Local News in Brief : South Laguna : Edison Urges Residents to Switch From SDG

Southern California Edison Co. has sent letters to South Laguna residents asking them to urge the Laguna Beach City Council to reconsider its decision to keep San Diego Gas & Electric as the electricity supplier in South Laguna.

Earlier this year, after South Laguna was annexed to Laguna Beach, some South Laguna residents asked the City Council to consider changing the community’s utility to Edison because SDG&E; charges higher rates. The average monthly bill based on 469 kilowatts consumed is $52.78 for SDG&E; customers and $41.24 for Edison customers, according to both utility companies.

But the City Council unanimously decided May 3 to keep SDG&E; and offer it a franchise because there was not overwhelming community support for a change, council members said.

In the letter, Edison officials said they would like the City Council to petition the California Public Utilities Commission for a utility service district change in South Laguna, so that all of Laguna Beach would be served by Edison.