SCE is saying the quiet part out loud — utility companies see Tom Steyer as a threat and that’s why they’re hellbent on defeating him

CALIFORNIA — If Californians needed any more proof that Tom Steyer is the only candidate who will take on the utility monopolies and lower costs, Southern California Edison just gave it to them.

A spokesperson for Edison, a company with a net income of $4.5 billion and whose CEO’s pay rose 20 percent despite its potential liability for the devastating Eaton Fire in Altadena last year, told POLITICO it has no agenda in the governor’s race but to “[oppose] Tom Steyer.”

Steyer’s plans to break up Edison’s monopoly power to lower bills for Californians pose a serious threat to their bottom line – and they know it. Its parent company Edison International contributed roughly $2 million to a business coalition funneling money into an anti-Steyer campaign. In April, SCE CEO Pedro Pizarro even called out Steyer in an earnings call.

“Tom Steyer wears Southern California Edison’s opposition as a badge of honor. When you’re opposed by the people responsible for devastating wildfires and outrageous rate hikes, it means you’re doing something right,” said Steyer for Governor spokesperson Sepi Esfahlani. “Under Edison, Californians have experienced rate hike after rate hike, contributing to some of the highest electric bills in the country. Every cent spent opposing Tom is further proof that he’s the only person equipped to lower the electric bills that break the bank for so many California families.”

California’s biggest utility monopolies — the very same companies responsible for hiking up rates, wildfires, and rolling blackouts — are spending more than $17 million dollars to defeat Tom Steyer and make sure nothing changes in Sacramento. This includes $13.5 million from PG&E, $2.1 million from Sempra, and $2.21 million from SCE.

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