San Diego's former City Attorney wants ratepayers to get a refund on their utility bills.
Michael Aguirre says it's wrong that homeowners have been paying for defective steam generators at the San Onofre power plant.
Rates are ultimately set by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) but Aguirre says right now we are paying too much.
“Causing people to pay, when they don’t have money, for defective products, is not something that should be imposed upon anyone, under any circumstances,” Aguirre said.
Aguirre is making his claim to the PUC on behalf of a San Diego customer.
He wants the PUC to review the rates and refund customers money that has been collected for the faulty nuclear generators.
Aguirre says Southern California Edison, which runs the nuclear power plant, did not file the proper paperwork to be able to pass along charges to their customers.
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And at the same time Aguirre questions why we are paying for steam generators that he says are defective.
The four steam generators installed at the 2,000 megawatt nuclear power plant have been shut down for more than a year because of tube wear.
The cost for those generators is being passed on to rate payers.
“Southern Cal Edison immediately stop collecting rates for the four steam generators that are defective,” Aguirre said.
Ratepayers are footing the bill for those new generators every month through their electric bills. Aguirre says that’s not the way it should work.
“There is a sufficient basis to request that the Justice Department step in and conduct a thorough grand jury investigation to determine if any of our federal laws have been violated,” Aguirre said.
Now homeowners shouldn’t plan on spending that extra money just yet.
Any battle over rates filed with the Public Utilities Commission can take years to resolve.
Spokesperson Stephanie Donovan with San Diego Gas & Electric said SDG&E has a 20 percent interest in the San Onofre plant.
Donovan said all claims would be decided by the PUC.
