Assignment of Proceeding

Michael R. Peevey is the assigned Commissioner and Robert A. Barnett is the assigned ALJ in this proceeding.

1. Under current forecasts PG&E's ERRA balance is on track to be overcollected by approximately $424.4 million as of December 31, 2009. This amount would translate into an average bill credit of about $35 for PG&E's residential electric customers.

2. PG&E's GCR bill credit plan will put money back in the hands of PG&E's electric customers faster than the normal ERRA trigger process would.

1. The use of the Generation Credit Rate (GCR) method of calculating the refunds ensures that those who contributed to the overcollection receive the benefits.

2. Under the Percent of Generation Rate method, customers who did not contribute to the overcollection would nevertheless receive a refund.

3. PG&E's GCR bill credit plan whereby PG&E will give bundled electric customers one-time bill credits in the November/December 2009 billing cycle based on the expected December 31, 2009 ERRA overcollection should be approved.

4. Consistent with what we adopted in a recent similar proceeding for SDG&E it is reasonable to utilize a 12-month historic period.

5. PG&E should file an advice letter on October 30, 2009, to show the final aggregate amount of the bill credits. The credits then shall appear on customers' energy statements in the November/December billing cycle.

6. To expedite the refund, the 30-day public comment period should be reduced as set forth in the decision.

ORDER

IT IS ORDERED that:

1. Pacific Gas and Electric Company shall file a Tier 1 advice letter on October 30, 2009, to show the final aggregate amount of bill credits, based on recorded data and its most recent estimate of the the end-of-year Energy Resource Recovery Account overcollection.

2. Pacific Gas and Electric Company shall return the estimated end-of year Energy Resource Recovery Account overcollection as a one-time bill credit to be effective on customer's energy statements in the November/December billing cycle in accordance with its Generation Credit Rate method, using an historical period of 12 months, September 1, 2008 through August 31, 2009.

3. The 30-day public comment period is reduced as set forth in the decision.

4. Application 09-08-005 is closed.

This order is effective today.

Dated October 15, 2009, at San Francisco, California.

Previous PageTop Of PageGo To First Page