California Water Service Applauds California Supreme Courtroom Choice Preserving Water Utilities’ Rights to Implement Fee-Making Mechanism that Helps Conservation, Protects Prospects

SAN JOSE, Calif., July 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — California Water Service (NYSE:) (Cal Water) commends the choice issued right now by the California Supreme Courtroom that preserves decoupling as a rate-making mechanism, protects water utilities’ due course of rights, and allows them to keep up monetary stability, all whereas encouraging water conservation and serving to defend clients on the identical time. The ruling was issued in response to the Low-Revenue Ratepayer Help Section 1 Choice (D. 20-08-047) made by the California Public Utilities Fee (CPUC) in August 2020.

The courtroom’s ruling decided that the CPUC didn’t comply with statutory procedures mandated by the State Legislature and guidelines of the CPUC itself to supply enough discover that it was contemplating eliminating the long-standing observe of decoupling as a rate-making mechanism. This prevented utilities from having the chance to supply proof that helps decoupling”which removes the hyperlink between water income and gross sales”as an efficient means to assist preserve water charges inexpensive for low-water-using clients, whereas concurrently serving to preserve utilities financially steady as they promote water conservation.

Defending our clients is our high precedence, and we’re happy that the Supreme Courtroom has dominated in favor of water utilities sustaining our due course of rights and with the ability to reveal the effectiveness of sure rate-making mechanisms earlier than regulatory choices are made to take away them, stated Martin A. Kropelnicki, Cal Water Chairman & CEO. Decoupling is a crucial instrument that helps preserve our clients’ charges inexpensive as we promote conservation to assist present essential water provides, now and sooner or later.

Cal Water was certainly one of 4 regulated utilities that filed petitions towards the CPUC’s elimination of decoupling with out offering satisfactory discover, thus not permitting the utilities to correctly current decoupling advantages throughout the rate-making course of.

About California Water Service
California Water Service gives high-quality, dependable water utility providers to greater than 2 million individuals statewide via 497,700 service connections. Cal Water’s function is to reinforce the standard of life for patrons and communities. To take action, it invests responsibly in water and wastewater infrastructure, sustainability initiatives, and neighborhood well-being.  The corporate’s 1,100+ staff dwell by a set of robust core values and share a dedication to defending the planet, caring for individuals, and working with the utmost integrity.  The utility has been named certainly one of America’s Most Accountable Corporations and the World’s Most Reliable Corporations by Newsweek and a Nice Place to Work ®. Extra info is obtainable at  www.calwater.com.

Contact: Yvonne Kingman, 310-257-1434

Supply: California Water Service Group