Pacific Gas and Electric Co. had three strikes against it in 2001: Deregulation of utilities had forced rates to skyrocket, and its corporate reputation had suffered a blow as a result; the company was filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy; and the statewide energy crisis certainly wasn't helping matters. So when the state mandated that all investor-owned utilities significantly and rapidly increase enrollment in a discount energy program for low-income residents, PG&E had serious work to be done.