SCHEMES BETWEEN THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION - SEMPRA AND SDG&E
CPUC Commissioners are "Political Appointees" with NO Accountability
BRIBERY CHARGES FILED AGAINST CPU COMMISSIONER SIMON AND SDG&E...CHARGES FILED BY CPU EMPLOYEES:
BUSTED! Sempra Energy - SDG&E - CPU Commissioner Simon: BRIBERY CHARGES FILED. California Public Utilities Commissioner Timothy Simon caught accepting $25,000 Sempra / SDG&E "donation" for his girlfriend's project - in exchange for his agreement to approve SDG&E's wildfire insurance scheme...(to force its SDG&E customers to pay for wildfires caused by SDG&E negligence.) For $25,000..CPUC Simon is willing to approve rate increases to SDG&E customers.. over $1/2 BILLION for fires caused by SDG&E negligence...proving pure greed is hatred and ignorance.
"Employees of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) have submitted a complaint to the Office of the Governor and the Fair Political Practices Commission, complaining of the "illegal and unethical" behavior of CPUC Commissioner Timothy Alan Simon. The complaint attaches five news articles -- my Reader columns of April 4 and April 24, Miriam Raftery's East County Magazine article of April 8, and two news articles from the San Francisco Chronicle. The complaint states that Simon's longtime (10 years) fiance, Kimberly Brandon, is chair of the Museum of African Diaspora. At a San Francisco dinner, while Simon was away from the table, Brandon hit up a senior executive of San Diego Gas & Electric (SDGE) for a $25,000 donation to the museum -- and in return, she said Simon would vote in favor of SDGE's attempt to get San Diego customers to pay the uninsured costs of the 2007 fires, for which the utility was found negligent. San Diego attorney Mike Aguirre has mentioned this incident in his fight against the utility's blatant attempt to have ratepayers, instead of shareholders of parent Sempra Energy, pay for the utility's negligence -- both for 2007 and for future fires. Simon is in fact the commissioner in charge of that case." Don Bauder, San Diego Reader
"Employees of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) have submitted a complaint to the Office of the Governor and the Fair Political Practices Commission, complaining of the "illegal and unethical" behavior of CPUC Commissioner Timothy Alan Simon. The complaint attaches five news articles -- my Reader columns of April 4 and April 24, Miriam Raftery's East County Magazine article of April 8, and two news articles from the San Francisco Chronicle. The complaint states that Simon's longtime (10 years) fiance, Kimberly Brandon, is chair of the Museum of African Diaspora. At a San Francisco dinner, while Simon was away from the table, Brandon hit up a senior executive of San Diego Gas & Electric (SDGE) for a $25,000 donation to the museum -- and in return, she said Simon would vote in favor of SDGE's attempt to get San Diego customers to pay the uninsured costs of the 2007 fires, for which the utility was found negligent. San Diego attorney Mike Aguirre has mentioned this incident in his fight against the utility's blatant attempt to have ratepayers, instead of shareholders of parent Sempra Energy, pay for the utility's negligence -- both for 2007 and for future fires. Simon is in fact the commissioner in charge of that case." Don Bauder, San Diego Reader
SEMPRA ENERGY AND SDG&E STEAL FROM THE POOR AND MIDDLE CLASS TO REWARD THEIR RICH (USELESS) SHAREHOLDERS
"Why is Sempra so profitable and its stock price so high? It shortchanges the poor and middle class, its customers, to reward the rich, its shareholders.
Reference San Diego Gas & Electric’s latest scheme to make customers pay for uninsured costs of the 2007 wildfires, for which the company was found negligent. The company also wants customer indemnification for such costs of future fires. Opponents argue correctly that since San Diego Gas & Electric was found negligent in those fires, the costs should be borne by shareholders, not customers. But the company pampers those shareholders — particularly those inside the company." ...Don Bauder, San Diego Reader
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2012/apr/04/citylights1-san-diego-gas-electric-profits/
SEMPRA ENERGY AND SDG&E'S ROUTINE ACCOUNTING FRAUD & MANIPULATION TO MAXIMIZE UNEARNED "BONUSES"
"Sempra also does some finagling in fixing compensation: “The company is not above tweaking performance targets to maximize bonus payouts, as was done in 2010. The finagling that appears equally repugnant is the company’s — and the industry’s — role in subsidizing commissioners of the California Public Utilities Commission." ...Don Bauder, San Diego Reader
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2012/apr/04/citylights1-san-diego-gas-electric-profits/
CPUC Commissioner Timothy Simon's Partial History of Accepting Perks & Bribes from Sempra Energy and SDG&E - "Public Utilities Commissioner Timothy Simon and good "friend", SDGE chief executive Jessie Knight, have a "cozy" relationship- a devastating injustice to SDG&E ratepayers, property owners in San Diego, San Diego County's public lands (BLM), the Cleveland National Forest and the people of Baja California" ...all of the following info quoted from Don Bauder, San Diego Reader... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2012/apr/04/citylights1-san-diego-gas-electric-profits/
"The commissioner who is handling San Diego Gas & Electric’s attempt to stiff consumers is Timothy Alan Simon, who was appointed in early 2007 by former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, for whom Simon had been an aide. He had been recommended for the commission by California political powerhouse Willie Brown. Simon had been in bankruptcy for four years before his nomination, according to a story in the Los Angeles Times. Former utilities commission president Loretta Lynch was one of several knowledgeable people questioning whether someone with obvious financial woes should be named a commissioner. State senator Christine Kehoe of San Diego challenged Simon’s knowledge of utility issues."
(1) CPUC Simon took a trip to Italy in 2011. The industry-financed California Foundation on the Environment and the Economy picked up the tab for $10,017. Daniel Skopec, Sempra’s vice president of regulatory and legislative affairs, is a member of the foundation.
(2) Simon and Peevey also took a trip to Sweden that cost the utility industry a total of almost $12,000.
(3) The industry-supported, Washington, D.C.–based American Gas Association paid almost $2000 to support CPUC Timothy Simon’s trips to meetings last year. Debra Reed, the new Sempra chief executive, was formerly on the board of the American Gas Association.
(4) San Diego Gas & Electric picked up the tab for three dinners for CPUC Simon, costing $200, plus $12 for a cab ride. (When SDG&E picks up the tab - it really means that SDG&E ratepayers pay).
(5) CPUC Simon was one busy commissioner in 2011. On 88 occasions, he took trips, had meals, or accepted gifts, as recorded in the Form 700 category of “Income—Gifts, Travel Payments, Advances, and Reimbursements.” Some of the trips took four days. The trips to Italy and Sweden each took well over a week. The total manna: more than $50,000.
(6) San Diego attorney Michael Aguirre got an anonymous tip from inside the commission that at one of the meals, CPUC Simon committed himself to permit San Diego Gas & Electric to fleece its customers for uninsured fire costs. Aguirre wrote Simon, “An issue has arisen about whether you provided private assurances to [San Diego Gas & Electric] officials that the [California Public Utilities Commission] would allow SDGE to raise rates of its customers to pay for liability costs from the 2007 fires that were in excess of SDGE’s insurance.” ...CPUC Simon replied by sending documents that did not even attempt to answer Mr. Aquirre's question... clearly, CPUC Simon is guilty."
all quoted from..."San Diego Gas and Electric, Fat Profits- Fat Pay", Don Bauder, San Diego Reader
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2012/apr/04/citylights1-san-diego-gas-electric-profits/
CPUC COMMISSIONERS IGNORE AND DISMISS ALL GOVERNMENT AGENCY-EXPERT-PUBLIC RECOMMENDATIONS TO REJECT THE UNNEEDED SUNRISE POWERLINK 500KV...COSTING RATEPAYERS OVER $2.8 BILLION - permanently destroying over 700,000 acres of National Forest, public and private San Diego wildlands.
(3) Schwarzenegger's appointed CPUC members IGNORE EIR conclusions that the Sempra/SDG&E's Sunrise Powerlink is unneeded; that there are far better alternatives; and major detrimental impacts :
Reference San Diego Gas & Electric’s latest scheme to make customers pay for uninsured costs of the 2007 wildfires, for which the company was found negligent. The company also wants customer indemnification for such costs of future fires. Opponents argue correctly that since San Diego Gas & Electric was found negligent in those fires, the costs should be borne by shareholders, not customers. But the company pampers those shareholders — particularly those inside the company." ...Don Bauder, San Diego Reader
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2012/apr/04/citylights1-san-diego-gas-electric-profits/
SEMPRA ENERGY AND SDG&E'S ROUTINE ACCOUNTING FRAUD & MANIPULATION TO MAXIMIZE UNEARNED "BONUSES"
"Sempra also does some finagling in fixing compensation: “The company is not above tweaking performance targets to maximize bonus payouts, as was done in 2010. The finagling that appears equally repugnant is the company’s — and the industry’s — role in subsidizing commissioners of the California Public Utilities Commission." ...Don Bauder, San Diego Reader
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2012/apr/04/citylights1-san-diego-gas-electric-profits/
CPUC Commissioner Timothy Simon's Partial History of Accepting Perks & Bribes from Sempra Energy and SDG&E - "Public Utilities Commissioner Timothy Simon and good "friend", SDGE chief executive Jessie Knight, have a "cozy" relationship- a devastating injustice to SDG&E ratepayers, property owners in San Diego, San Diego County's public lands (BLM), the Cleveland National Forest and the people of Baja California" ...all of the following info quoted from Don Bauder, San Diego Reader... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2012/apr/04/citylights1-san-diego-gas-electric-profits/"The commissioner who is handling San Diego Gas & Electric’s attempt to stiff consumers is Timothy Alan Simon, who was appointed in early 2007 by former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, for whom Simon had been an aide. He had been recommended for the commission by California political powerhouse Willie Brown. Simon had been in bankruptcy for four years before his nomination, according to a story in the Los Angeles Times. Former utilities commission president Loretta Lynch was one of several knowledgeable people questioning whether someone with obvious financial woes should be named a commissioner. State senator Christine Kehoe of San Diego challenged Simon’s knowledge of utility issues."
(1) CPUC Simon took a trip to Italy in 2011. The industry-financed California Foundation on the Environment and the Economy picked up the tab for $10,017. Daniel Skopec, Sempra’s vice president of regulatory and legislative affairs, is a member of the foundation.
(2) Simon and Peevey also took a trip to Sweden that cost the utility industry a total of almost $12,000.
(3) The industry-supported, Washington, D.C.–based American Gas Association paid almost $2000 to support CPUC Timothy Simon’s trips to meetings last year. Debra Reed, the new Sempra chief executive, was formerly on the board of the American Gas Association.
(4) San Diego Gas & Electric picked up the tab for three dinners for CPUC Simon, costing $200, plus $12 for a cab ride. (When SDG&E picks up the tab - it really means that SDG&E ratepayers pay).
(5) CPUC Simon was one busy commissioner in 2011. On 88 occasions, he took trips, had meals, or accepted gifts, as recorded in the Form 700 category of “Income—Gifts, Travel Payments, Advances, and Reimbursements.” Some of the trips took four days. The trips to Italy and Sweden each took well over a week. The total manna: more than $50,000.
(6) San Diego attorney Michael Aguirre got an anonymous tip from inside the commission that at one of the meals, CPUC Simon committed himself to permit San Diego Gas & Electric to fleece its customers for uninsured fire costs. Aguirre wrote Simon, “An issue has arisen about whether you provided private assurances to [San Diego Gas & Electric] officials that the [California Public Utilities Commission] would allow SDGE to raise rates of its customers to pay for liability costs from the 2007 fires that were in excess of SDGE’s insurance.” ...CPUC Simon replied by sending documents that did not even attempt to answer Mr. Aquirre's question... clearly, CPUC Simon is guilty."
all quoted from..."San Diego Gas and Electric, Fat Profits- Fat Pay", Don Bauder, San Diego Reader
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2012/apr/04/citylights1-san-diego-gas-electric-profits/
CPUC COMMISSIONERS IGNORE AND DISMISS ALL GOVERNMENT AGENCY-EXPERT-PUBLIC RECOMMENDATIONS TO REJECT THE UNNEEDED SUNRISE POWERLINK 500KV...COSTING RATEPAYERS OVER $2.8 BILLION - permanently destroying over 700,000 acres of National Forest, public and private San Diego wildlands.
(1) Schwarzenegger's appointed CPUC members IGNORE the assigned Administrative Judge's ruling to REJECT Sempra/SDG&E's Sunrise Powerlink 500kv:
(2) Schwarzenegger's appointed CPUC members IGNORE the California Division of Ratepayer's Advocates' (state gov agency) recommendation to REJECT Sempra/SDG&E's Sunrise Powerlink 500kv:
(3) Schwarzenegger's appointed CPUC members IGNORE EIR conclusions that the Sempra/SDG&E's Sunrise Powerlink is unneeded; that there are far better alternatives; and major detrimental impacts :
Schwarzenegger's appointed CPUC (California Public Utilities Commission) members are not qualified, nor do they have concern or specialized education to understand the implications and drawbacks to issues they confront. Hence, to better serve California ratepayers fairly and justly- we have Administrative Law Judges and through the California Governor's Office: The Division of Ratepayer's Advocates, who, without bias, research, gain understanding and experience to rule in favor of the "greater good" - (for what is good, true and fair to California ratepayers -- to maintain "checks and balances").
Ex-CA Governor Schwarzenegger's appointed CPUC members IGNORED the rulings and conclusions of these California government officials and agencies to approve the Sunrise Powerlink 500kv transmission line.
http://www.co.san-diego.ca.us/cnty/bos/sup2/press/speech080226.html
TO DATE, THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA HAS YET TO PRODUCE ANY CONCLUSIVE PROOF FROM AN INDEPENDENT SOURCE THAT WE NEED SEMPRA'S POLLUTING, EXPENSIVE, UNRELIABLE LNG FROM ENERGIA COSTA AZUL via Sunrise Powerlink 500kv and Carlsbad LNG.
http://www.energybulletin.net/print/5319
http://legacy.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20070923-9999-1n23hotgas.html
TO DATE, THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA HAS YET TO PRODUCE ANY CONCLUSIVE PROOF FROM AN INDEPENDENT SOURCE THAT WE NEED SEMPRA'S POLLUTING, EXPENSIVE, UNRELIABLE LNG FROM ENERGIA COSTA AZUL via Sunrise Powerlink 500kv and Carlsbad LNG.
http://www.energybulletin.net/print/5319
http://legacy.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20070923-9999-1n23hotgas.html
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Sempra's and California Ratepayer's Costa Azul Resort |
The CPUC has turned into a callous behemoth who only serves the greed of the utilities it's supposed to control and regulate. Unethical actions are commonplace between the CPUC and Sempra/SDG&E...wining and dining-- including Jazz Bars and trips to Hawaii (bribery)- even closed door, secret meetings between the CPUC and Sempra/SDG&E (after depositions) occur without any ethical accountability.
http://www.baycitizen.org/energy/story/petition-seeks-disqualify-public/ http://www.kusi.com/story/13532378/sdge-and-puc-transit-problems-progress-report
http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/site/?q=node/8231
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| Corrupt CPUC Simon |
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/dec/18/puc-approves-sdge-rate-increase-plus-gives-it-a/
http://wildfiretoday.com/tag/power-line/
http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/?q=457_electrical_experts
http://www.baycitizen.org/energy/story/petition-seeks-disqualify-public/
http://www.kusi.com/story/13532378/sdge-and-puc-transit-problems-progress-report
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/dec/06/jacob-calls-investigation-sempra/
http://www.10news.com/video/25783084/index.html
***In SDG&E's upside-down world of falsities and lies -- Sempra/SDG&E pay tens of millions of dollars in FINES...but they will not admit guilt (payment of fines is proof enough of SDG&E/Sempra's GUILT). They call FINES -"settlements". When they are found guilty of lying, suppressing information, fraud...they call it "management failure"...Sempra/SDG&E only FOOL themselves.
SDG&E falsely claimed the alternative "southern route" would not be possible because affected Native Americans refused to allow the lines on their tribal land. SDG&E/Sempra lied because the southern route did in fact avoid tribal lands. SDG&E/Sempra's intentions were to deceive affected innocent residents of the "southern route" to stop them from fighting the line. Just one of many "tricks" SDG&E/Sempra had to use to force approval of the Sunrise Powerlink---even though the EIR, CPUC administrative law judges, the majority of citizens, environmentalists, renewable energy advocates...among many- ALL OPPOSED the Sunrise Powerlink.
Sempra/SDG&E's so called "fines" for crimes- imposed on them by the CPUC are a SHAM and a joke. $500K for the bogus "state general fund"? - $200K for CPUC pockets? - $200K for "ethics training"? These CPUC generated "fake fines" are an extreme injustice and insult to the innocent victims of SDG&E/Sempra abuse and crimes - as well as a waste of ratepayer's money. SDG&E ratepayers are the ones who must ultimately pay the fines when Sempra/SDG&E commit these crimes (which is almost constantly)...with the CPUC's approval.
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| Sempra's Costa Azul LNG Terminal Paid in full by CA ratepayers |
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| Sempra and CPUC's Greed & Corruption |
1. Cost of Infrastructure Passed on to Ratepayers.
2. Cost of Foreign Extraction Passed on to Taxpayers Through Export Credit Agencies.
3. September 2004: California Public Utilities Commission Approved Sempra’s Request for Rate Basing of Baja Project.
Sempra's foreign unregulated liquified natural gas = HIGHER SDG&E UTILITY BILLS
SEMPRA'S COSTA AZUL LNG IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN USA DOMESTIC NATURAL GAS
Global Competition from China, India, Europe will Drive up Cost.
SEMPRA'S LNG PRICES HAVE RISEN
...Source: Community Environmental Council
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache%3Ad7gyYHzRi8UJ%3Awww.pacificenvironment.org%2Fdownloads%2FLNG+-+Oregon.ppt+people+united+against+sempra+energy+lng+exports&cd=7&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
Sempra /SDG&E hope to force foreign, imported fossil fuels through California (via Sunrise Powerlink, Carlsbad LNG, Oregon, etc)...despite the fact that California has strict environmental laws (AB32) against using unregulated, foreign, polluting sources.
http://www.pacificenvironment.org/article.php?id=142
http://www.lngpollutes.org/downloads/AB32%20Scoping%20Comments_RACE.pdf
The CPUC DENIED all requests from numerous experts and coalitions to hold OPEN hearings to determine the true need for Sempra's imported LNG from Costa Azul. Instead, the CPUC based their entire energy policy upon the written requests from LARGE ENERGY COMPANIES AND UTILITIES. The Schwartzenegger Administration proved to be the perfect PAWN or LACKEY for these private utility monopolies (Sempra, SDG&E) with complete and utter subservience to Sempra's demands.
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA HAS YET TO PRODUCE ANY CONCLUSIVE PROOF FROM AN INDEPENDENT SOURCE THAT WE NEED SEMPRA'S POLLUTING, EXPENSIVE, UNRELIABLE LNG FROM ENERGIA COSTA AZUL via Sunrise Powerlink and Carlsbad LNG.
http://www.pacificenvironment.org/article.php?id=142
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| Natural Gas Pipelines |
The CPUC approved this extreme additional burden to California's ratepayers without any consideration for the best product for the best price ; California's environmental laws (AB32) which prohibits foreign, polluting sources (-the Sunrise Powerlink, the Carlsbad LNG), the health & safety of citizens...and especially, the polluting, expensive, destructive legacy we would have to explain to future generations when they ask..."How could this happen??"
http://www.ucan.org/energy/electricity/general_rate_case_2012/general_rate_case_2011
http://www.pacificenvironment.org/article.php?id=142
http://www.lngpollutes.org/downloads/AB32%20Scoping%20Comments_RACE.pdf
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| Sempra Infestation in Baja |
http://www.ucan.org/energy/electricity/general_rate_case_2012/general_rate_case_2011
http://www.lngpollutes.org/downloads/AB32%20Scoping%20Comments_RACE.pdf
http://www.energybulletin.net/print/5319
Sempra/SDG&E's master plan for San Diego: all the power sold by SDG&E by 2016 that produces CO2 emissions (including the Sunrise Powerlink and Carlsbad LNG), will be generated by power plants burning Sempra's imported, expensive, polluting LNG from Costa Azul.
http://www.energybulletin.net/print/5319
SEMPRA'S IMPORTED COSTA AZUL LNG CARRIES A GHG (GREENHOUSE GAS) BURDEN THAT IS 25% GREATER THAN USA (DOMESTIC) NATURAL GAS. (From RACE AB32 Scoping testimony).
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| Sempra's Termoelectrica de Mexicali-- Sunrise Powerlink Connection |
"The CPUC has in effect delivered California ratepayers into the hands of Sempra Energy and SDG&E to be "hooked" into a dependency on much more EXPENSIVE, more POLLUTING, more DANGEROUS, IMPORTED natural gas from Sempra's Costa Azul (via Sunrise Powerlink and Carlsbad LNG among others)..that Californians have no control (or knowledge) over."... Energy Bulletin
http://www.lngpollutes.org/downloads/AB32%20Scoping%20Comments_RACE.pdf http://www.energybulletin.net/print/5319
http://gatewaymediapartners.com/costaazul/6_12_2010nNARROINTERPARLAMENTARIOenglish2.pdf
http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=8828
http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=es&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.milenio.com%2Fnode%2F599278
