SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California residents heard from public utilities officials and experts Tuesday when the Public Utilities Commission sought to tell the public why energy and gas bills are soaring.
Many people disappointed from the answers provided by the panel called into the meeting to express their struggles with what they described as unsustainable expenses.
The panel of experts and officials said colder weather in the West and higher gas demands for heating are among the contributing factors in the energy price hike.
California Energy Commission’s Energy Assessments Division Director Aleecia Gutierrez said during Tuesday's meeting California receives 90% of its natural gas from out of state.
"The state's pipeline system has remained relatively unchanged in the last 10 years, and many pipelines in California are over 50 years old," said Gutierrez.
Panelists said natural gas storage in California needs improvement in order to keep up with the higher gas demand.
"Storage facilities, need to be maintained to help gas and electric service reliability during peak periods of demands," said SoCal Gas Vice President Rodger R. Schwecke.
Both callers and panelists lauded Gov. Gavin Newsom's recent announcement calling on the federal government to investigate potential market manipulation or price gouging of California's utilities and gas customers.
He's requesting the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission chair launch an investigation determining whether market manipulation or price gouging is at play.
"I recognize and support the governor's request to federal regulators to investigate the causes and activities that are driving the ongoing elevated prices in the western gas market," California Public Utilities Commissioner Darcie L Houck said Tuesday.
But one person who chimed into the meeting said the state and its regulators should look at themselves first when it comes to trying to find out why gas and energy prices soared so high.
“The (California Public Utilities Commission) sets the rates and forces the providers to charge what they do. We are on to you, and it's a political solution that's required to get rid of all of this 'Green New Steal,” said San Diego resident Steve Hicks.