FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact: Terrie Prosper, 415.703.1366, news@cpuc.ca.gov

PUC TAKES ACTION TO ALLOW FARMERS HIT HARD
BY RECENT FREEZE TO DEFER ENERGY BILLS

SAN FRANCISCO, January 25, 2007, -- The California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) today authorized its Investor-Owned Utilities to immediately file Advice Letters that allow agricultural growers whose crops were destroyed as a result of the cold storms to defer payment to the utilities. Eligible growers, at their option, can defer without incurring interest charges, up to 50 percent of each electricity bill incurred during the deferral period.

Assemblymember Parra and Senator Maldonado introduced Assembly Concurrent Resolution (ACR) No. 12 and Senator Florez introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 6, both of which ask the Commission to cooperate with the state's public utilities in immediately approving Advice Letter filings to establish appropriate payment deferral programs for growers whose crops were destroyed as a result of the cold storms and consequent frost damage that occurred in January 2007. The legislation also requests the Commission to authorize recovery for the actual administrative costs, with the exception of interest foregone on deferred amounts incurred by the state's public utilities as a result of this program. The Commission adopted similar resolutions in 1991 and again in 1999 when farmers faced crop damage.

For more information on the PUC, please visit: www.cpuc.ca.gov.

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