California lawmakers grill leader of Public Utilities Commission about expensive electricity bills

"Is it time to revise how much of the wildfire mitigation costs should be borne by taxpayers and how much should be borne by stockholders?" Democratic Stockton State Sen. Jerry McNerney asked Reynolds in Wednesday's hearing.

Reynolds at first would not directly answer the question but said in part, "What we're asking for here is for the ratepayers to pay for climate change impacts."

"Excuse me, but I heard about climate change in 1969, these utilities should have been planning ahead," McNerney said. "I don't feel like you answered my question, should we be shifting some of the burden to shareholders?"

Reynolds responded that she's "certainly open if the legislature has ideas on that."

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