SAN DIEGO — A new proposal from San Diego Gas and Electric has been sent to the California Public Utilities Commission, asking to reorganize the way bills are paid.

SDG&E is pushing forward a graduated billing system offering to lower the bills of low- and moderate-income rate payers while raising bills of people making more than $180,000 a year.

“We’re going to be able to save low- and middle-income customers up to $300 per year on their energy bill by taking this approach,” said Scott Crider, a senior vice president from SDG&E. “At number two, this is going to provide better predictability that you’re going to see that customers could see less volatility and less big swings in their energy bills, especially in the summertime.”

Flat base fees are also being proposed, meaning solar users would find themselves paying for their solar panels and an unexpected fee as well.

“Our perspective is that solar customers are still going to be able to save compared to not having solar,” Crider said.  

Solar owners are worried about the new proposal, because they have spent on green technologies with the hope to not pay more.

“You don’t like the original deal, so we just redo it. Don’t we live in a world where your word is supposed to count for something, where a written contract means something,” said Raymond Gomez, an attorney and solar owner.  

Solar companies also complain people will be less likely to buy solar as the expense of solar no longer offsets the cost of electricity.  

“When will it end, when the rate payer has to be a rate payer, support the grid, pay taxes on the grid, pay taxes for the wildfire, but then also have to find the next thing, and the next thing and the next thing,” said Justin Fox, the CEO of Carlsbad Solar.

The California Public Utilities Commission is expected to rule on the proposal in the summer of 2024.