SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Starting in October, most SDG&E customers will see a new $24 charge on their monthly statement, listed as a “base service charge.”

"The base services charge covers pipes, wires, meters, the call center, everything that SDG&E already does for customers to ensure safe and reliable electricity," said Anthony Wagner, communications manager for SDG&E.

The utility company says it is not a new charge, rather classifying it as a reallocation. By cutting down rates by an average of 10% per kilowatt-hour, SDG&E says the service charge will be offset.

However, critics like County Supervisor Jim Desmond argue customers could actually still see their bills go up in some cases.

"If everyone’s paying the same amount, regardless of how much you use. So if you have solar or you

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