Join TAHOE SPARK: Fair Energy Pricing from Liberty Utilities

The Alliance for Housing Opportunity in Energy Supporting Permanent Affordable Residential Kilowatt (TAHOE SPARK), a 501c4 representing Permanent Residents in Liberty Utilities service territory has been denied the opportunity to represent regional Permanent Residents in Liberty Utilities rate setting while the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Administrative Law Judge is allowing a group comprised of second homeowners, Tahoe Energy Ratepayers (TERG) to continue to participate.

As noted Moonshine Ink's February 13, 2025 Liberty and Higher "Rates for All" article, an average-use residential customer’s monthly bill would increase by 20.6%, or $37.51 under the proposed changes. However, a permanent resident’s rate is expected to see their monthly bill rise by $45.80, or 23.5%.

TERG heavily impacted Permanent Residential rates in the 2021 General Rate Case (GRC) without engaging local communities, including those on fixed incomes, those with lower-paying service jobs, and local families, who are all facing increasing energy and housing costs. TERG shifted the rate increase to Permanent Residents in 2021 and eliminated a proposed cap to prevent rate increases on Permanent Residents and Small Businesses. DON’T LET THEM DO IT AGAIN!

CALL TO ACTION!

Let the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) know you support TAHOE SPARK to represent Tahoe locals for fair electric utility rates for our residents.

1. Use this Guided Letter to craft a public comment to the California Public Utilities Commission: https://guidedletter.org/writer/support-tahoe-spark-and-protect-affordable-permanent-residential-rates;

2. Donate here and your generous contributions will support activities to obtain counsel for this effort. Please note that donations to our 501(c)(4) organization are not tax-exempt; and

3. SHARE! Tell your friends to do the 3 items above and https://jointahoespark.org and share with friends!

Liberty’s proposed rate changes to Permanent Residents will represent a 100% increase in electricity costs (compared to rates in 2020-2024) at a time when our local workforce is experiencing the most significant affordability crisis of the modern era. While Liberty has explained that the cost increases are mostly due to wildfire insurance costs increasing from $7.962M to $31.706M, they do not have an approved Wildfire Mitigation Plan nor have they submitted an Executive Compensation Structure to the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, both required documents for Investor-Owned Utilities (IOUs). Permanent Residents are bearing the undue burden of a clear lack of understanding of wildfire risks and the peak demand of tourism on infrastructure, including associated costs and risk distribution.

TERG’s recent response to SPARK’s motion to be a party in this hearing attempts to argue that TAHOE SPARK did not present enough details to qualify to the Commission and that they are not appropriate issues to address in the current General Rate Case (GRC). However, the details presented above, along with additional information provided in TAHOE SPARK’s Motion for Party Status and Notice of Intent are adequate for Party Status. The claims stated in the TERG response is only further evidence of inequities in representation for Permanent Residents and underscores the unethical attempts of TERG’s small group of Bay Area second homeowners, to unfairly influence a community’s local rate setting negotiations. TERG’s ability to influence is magnified by the inclusion of a former Public Advisor of the CPUC in their ranks. It is clear that the CPUC and the State of California are not recognizing the lack of equitable voices and investment distribution, nor considering the affordability of utilities of all Californians through the simple fact that only the big three IOUs (SDG&E, PG&E, SCE) were considered in January 2025’s "Assessing California’s Climate Policies—Residential Electricity Rates in California". Our rural residents do not receive the same benefits of the big three ratepayers but our rates are higher, and Liberty provides some of the dirtiest energy in the State to residents living within the Tahoe Basin, an Outstanding National Water Resource protected under the bi-state compact.

The Administrative Law Judge’s Ruling and TERG’s demands to attempt to control our community’s residential rate negotiations continues to infringe on the members of TAHOE SPARK’s and others’ First Amendment, Due Process, and other constitutional rights. Don’t let this continue!