FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

PUC REACHES OUT TO CENTRAL VALLEY;

EVENTS PLANNED INCLUDE COMMUNITY FORUM
AND CONSUMER BILL CLINIC

SAN FRANCISCO, October 4, 2006 - The California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) today announced that it will hold three community events in Fresno to increase outreach and interaction with the Central Valley region. The events are a consumer Bill Clinic, a Community Forum with the Great Valley Center, and the Commission's Business Meeting.

"This is a great opportunity for the Commission to reach the rapidly growing Central Valley communities and hear about issues impacting the region," said PUC President Michael R. Peevey. "It also allows us a chance to directly reach consumers by assisting in-person with questions or complaints they have about their utility bills at our Bill Clinic."

Bill Clinic

The Commission is partnering with the Latino Issues Forum and other community groups and utilities for a free Bill Clinic on Wednesday, October 18, 2006, from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. at the Fresno Center for New Americans located at 4879 E. Kings Canyon Rd., Fresno. Consumers who bring their cell phone, landline telephone, or Pacific Gas and Electric Company bills will be able to speak directly with Commission and utility representatives. Spanish, Hmong, Cambodian, and Chinese translators will be available. Consumers with qualifying household income levels will be able to sign up for the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) program and Universal Lifeline Telephone Service (California Lifeline) program, which offer discounts on utility bills. Please visit our website for the income limits for CARE (http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/static/energy/care.htm) and California Lifeline (http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/static/telco/public+programs/ults.htm) enrollment.

Community Forum with the Great Valley Center

The Commission and the Great Valley Center will hold a panel discussion on issues important to the Central Valley on Thursday, October 19, 2006, from 8:15 a.m.-10:30 a.m. at the Fresno Convention and Entertainment Center located at 700 M St., Fresno.

The Great Valley Center is a nonprofit organization that supports activities and organizations that promote the economic, social and environmental well-being of California's Central Valley, in partnership with the University of California, Merced. Learn more at www.greatvalley.org.

Business Meeting

The Commission's October 19, 2006, business meeting will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, October 19, 2006, at the Fresno City Council Chambers located at 2600 Fresno Street. This is an opportunity to see Commission process and decision-making in action. At these business meetings, the five Governor-appointed Commissioners make far-reaching regulatory decisions and set policy on issues in the areas of energy, telecommunications, water, rail safety, and more.

For those unable to attend in person, a listen-only call-in number is available at
800-857-1917, passcode: 92105.

An agenda for the Community Forum and for the Commission's Business Meeting will be available at http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/static/aboutcpuc/commmtgs.htm.

The PUC regulates privately owned telecommunications, electric, natural gas, water, railroad, rail transit, and passenger transportation companies. The PUC is responsible for ensuring that customers have safe, reliable utility service at reasonable rates, protecting against fraud, and promoting the health of California's economy.

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

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