PNN letter to the P.U.C.

by Dee

On March 26, 2001, I telephoned the Public Utility Commission to complain about the rate hikes presented by the P.U.C. First I heard a matrix but, having a rotary phone, I waited to speak to a real human being. Instead, I was connected with a woman who claimed that P.U.C. has no fax machine, and then hung up.

I called again and asked for the woman's name. She refused to answer, and promptly hung up.

I called again, listened to the entire matrix for the third time, and when the woman answered I requested the name of her supervisor. She refused to reply, and hung up.

A fourth time I called, listened to the matrix, and again reached this same woman, who would only identify herself as the receptionist before hanging up.

I called again and said to the receptionist, “I want to make a complaint to the Public Utilities Commission."

She asked,“What Utility?”

I explained, “I want to complain about the person in charge of the rate increase for energy. I don’t want to complain about a utility problem."

“That means nothing to me,” she replied.

I said, “Let’s speak to your supervisor,” and once again she hung up on me.

I called a sixth time to again ask the receptionist, “Can I speak to your supervisor?” Without reply she hung up.

I called again, this time from a push-button phone. I pressed #2, hoping to at least leave a message, but the matrix transfered me to the same receptionist!

I asked, “Can I speak to your supervisor?” This time she accused me of harrassing her before she hung up.

I called an eighth time and hit another number in the matrix, hoping in vain to leave a message, but I was switched once more to the receptionist. This time I asked her for the fax number at P.U.C., and she gave it to me reluctantly. I asked her, “Who gets this fax? Will the head of the PUC get it?”

She answered,“I don’t know who will get it,” and hung up again!

So the following is my public comment to the P.U.C.:

1)You are trying to control the behavior of California citizens by raising our rates in order to force us to conserve. What a lousy excuse to raise rates. Isn’t it really because the rate raises affect blue chips, oil and utility stocks?

2) I demand to know the identity of this receptionist and, more importantly, that of her supervisor. This woman should not be the only contact available for public questions because she and the P.U.C. have made it almost impossible for California citizens to address complaints to you immediatly oe directly.

3)I expect this rude, abrasive, undersupervised woman to lie about our phone calls to her, and so I recorded our words- I repeat, OUR words, not her words. I informed her of this at least once.

4) I expect a letter or fax from you immediately in response to this situation.

5)Finally, as you do indeed have a fax machine, I will use this fax to tell you that I vehemently disagree with your irrational demands for Californians to pay higher electric or gas bills.