Edison Suggests Postponing Rate Hike

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Southern California Edison said Friday that it is proposing a further postponement of a 6 percent hike in residential rates for the state. The increase, originally scheduled to take effect Aug. 1 was pushed back to Nov. 1 earlier this summer, will now occur Jan. 1, 2007.


The rate increase was approved earlier this year by the California Public Utilities Commission to fund stepped-up replacement and expansion of Southern California’s electricity infrastructure. Higher electricity sales and lower natural gas prices are the primary reasons the company is able to postpone the hikes, the Rosemead-based utility announced. The utility is asking regulators to approve the postponement.


Rates for utility companies are set in advance based on cost forecasts and customer usage Utility costs through July were lower than forecast and customer usage was been much higher.

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