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(California News Service) The California Public Utilities Commission rejected Southern California Edison's plan to help families trade in their gas appliances for electric, drawing criticism from environmental groups.

The commission argued the $200 million, four-year plan would have raised rates too much in the short term.

Nihal Shrinath, associate attorney for the Sierra Club, said the rebates would have taken between 25 percent and 75 percent off the cost of an electric heat pump or combination heat pump/water heater.

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"That's not taking into account the fact that these electric appliances tend to be three to four times more efficient than gas appliances," Shrinath pointed out. "Customers would see almost immediate positive rate impacts on their bills."

The state has set a goal to electrify 80 percent of buildings by 2035. When natural gas is burned, it emits methane, a potent greenhouse gas linked to higher rates of asthma. 

Cal Edison had plans to install more than 250,000 heat pumps and heat pump water heaters. Shrinath pointed out the Sierra Club proposed modifications to focus the program on low-income communities.

"Right now, we're not in a great situation where we risk only affluent customers electrifying and low-income customers kind of holding the bag, so to speak, for an increasingly obsolete gas system," Shrinath contended.

People can still take advantage of other electrification rebate and incentive programs. Check the website RewiringAmerica.org for information on the tax credits tied to the Biden administration's Inflation Reduction Act. And check the site SwitchIsOn.org for state incentives.