Consumer Advocacy and Savings by ORA
ORA, the Office of Ratepayer Advocates, is a consumer advocate representing the interests of investor-owned utility customers in the state. Through their advocacy efforts, ORA has saved customers billions of dollars in reduced rates, avoided rate increases, and other benefits. They focus on achieving the best value for consumers by ensuring equitable access, safety, reliability, and environmental goals. ORA's policy advocacy and initiatives aim to provide affordable and equitable services to consumers, making a significant difference in consumer savings and protection.
Download Presentation
Please find below an Image/Link to download the presentation.
The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author. If you encounter any issues during the download, it is possible that the publisher has removed the file from their server.
You are allowed to download the files provided on this website for personal or commercial use, subject to the condition that they are used lawfully. All files are the property of their respective owners.
The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author.
E N D
Presentation Transcript
2017 Annual Report to the Senate Energy, Utilities & Communications Committee 2015 ANNUAL REPORT March 6, 2018 Elizabeth Echols Director
ORA ORA Office of Ratepayer Advocates Office of Ratepayer Advocates ORA is the State s independent consumer advocate representing the interests of investor-owned utility (IOU) customers. Our mission is to obtain the lowest possible rates for consumers consistent with safety, reliability, and the state s environmental goals. The Voice of Consumers Making a Difference! 1
What We Do The Voice of Consumers, Making a Difference! 2 The Voice of Consumers Making a Difference!
2017 Customer Savings ORA has saved customers over $40 Billion in the last decade. In 2017, ORA saved customers over $2.3 Billion in reduced rates, avoided rate increases, and benefits. Energy Customer Savings: $2.1 Billion Water Customer Savings: $38 Million Communications Customer Savings: $174 Million In 2018, ORA has already saved customers over $1.5 Billion. The Voice of Consumers Making a Difference! 3
GENERAL RATE CASES: ENERGY $ =$1.2 BILLION IN CUSTOMER SAVINGS
GENERAL RATE CASES: WATER $ =$37.6 BILLION IN CUSTOMER SAVINGS
GENERAL RATE CASES & MERGERS: COMMUNICATIONS $ =$174 MILLION IN CUSTOMER SAVINGS & BENEFITS
ORAs Policy Advocacy Achieve the Best Value for Consumers by Ensuring: Equitable Access and Affordable Services Safety and Reliability Environmental Goals The Voice of Consumers Making a Difference! 7
ORA Advocacy: Affordable and Equitable Services Energy Successfully advocated to cap increases to Electric Baseline Rates to protect low usage customers. Developed framework for identifying San Joaquin Valley disadvantaged communities access to natural gas service. Successfully advocated that Disadvantaged Communities should have priority when considering renewable energy projects. The Voice of Consumers Making a Difference! 8
ORA Advocacy: Affordable and Equitable Services Water & Communications Recommended interagency coordination to consider statewide Low Income Water Assistance program. Recommended extending state LifeLine Telephone Service funds to more than 80,000 customers excluded from the federal LifeLine program. Recommended deployment of California Advanced Services funding to areas with limited or no broadband access and are not receiving federal and other funds. Argued for enforcement of redlining rules for broadband services. Reached settlement with Level 3 and Century Link to target infrastructure investment to unserved and underserved communities. The Voice of Consumers Making a Difference! 9
ORA Advocacy: Safe and Reliability Successfully advocated that SDG&E customers should not be charged for costs associated with the utility s mismanagement of its facilities during 2007 wildfires. Determine compliance with Safe Drinking Water standards. Developed system to track 911 Outages. The Voice of Consumers Making a Difference! 10
ORA Advocacy: Environmental Goals Evaluated and made recommendations on Transportation Electrification proposals by 6 investor-owned electric utilities. Contributed significantly to Distribution Resource Planning. Successfully recommended an aggressive GHG emissions reduction planning target for statewide Integrated Resource Planning. The Voice of Consumers Making a Difference! 11
2018 Priorities GOAL Achieve the best value for California consumers across the regulated industry sectors energy, water, and telecommunications consistent with the state s safety, reliability, and environmental goals. Affordable and Equitable Access Safe and Reliable Service State s Environmental Goals 12 The Voice of Consumers Making a Difference!
Contact Information Elizabeth Echols Director Elizabeth.Echols@cpuc.ca.gov (415) 703-2381 http://www.ora.ca.gov/ The Voice of Consumers Making a Difference! 13
