TURN energy attorney Matt Freedman tells the New York Times that 'green power' payments do little to promote renewable energy.

TURN attorney Mike Florio discusses a proposed change to tiered rates supported by TURN

TURN conditionally supports the compromise over rate redistribution, but reminds PG&E customers that the company is still asking for higher rates.

Mark Toney writes in the San Francisco Chronicle that conservation and energy efficiency will save more energy than expensive, unproven smart meters.

TURN executive director Mark Toney and Dana Appling, director of the CPUC's Division of Ratepayer Advocates, explain why the recently signed Ratepayer Protection Act will help all Californians.

TURN conditionally supports the compromise over rate redistribution, but reminds PG&E customers that the company is still asking for higher rates.

TURN warns that PG&E is trying to thwart public power through their misleading ballot initiative.

TURN warns that PG&E is trying to thwart public power through their misleading ballot initiative.

TURN tells the Mercury News that AT&T will continue to raise rates.

TURN tells the Mercury News that while we're glad for a refund, PG&E shouldn't have had our money in the first place.

Columnist Lynn Henry tells Californians to join TURN in demanding that the CPUC holds PG&E accountable to ratepayers.

Emotions ran high at a public hearing on Pacific Gas and Electric Co.'s SmartMeter program. Many customers told of astronomical hikes in energy bills after the utility company installed the new devices. But, PG&E defended its program, saying the meters are not to blame. Watch the video.

PG&E holds a community meeting to explain high bills in response to pressure from TURN. Bakersfield residents don't buy the energy company's excuses, and PG&E admits probably "not enough" was done to prepare people for summer heat and higher rates.

California's new energy efficiency program will have more funding with less spent on overhead and more spent on delivering real energy savings to consumers.

A state senator is joining angry power customers in demanding answers about the new SmartMeter program, which some blame for skyrocketing power bills. Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez said Thursday that he's hearing too many questions about the meters.

The CPUC approved increased energy efficiency funds and made changes to the program so that homeowners can see real savings on their energy bills.

In the middle of what economists are calling the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, when California unemployment rates have hit post-WWII records, commercial defaults are rising, and families and businesses are hurting, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. is asking for electricity rate hikes that would take at least $47 million out of the local community.

Governor Schwarzenegger's plan to reduce greenhouse gases could fail to reach its goals — or it could expand the use of coal power in California.

Bakersfield Californian Editors call for the legislature to look into SmartMeter complaints and inconsistencies. Senator Dean Florez will hold a community meeting on October 5th, 2009 at the Kern County Board of Supervisors.

Every elected official, city council, board of supervisors, and utility agency in the state needs to immediately come out publicly in opposition to the initiative and start organizing to defeat it. San Francisco elected officials, including City Attorney Dennis Herrera, need to lead the charge since San Francisco is the only city in the U.S. mandated by federal law to have public power (which it doesn't have, thanks to PG&E's corrupting influence through the decades.)

TURN staff attorney Marcel Hawiger writes an op-ed about PG&E's controversial SmartMeters. We should be focusing on smart consumers and conservation, not needless, expensive meters.

Gov Schwarzenegger signed an executive order in lieu of signing actual law. The executive order not only gives energy companies unlimited leeway in choosing power sources and pricing, and also could be overturned by a future governor, invalidated by a court challenge or rendered completely meaningless by the implementing agency.

TURN attorney Matt Freedman tells the Whittier Daily News that California consumers will face "higher rates, no new jobs, no additional tax revenue and no real green energy" because of the governor replaced comprehensive legislation with a toothless executive order.

Utility companies want to charge California consumers to pay for fire damage. Unlike homeowners, energy companies don't carry fire insurance, and want us to pay their damages...even for fires their negligence helped ignite.

TURN questions Governor Schwarzenegger's commitment to greening California as he vetoes strong renewable energy legislation in favor of an unenforceable executive order that does nothing to create jobs or clean energy in state.

The California legislature approved an aggressive clean energy bill that will protect consumers and create green jobs.

Dan Walters writes about the political wrangling behind SB-14, TURN-supported legislation that would increase renewable energy requirements and make sure the energy comes from California.

PG&E's SmartMeters are met with skepticism and complaints in California's central valley.

TURN weighs in on privacy concerns with Kansas City Power & Light's Smart grid program

The San Francisco Chronicle's front page coverage of PG&E's expensive and unpopular ClimateSmart program.

If you get gas or electricity from PG&E, your monthly bills may be going up.

Jeff Buckley's description of TURN's coalition victory for LifeLine customers

Watch video of ABC7's coverage of TURN's opposition to a $2 billion rate increase for PG&E. Mark Toney tells reporter Mark Matthews that the power company shouldn't be rewarded for failing.

TURN tells the Detroit News that 'smart' meters are expensive and unproven, and that ultimately it is up to consumers to to conserve energy and reduce consumption, not their electric meters.

California continues to add solar capacity despite the economic downturn. TURN tells the Mercury News that we fight to make sure all ratepayers benefit from the solar initiative, since we all pay for it.

Coverage of the CPUC's attempts to listen to political player and major donor AT&T over voices of the poor and working people in order to deregulate phone service and stop providing Lifeline.

TURN ED warns CBS News viewers that Comcast's low-cost digital cable may be a bait and switch, reminds us that TV should be free

TURN spokeswoman Mindy Spatt asks why PG&E doesn't give us the service we pay for.

TURN communications director Mindy Spatt comments on appointment of ex-AT&T chief to chair GM. Edward E. Whitacre Jr. lacks experience in the auto industry, but he probably won't handle daily operations. He will become chairman when General Motors exits bankruptcy protection.

TURN attorney Matt Freedman discusses the realities of moving towards more renewables in California

The phone company revises its residential service agreement to make it easier to understand. It also ditches an arbitration clause and agrees to give 30 days' notice of price hikes.

TURN is part of an environmental-consumer coalition opposed to coal-friendly, consumer-unfriendly aspects of the Markey-Waxman climate change legislation

TURN questions accuracy and utility of "smart meters" that PG&E says are "broken for all intents and purposes."

TURN executive director Mark Toney quoted on Obama green initiatives

WSJ asks TURN about 'smart' meters: New devices promise to cut energy use by giving consumers more information. Critics say they aren't worth the cost.

TURN legal director Bob Finkelstein urges CPUC to examine environmental justice issues surrounding So Cal Edison's proposal to build a 'peaker' plant in Oxnard.

Debunking of PG&E's proposal for space solar, quoting Mark Toney on how the plan is expensive and unrealistic

TURN in the SF Bay Guardian — Ill-Gotten Rewards: Utility Companies Awarded For Phony Energy Efficiency Savings

PG&E wants to spend your money on an unproven technology instead of taking real measures to increase renewable energy sources

Following the AT&T phone outage, TURN advises SJ Mercury News readers that cell phones won't work after an earthquake.

TURN asks if telecom companies are adequately protecting our phone lines in the wake of a tri-county outage

Plan to raise prices to fund infrastructure is protested by consumer groups, which dispute estimates of costs.

SF Chronicle coverage of TURN's victory for consumers over big business in the CARE decision

The OC Register's OC Watchdog blog coverage of the decision to allow Edison to raise its fees at the higher rate proposed by Edison's former president.

San Gabriel Valley News coverage of the controversial Edison rate hikes

Pay careful attention to your monthly phone bill. A service charge for raising your rates will net AT&T $13 million.

PG&E offers minor rate cut instead of planned rate hike. TURN executive director Mark Toney wonders why it's not more, considering the enormous drop in natural gas prices and the September rate hikes

ABC 7 story on utility shut offs featuring TURN Executive Director Mark and TURN consumer Janine McFadden

Peevey's PUC taking California back toward dark days of deregulation.

Reappointment of Commissioners Rachelle Chong and Michael Peevey to the CPUC was a step backward for California and a blow to consumers. Executive Director MarkToney said consumer groups had hoped to see some fresh faces on the CPUC in 2009. "The Governor should appoint Commissioners who put affordability, accountability and sustainability first, rather than taking us back toward the dark days of deregulation," he said.

Sanctions lead to slide in Edison International profit

AT&T will raise its monthly fee for basic land-line residential telephone service 23%, effective Jan. 1.

Late payments can lead to some steep charges from the electric company. But there are options to help keep the lights on.

Providers of residential phone service will be allowed to raise their monthly basic rates by as much as $3.25 in each of the next two years and, as of 2011, charge whatever price they see fit, the California Public Utilities Commission said Thursday, ending a 13-year freeze on rates.

The Public Utilities Commission approves hikes of as much as $3.25 a month in 2009 and 2010.

PUC also gives nod to limited increases

A state regulatory commission has penalized Southern California Edison $146 million for violations associated with rigged customer satisfaction surveys and falsified safety data.

No one likes to sit around the house waiting for a service provider to show up, but you do have rights when it comes to service appointments.

With this year's legislative session in its final days, lawmakers Monday unveiled a bill mandating new fees from electricity ratepayers to fund a University of California-run global warming research center.

AT&T's new 18-page residential service agreement is long and confusing, says TURN. Among the items buried in the fine print: No Class-Action Lawsuits Allowed, and Government Wiretapping's OK.

If you live in San Francisco, get ready for new electric meters that are supposed to lower your energy bill, but not everyone thinks that is going to happen. A study on this will be released on Friday.

Court Says Sprint Must Early Termination Fees Must Be Refunded and Stopped

Protect your cell phone from unwanted calls.

Soaring fuel prices and the need to replace aging electric lines will prompt Southern California Edison to seek rate hikes of more than 30 percent later this year.

TURN: Solar rebates should benefit everyone, not just the wealthiest.

SDG&E, Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas and Electric have asked the PUC to shift more of the costs of paying for certain programs to residential ratepayers. Those programs include CARE - which provides a utility discount to low-income families - and energy efficiency programs that reduce the need for more power plants.

Gasoline isn't the only fuel whose price is rising. PG&E wants to raise electricity rates by 6.5 percent to cover the soaring cost of natural gas.

Q&A with Merc's Action Line

CPUC's Climate Change institute may create more problems than it solves.

Electric bills should not become a blank check for all of CPUC's pet projects, says TURN.

Privacy and consumer groups won the first round in Sacramento on Tuesday.