reporter becca habegger has the power play. >> the reality is, electricity bills have been skyrocketing's democratic senator josh becker at a california senate committee hearing wednesday, where lawmakers discussed the affordability of energy bills. >> since 2021, electricity bills for all three of the state's investor owned utilities have outpaced the rate of inflation. >> senators grilled the california public utilities commission cpuc. >> i have residents in my district being charged $700 a month plus per month on their utility bills. >> democratic senator aisha wahab is addressing cpuc president alice reynolds, who explained why the cpuc granted p-g-and-e's six rate changes last year, attributing much of that to wildfire costs. >> so we're approving work for the utility. the work that the utility is requesting to do, it is paid for by ratepayers. >> okay, but what is p-g-and-e's pay into this or any of the other companies? when you're saying you're analyzing what they're paying into versus what a ratepayer is a ratepayers are not a bank. i'm just going to be very clear about that. >

reporter becca habegger has the power play. >> the reality is, electricity bills have been skyrocketing>> that's democratic senator josh becker at a california senate committee hearing wednesday, where lawmakers discussed the affordability of energy bills. >> since 2021, electricity bills for all three of the state's investor owned utilities have outpaced the rate of inflation. >> senators grilled the california public utilities commission cpuc. >> i have residents in my district being charged $700 a month plus per month on their utility bills. >> democratic senator aisha wahab is addressing cpuc president alice reynolds, who explained why the cpuc granted p-g-and-e's six rate changes last year, attributing much of that to wildfire costs. >> so we're approving work for the utility. the work that the utility is requesting to do, it is paid for by ratepayers. >> okay, but what is p-g-and-e's pay into this or any of the other companies? when you're saying you're analyzing what they're paying into versus what a ratepayer is a ratepayers are not a bank. i'm just going to be very clear about