Tell AARP: High fixed electricity charges are a bad idea. Please consult with your members before taking a position

Nancy McPherson, AARP State Director, Joe Garbanzos, AARP California President and Jo Ann Jenkins, AARP CEO

The utilities are proposing new income-based fixed charges on all California ratepayers between $15 and $128 / month.

  • If passed, they will be the highest fixed charges in America.

  • A retired couple in with an annual household income of $70,000 would have to pay $360 to $876 per year even if they buy zero electricity from the utility.

  • The proposal will lock ratepayers into huge fixed charges and a more expensive electric grid

  • There are much better ways to cut seniors' utilities bills and lower the cost of the grid at the same time, such as energy efficiency, solar panels and batteries.

    • AARP has been opposed to high fixed charges in other states. That's great! Let's make sure they stay consistent.

To: Nancy McPherson, AARP State Director, Joe Garbanzos, AARP California President and Jo Ann Jenkins, AARP CEO
From: [Your Name]

We are very concerned about the utilities' new proposal to impose extremely high income-based fixed charges on all ratepayers. We are writing to ask AARP California to please consult with its members before taking a position on the issue.

We are glad that AARP has opposed high fixed charges in other states. The proposed charges in California would be the highest in the nation.

High fixed charges discourage conservation, energy efficiency and rooftop solar -- far better strategies to help seniors control their utility bills. High fixed charges also do nothing to address the root cause of high utility bills, and in fact only reinforce them.

Please treat the utilities' proposals with great skepticism and consult broadly with your members before taking a stance on this.