Letter to the Editor

May 11, 2008
Choices, not monopoly
The Fresno Bee

PG&E has finally admitted publicly that it is representing its shareholders and not its customers when actively working against the efforts of local communities to implement a Community Choice program. Community Choice is designed to give electricity customers a choice in who provides their power-- and from what sources.

PG&E is quoted in a recent article as saying. "We still believe it would have been more fair for customers to be given a choice." This quote is particularly ironic coming from a monopoly like PG&E, and also in light of the fact that PG&E originally supported the state Community Choice law at which they are now throwing stones.

PG&E has experienced little competition as the monopoly provider of electrical service to our region. PG&E wants to maintain that advantage by helping redesign the local Community Choice program that is now competing with them for customers. This strikes me as equivalent to Coke representatives offering to provide guidance on improving the Pepsi formula. Power consumers, like other consumers, should have choices, not monopoly domination.

Mark McKean
Board president
Kings River Conservation District
Riverdale