PUC Orders Utilities to Post Blackout Data

Responding to customer complaints, the California Public Utilities Commission ordered Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric to tell customers more about when they will be blacked out during times of extreme power shortages. The PUC told Edison and SDG&E; to begin listing on electricity bills by June 1 the “outage block” into which each customer falls. The utilities then must use their Web sites to tell customers which blocks are slated for blackouts should more rotating outages be required. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. already lists outage block numbers on its customer bills. A pop-up box on PG&E;’s Web site shows which blocks are next in line for blackouts. Edison and SDG&E; said they have been working on implementing such notification on their own and will comply with the PUC ruling.