SACRAMENTO, Calif., Sept. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A new Consumer Alert video published by Consumer Watchdog exposes the "bailout blackmail" that PG&E is engaging in to force the legislature to approve a bailout for the company in a special session. The company is cutting back on $2 billion in infrastructure that ratepayers have already paid for unless it gets a bailout, which the legislature has refused to do in its regular session.
The short video features an interview with former California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) President Loretta Lynch alleging that PG&E CEO Patti Poppe lied in a video. Poppe said that PG&E could not provide new services because it would cost it too much in borrowing costs. Lynch pointed out PG&E had already been paid for the new equipment in approved rate hikes with a 10% markup and the cost of taxes on the equipment.
Consumer Watchdog has petitioned the PUC to issue an order to show cause.
"It's bailout blackmail," said former President of the California Public Utilities Commission Loretta Lynch in the Consumer Alert video. "The utility wanted, regardless of whether its negligence caused damage, to not be held liable for that damage, and thankfully the legislature said no. PG&E is trying to browbeat California policy makers into giving PG&E a get out of jail free card for its own liability."
The Consumer Alert takes issue with this video statement published by PG&E CEO Patti Poppe: "PG&E collects money from customers through rates every year. We use nearly all of that to operate and maintain the existing gas and electric equipment. But that is not enough to build new equipment to keep people safe and energy reliable. That's why we must raise billions of dollars more every year."
Lynch responds in the Consumer Alert: "That's bull. Ratepayers already pay for every single penny PG&E spends. Ratepayers pay $19 billion. In addition, ratepayers pay 10% on every single piece of equipment or power plant or physical infrastructure that they build, own, or maintain. We also pay the taxes on that 10%. So ratepayers end up paying 15 cents out of every dollar we pay for PG&E's profit and to pay PG&E taxes on their own profit."
Pope has said that if the legislature approves liability relief in bailout legislation she will spend the $2 billion she is withholding. Consumer Watchdog's petition to the PUC asks for the Commission to require PG&E to answer why it is withholding the use of dollars ratepayers are already paying for and force a refund or to have those dollars spent.
"PG&E is just choosing to hold us hostage in order to get legal changes that will exempt itself from liability for its own negligence," said Lynch. "So we need to just say no to PG&E. PG&E enjoys monopoly status because it has entered into a legal duty to serve all customers and to keep us safe. PG&E has plenty of money to do that. And if they don't, let's audit their books and see where they're stashing the cash."
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