The California Public Utilities Commission regulates privately owned electric, natural gas, water, telecommunications and passenger transportation companies. It is one of the most active state commissions in the country, and its Consumer Affairs Branch handles thousands of billing and service complaints each year. If you live in California and your utility is investor-owned, the CPUC is usually the strongest escalation route after the company's own complaint process.
What the CPUC covers
- Electric and gas service from investor-owned utilities such as Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric and SoCalGas.
- Water and sewer service from regulated private water companies.
- Landline, broadband and mobile complaints where a state rule applies.
- Passenger carriers such as limousines and household goods movers.
- Safety, reliability, billing, shutoff and deposit disputes.
What it does not cover
Municipal utilities sit outside the CPUC. That includes the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Sacramento Municipal Utility District and similar city- or district-owned providers. Complaints about those utilities go to the utility's own board, the city council or the local ratepayer advocate. The CPUC also does not resolve disputes about cable television service or internet content.
How the complaint process works
Start by complaining to the utility and asking for a supervisor or the company's formal complaint team. Keep the account number, the dates, the name of anyone you spoke to and the outcome you want. If the company does not fix the problem, file an informal complaint with the CPUC's Consumer Affairs Branch online or by phone. The utility is required to respond, and the CPUC can review that response with you.
An informal complaint is a negotiation with a regulator watching. It is not a lawsuit, but it can produce a refund, a corrected bill, a payment arrangement or a service repair. If the informal route fails and the amount or principle justifies it, you can file a formal complaint. Formal complaints follow a legal timetable, require evidence and usually need a lawyer to run well.
The CPUC can also fine utilities for safety and reliability failures and can order changes to how a company bills or communicates. Those wider actions do not automatically pay individual customers, which is why your own complaint should state a specific remedy.
Before you file
- Ask the utility for a written explanation of the charge or decision.
- Gather bills, meter reads, outage records and screenshots of your online account.
- Write one paragraph describing the problem and one sentence describing the fix you want.
- Check whether your provider is investor-owned or municipal, because that decides the route.
For a step-by-step escalation ladder, read how to complain to a US utility commission. California customers of PG&E should also use the provider-specific complaint steps before escalating.
Contact CPUC
Contact details can change. Always confirm on the official page before sending personal information.
Before you escalate
- Complain to the provider first. Keep the date, the agent's name if given, and the complaint reference.
- Ask for a deadlock letter if the provider will not resolve the issue. Some schemes accept a case after a fixed waiting period instead.
- Put the facts in writing. Include account numbers, dates, meter readings or screenshots, the outcome you want and your contact details.
- Keep a copy of everything. Regulators work from documents, not recollections.
Providers in scope
Related guides
United States
How to complain to a US state utility commission
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