The volumetric rate for electricity is almost totally irrelevant. California's bills are dominated by the fixed cost of the grid, and we use very little grid power compared to other states, so the volumetric rate has to be really high as a consequence. Electric power bills in California are in the middle of the pack compared to the other states, almost exactly the same as Texas and less than ten other states.
This isn’t convincing to me - our electricity rates in 2002 were 8 cents per kWh and none of those other facts were different back then. Inflation hasn’t done 5x since then, but our electricity rates have. We are being ripped off by the three companies that CPUC allows to do it.
They should have imposed a ruinous penalty on the utilities for their wildfire liability, and seized their assets for non-payment of it. And I say that as not a liberal and not a socialist.
People who live in cities that have municipal power are paying HALF the rates people with PG&E and SCE are.
> none of those other facts were different back then.
That is not correct.
Small-scale solar capacity in California today stands at 19GW. In 2002, it was 45MW. That is a more than 400-fold increase. Title 20 and 24 rules have dramatically cut residential electric demand, especially lighting which has fallen by over 90%. Population grew 13% but peak grid load has not grown at all. But all that grid stuff to serve the new residents had to be installed and amortized. Many many things have changed since 2002.
