… when people switch from talking about how their air conditioners can’t keep up to worrying about what all that power has cost them.

The next round of SMUD bills was the buzz at lunch today at Corti Bros. Of course, every lunchtime at Corti Bros. will find SMUD employees in line, with their salads and sandwiches to go. (SMUD’s warehouse and supply buildings are next-door to Corti, and the rest is around the corner.) That’s probably why the clerk, after bemoaning what will surely be a whopper of a bill next month, smiled and said:

“Well, yes, but at least I don’t have PG&E!”

Small consolation perhaps when the SMUD envelope comes next month, but bills from Sacramento’s homegrown and customer-owned electric utility do run 29 percent lower on average for residential customers than they do for our neighbors in PG&E territory.