Disastrous city proposal could cause rates to spike
IBEW Local 1245 launched a “Shell Shock” campaign on Sept. 10 to highlight the spike in energy costs and potentially disastrous consequences that a contract between San Francisco and Shell would bring.
San Francisco city government is considering a proposal to partner with Shell Energy of North America to inaugurate the city’s so-called “clean power” program. If the Board of Supervisors approves the proposal, San Francisco would pay millions to Shell, one of the most notorious environmental violators in business today.
According to the City’s Controller, if the San Francisco Shell Shock contract goes through:
- The average home can expect to see a rate increase of 77% over their current PG&E electricity generation rates. That comes out to an increase of over $200 per year.
- The higher cost of power would eat up more and more of the City budget, forcing service reductions and costing San Francisco vitally needed jobs.
- Our local economy would take a multi-million dollar hit.
“Raising generation rates by 77% would Shell Shock San Franciscans,” said Hunter Stern, a San Francisco resident and a business representative for IBEW Local 1245 in San Francisco.
“In these tough economic times, the last thing the City should be considering is a plan that would lead to service reductions and job losses. And Shell’s values, especially their abysmal environmental record, aren’t in sync with what most San Franciscans want to support,” Stern said.
CARE customers, who are typically low-income customers, are being asked to pay a larger portion of the increase than other customers. CARE customers will pay an additional $22 a month, compared to the $9 monthly increase Tier One customers are expected to see, Stern said.
IBEW Local 1245 urges San Franciscans to get the facts and sign the petition to stop the San Francisco Shell Shock contract. Go to www.Facebook.com/SFShellShock.