Public Power San Diego

What do we want?

SDG&E charges among the highest rates for power in the nation. Public Power San Diego (PPSD) advocates for the creation of a publicly owned, affordable gas and electric utility for the City of San Diego via an independent public agency.

When do we want it?

Now! Starting before the SDG&E contract with the city expires in January 2021.

Why should San Diego go public?

• Lower, more affordable electric bill for the consumer (ex: SDG&E charges $100/month more than Sacramento’s municipal utility and $75/month more than Los Angeles)
• No more rolling blackouts (public utility consumers in California have avoided the rolling blackouts imposed recently on ratepayers with investor-owned utilities)
• More money invested in your city: local community programs, renewable energy sources, support for crisis-hit areas, and municipal worker benefits (vs. $1 million/day in SDG&E and Sempra Energy, the parent company, coffers)
• Further ensures San Diego reaches its goal of becoming renewable energy-dependent by 2035, as per our city’s Climate Action Plan
• Your electricity would work for you – not a corporation
• Greater transparency, accessibility, and control over San Diego utilities for every San Diegan (You get to have a say over whether you want your rates raised. Your vote and your voice would make an actual difference over how your utilities are run)

 Let’s Improve San Diego’s Utilities Together! 

Join PPSD in the fight for a just, sustainable, and affordable public utility in San Diego. You can keep up to date with related news, campaign progress, volunteer opportunities and upcoming events!

Help us stop the new franchise agreement that Mayor Faulconer is NOW trying to push through our City Council (without adequate public or Council review)! This bad agreement rushes to City Council for a vote on October 23rd.
Remember to contact your local City Council representative and tell them to VOTE NO!
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Link to the Flyer’s PDF version

Our Opening Press Conference on 101 Ash Street

101 Ash Street

Sempra, parent company of SDG&E, vacated their headquarters at this downtown high rise on 101 Ash Street and moved to a new luxury high rise overlooking Petco Park. Their new landlord (Cisterra Development) brokered the deal to unload the old building –left completely furnished by Sempra, and full of asbestos and other problems– in a highly controversial lease deal to the City.  

 

 “This high-rise debacle is costing us $18,000 a day,” says Craig Rose, a member of PPSD and the Citizens Franchise Alliance. SDG&E currently takes $1 million/day in net profits from the City, money which would otherwise go to benefit the people of San Diego, but instead only benefits the heads of Sempra Energy. “We’re dealing with a climate crisis, rolling blackouts, and a pandemic, with communities of color and lower income folks slammed hardest. We can’t afford to ship this wealth out of our city any longer. We need Public Power.”

 

“If the mayor goes through with his plan for a new utility franchise – and the pathetically low bids proposed – the people of this city will lose billions and the rates will stay high,” says John Mattes, another PPSD member. Public Power is the way to lower utility rates and give us the control we need to deal with the climate crisis and the resources we need to help address environmental, economic, and social injustices.

 

Do we really want our power system controlled by a multinational corporation who pulls profits out of San Diego to build massive natural gas export facilities instead of helping us develop the solar energy potential we have right here in our own City and County? We say, “Power to the people is Public Power!”