas Company Asks State to Probe Its Own Lobbying - Bloomberg Law -  July 23, 2020

• California requires back-up power for cell towers, after wildfire evacuation alerts failed - Sacramento Bee - July  20, 2020

• Fearing fire season blackouts, California regulators require cell towers to add backup power - San Francisco Chronicle - July 26, 2020

The Cal Advocates Investigation Into SoCalGas documents can be found at the links below:

• Legal Filings
• Data Requests
• Additional Items of Interest