PG&E’s settlement will end up costing ratepayers more

I don’t understand why PG&E owes anything to the San Luis Obispo County for its pending plant closure. The county has enjoyed tax benefits for many years from this utility. It is the state of California that is forcing the closure of Diablo Canyon. Any payout to the county will be charged to the ratepayers, as this is a public regulated utility.

This feels like extortion — the county extorting money from PG&E, who in turn will extort money from ratepayers. This is backhanded way of further taxing citizens, and it does not make sense.

This story was originally published December 16, 2016 at 8:50 PM with the headline "PG&E’s settlement will end up costing ratepayers more."