Utilities propose higher fees

While details have not been worked out, in the case of cost recovery, the increased fees would likely be applied evenly to all Southern California Edison customers, Conroy said.

But the application has more than just Antonovich to deal with. The application has drawn opposition from consumer watchdog groups and from within state government itself.

In October, the California Consumer Protection and Safety Division filed a formal protest against the application.

“While insurance premiums may have increased, and while such premiums may cover less liability, granting the utilities their requested relief will result in a perverse incentive, where the utilities, if fully insured by ratepayers, would not need to keep their systems as safe and reliable as they do now,” Nicholas Sher, an attorney for the division, wrote in the filing.

Christopher Chow, public information officer for the Public Utilities Commission, said the case has been assigned to administrative law Judge Maribeth Bushey and Commissioner Timothy Alan Simon, who will outline the proposed decision before it goes to the full commission for a vote.

A time frame for the decision has not yet been outlined, he said.

“The assigned commissioner and [administrative law judge] plan to issue a scheduling ruling soon, and we’ll then have more details on the proceeding to report,” Chow said.

Crescenta Valley Town Council Vice President Frank Beyt criticized the utilities for not providing the public with more information on the proposal, which he said was similar to creating an “earthquake tax.”

“There is not enough information to base an accurate decision,” he said. “They’re going to have to do a lot more homework before they raise another rate on us.”