The Monkey on PG&E's Back.

PG&E finds itself squarely on the radar screen of the activist community in San Francisco. A group calling itself "Green Guerillas Against Greenwash" is calling out PG&E for the company's new public relations offensive, "Let's Green This City."

According to the guerillas' web site:

"Green Guerrillas Against Greenwash (GGAG) is a citizen group formed out of disgust for PG$E's 'Lets Green This City' greenwashing campaign. We are further outraged at PG$E's attempt to prevent cities from implementing Community Choice Aggregation. Green Guerrillas stand oposed to the promotion of dirty energy, such as gas and nuclear, since they are not necessary for our state to seriously address climate change. We stand for the use of renewable energy solutions to our climate crisis."

During testimony before the PUC yesterday (where PG&E's $1.6 billion rate hike was unanimously approved), the Green Guerillas took shots at PG&E, accusing the company-- among other things-- of dooming California to a future wed to fossil fuels and of concealing a secret nuclear power agenda.

Just how much impact this activist campaign will have is tough to tell. After all, this is San Francisco where this kind of activity is pretty much considered part of the mainstream political process. However, it should serve notice to industry that despite a new, greener agenda (mandated by Sacramento or otherwise), running an energy company in California will always be controversial.