‘Direct Access’ to Electricity Unplugged

A push by state utility regulators to take away the power of many California ratepayers to choose who sells them power was temporarily unplugged at the request of three state agencies.

The state Public Utilities Commission was scheduled to vote on a measure that would end “direct access,” a key provision of electricity deregulation that allows business and residential customers to shop for electricity from companies other than Southern California Edison, Pacific Gas & Electric and San Diego Gas & Electric.

Top state officials want direct access ended to protect the stream of revenue from ratepayers that will be used to pay off revenue bonds the state will sell later this year. Those bonds will reimburse the state for more than $50 billion in projected electricity purchases over the next several years.

Representatives of the treasurer, the Department of Finance and the Department of Water Resources asked that the PUC delay its vote until mid-August to take advantage of a shortened appeals process that will then be in effect.

Separately, officials with PG&E; asked a U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge to give them four more months to file a plan of reorganization.

Under the current timeline, the San Francisco-based utility has until Aug. 6 to file a plan. Utility executives asked Judge Dennis Montali to extend the deadline until Dec. 6.