It seems like PG&E has made a habit of singing that age-old tune, “Let’s just raise the rates!” The utility behemoth is at it again, having filed a new proposal that could leave all of us Bay Area folks cringing when we pull up our monthly bills. Not content with the existing bills that already have our wallets glaring in disapproval, PG&E’s latest scheme aims to inflate costs to bolster their shareholder dividends. Because why wouldn’t they make profits a priority over basic consumer needs?

Let’s break it down: This cost of capital proceeding is a fancy term for asking us to pay even more for what seems like an increasingly overpriced service. Remember when you could keep the lights on and still have some cash left for avocado toast? Apparently, those days are numbered.

Many of us felt it hard during the pandemic when bills didn’t magically shrink, as if the universe was on PG&E’s side, pushing for profit over people. Now, they have the audacity to come back for more. It’s like that annoying friend who keeps inviting themselves over, eats your snacks, and somehow still expects you to foot the bill.

The Bay Area is no stranger to the woes of this utility company. We’ve seen them mismanagement lead to wildfires and power outages, but hey, let’s keep lining their pockets! Meanwhile, many hardworking people are barely making ends meet here, and all PG&E can think about is their shareholders. Talk about priorities!

If they find ways to pass on these costs to consumers, prepare for those bills to skyrocket, you might have to auction off your vintage cassette collection to keep the lights on. It’s high time we hold these corporations accountable for their pricing practices.

So, if you want to keep supporting billionaire shareholders while paying exorbitant bills, by all means, stay quiet. But if you’d prefer a different reality, advocating for energy alternatives and demanding change is absolutely the way to go. Because we can’t let PG&E keep snagging our hard-earned cash. Not anymore!