San Diego Gas & Electric has opened a new general rate case with the California Public Utilities Commission, starting a multi-year review that could shape what Santee households pay for electricity and natural gas from 2028 through 2031, according to Times of San Diego.

If approved as filed, SDG&E's initial proposal would add $14.03 a month for a typical residential electric customer and $8.45 for natural gas in 2028, an overall 8.6% increase. The company said the request reflects costs tied to safe and reliable service, infrastructure, cybersecurity and technology upgrades.

The filing asks regulators to approve an estimated $3.8 billion revenue requirement for 2028. The CPUC process is designed to review whether those costs are justified and in the public interest, and the agency said consumer input is part of that review.

For Santee residents, the case matters because SDG&E is the local utility and its rates already sit among the highest for investor-owned utilities nationally. The San Diego City Council also voted to support a package of state bills aimed at utility affordability and CPUC transparency, keeping rate pressure in the regional spotlight as the state review moves forward.