California PUC Raises Surcharges for High Cost Fund, LifeLine Program

The California Public Utilities Commission voted Thursday to approve increasing the state’s High Cost Fund-A surcharge rate to 0.35 percent from 0.18 percent and the LifeLine Program surcharge rate to 2.4 percent from 1.15 percent. The High Cost Fund-A surcharge hike will cost end users an additional 17 cents per $100, while the LifeLine program surcharge hike will cost an additional $1.25 per $100, CPUC said. Both surcharge rate changes take effect Jan. 1, CPUC said.