State regulators have penalized Southern California Edison $146 million for rigging customer satisfaction surveys.
The California Public Utilities Commission announced a fine Thursday and ordered Edison to refund nearly $81 million that customers paid for performance bonuses over several years.
The Rosemead-based utility said in 2004 that some employees had falsified surveys, which allowed Edison to collect bonuses from customers through electricity rates.
Edison spokesman Gill Alexander called the survey rigging a "very serious breach" of responsibility.
The PUC's decision was in response to Edison's appeal of the original $200 million penalty that a judge issued last fall.
The PUC said Edison, whose parent company is Edison International Co., submitted false health, safety and customer satisfaction data.
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