PG&E will slash customers' bills in the new year, the utility announced on Tuesday. The utility said the cuts, which will go into effect on Jan. 1, come as "electric prices have stabilized and are going down." PG&E noted that this is the fourth decrease for electric rates in two years. Residential customers are set to receive a decrease of about 5%, which amounts to around $7 per month.
An explosion apparently caused when a construction crew hit a gas line destroyed three buildings in Ashland, north of Hayward, Thursday morning and left six people with injuries, the extent of which are not yet known. A construction crew, including someone operating a small excavator, can be seen in a neighbor's doorbell camera footage, doing work outside of a home on the 800 block of East Lewelling Boulevard, a residential street in the unincorporated area of Ashland, near Interstate 238 in Alameda County.
Senate Bill 332 aims to impose stricter audits on PG&E and other for-profit utilities, tying executive compensation to safety performance and exploring public ownership alternatives.