PG&E bills are on the rise. Here’s why and what you can do (2024)

FAQs

Why is my PGE bill so high 2023? ›

According to Paul Doherty, PG&E spokesperson, the rate increases are due to: The cost of maintaining aging infrastructure. Paying off debt accrued during the California energy crisis. Cost overruns from the new natural gas pipeline construction.

On April 20, 2022, PG&E filed a document with the CPUC called the “2023 Cost of Capital Application,” officially announcing its intention to raise rates in 2023. In February of 2023, the company made good on its promise and raised rates by 8% for residential customers in its service area.

Your gas bill will fluctuate depending on natural gas prices and increase energy use, but may also change due to the season, a change in lifestyle or the addition of family members. Some commonly used appliances that consume natural gas are: Clothes Dryers. Water Heaters.

PG&E projects that a monthly bill for the average gas and electric customer in 2023 will be about $240.73 - about $24 higher than the average bill of $216.70 in January 2022.

Most of the electricity in the U.S. — about 40% — is produced by burning natural gas, the cost of which spiked to a 14-year-high last fall before dropping early in 2023.

On May 2, 2022, PG&E filed its Demand Response application with the CPUC covering the years 2023 through 2027. The application proposes to collect $70.9 million in rates in 2023 and subsequently collect $199.9 million in rates each year over a 4-year period from 2024 to 2027.

We estimate that around USD 2.8 trillion will be invested in energy in 2023. More than USD 1.7 trillion is going to clean energy, including renewable power, nuclear, grids, storage, low-emission fuels, efficiency improvements and end-use renewables and electrification.

Three to five percent more energy is used for each degree you set your furnace above 68 F. When you leave the house, set your thermostat to 56 F. By turning your thermostat back 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours, you can save five to 15 percent a year on your heating bill.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for gasoline (all types) are 996.03% higher in 2023 versus 1970 (a $36.75 difference in value).

According to Severin Borenstein, one of the report's co-authors and a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, electricity prices in the state are so high because utility companies are also paying for damages from wildfires and buying back electricity from people who've installed rooftop solar panels, among ...

How can I reduce my gas bill? ›

You can link up to 100 accounts to your profile in two ways: Select from a list of your accounts or enter an account number.

Price increases have been driven by higher demand and tighter supplies on the West Coast, as customers use more natural gas for heating during cooler than normal temperatures. Power plants also use more natural gas to meet electricity demand.

On average, refrigerators use 300-800 watts of electricity. It costs an average of $20 a month or $240 a year to run a refrigerator. A refrigerator's actual energy use is typically much less than the stated wattage because they cycle on and off throughout the day.

Households earning more than $180,000 would pay $92 a month. The planned change for PG&E customers comes after a rate hike in January. A final decision would be made in mid-2024 by the California Public Utilities Commission, which regulates utilities, including PG&E, and the plan could be implemented by 2025.

Gas has increased by more over this period; up by 141% since winter 2021/22 compared to a 65% increase for electricity.

Notably, FactSet predicts this industry group could post 46% year-over-year growth in earnings in 2023, despite the broader sector's expected decline. In sum, limited supply could offset falling demand to help keep commodity prices elevated.

Once again, Hawaii residents pay the highest average electricity rates in the country, with a rate of 44.25 cents/kWh.

Electricity is often cheaper late at night or early in the morning, so if you run your heaviest loads during those times, you'll be able to save on your electric bill. These are typical off-peak hours when not as many people are using electricity.

What are the expensive hours for PGE? ›

Peak (highest price) – 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday (except most holidays) Off-Peak (lowest price) – before 4 p.m. and after 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and all hours on weekends and most holidays.

We forecast the U.S. residential electricity price will average 14.4 cents/kWh between June and August 2022, up 3.9% from summer 2021.

Using renewable energy sources – such as wind and solar power – is one of the fastest-growing ways to get cleaner, greener electricity. This means that, to reduce CO₂ emissions and reach net zero, more aspects of our lives that previously relied on fossil fuels will need to start using electricity instead.

WASHINGTON – Electricity generation in the U.S. will cross a critical threshold some time this year or next, according to new government projections: One-fourth of the supply will start coming from solar, wind and other renewable sources.

Verify that the timed settings on your heating and air conditioning system match when your building is in use. Lower the thermostat on your furnace by one degree and save up to 3% in energy usage. Close curtains, shades and blinds at night, on weekends and all times when your building is unoccupied.

Food prices are projected to rise in 2023, albeit at a slower pace than they did in 2022, according to the USDA.

For its part, the USDA predicts that for 2023, grocery store prices will increase 6.6%. It expects increased prices for nine food categories to stick around, including poultry, dairy products, fats and oils, and cereal products. Prices of beef, pork and fresh fruits, on the other hand, should see modest declines.

Lower natural gas prices in 2023 will lead to a 35-45% “plunge” in the price of on-peak power in most markets across the United States, Moody's Investors Services said in a Monday research note. California is the exception, where peak prices are expected to fall “only around 9%.”

Which U.S. state has the most expensive electricity? ›

U.S. residential retail price of electricity 2022, by state

Hawaii is the U.S. state with the highest household electricity price. In September 2022, the average retail price of electricity for Hawaiian residences amounted to roughly 45 U.S. cents per kilowatt-hour.

California has higher electricity and natural gas prices than Texas, and this is reflected in the latest data published by the US Energy Information Administration. The following table compares the electricity prices reported in March 2022 for Texas and California.

Just as you may have suspected, space heating and water heating — followed by electricity generation — use the most residential gas.

Consistently high bills, or high bills in the summer when heating costs drop for most households, can often be attributed to high gas supply rates, older, inefficient appliances, a need to better maintain or service your gas appliances, window and door drafts, heat loss through the attic or chimney, or opportunities to ...

Most space heaters use approximately 1,500 Watts of electricity per hour making them one of the most inefficient heating options for your home.

You can change your rate online once a year

Use the following information to create Your Account: Your PG&E account number. Your phone number or the last four digits of your Social Security number.

No, a late payment will not affect your credit, as long as your residential account remains active. PG&E does not refer active accounts to collection agencies.

Medical Baseline Allotment is not a discount program. There is no discount provided on your energy statement. Most residential customers receive an allotment of energy every month at the lowest price available on their rate.

Solar panels save you money by reducing your usage of electricity from the utility company. PG&E customers currently pay some of the highest rates for electricity in the country, and therefore have one of the best chances to save money with solar.

How much electricity does a TV use per month? ›

Assuming an average TV wattage of 100 W: If you watch TV 1.5 hours per day, that's 1.05 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per week, 4.55 kWh per month, and 54.6 kWh per year. Running that same TV 3 hours per day comes to 2.1 kWh per week, 9.1 kWh per month, and 109.2 kWh per year.

Actually, the energy consumption is dictated by different factors, such as the washer-drier model and energy class. The average estimate is around 1.5 kWh per washing cycle (around 30 cents) and 4.5 kWh per drying cycle (around 90 cents).

Your fridge should run from around 35% of the day to around 85% of the day. A refrigerator that gets opened more frequently has to operate more often to lower the temperature of warmer items, so this amount varies. However, no fridge should run all the time.

PG&E projects that a monthly bill for the average gas and electric customer in 2023 will be about $240.73 - about $24 higher than the average bill of $216.70 in January 2022.

Households earning less than $28,000 a year would pay a fixed charge of $15 a month on their electric bills. Households with annual income from $28,000 to $69,000 would pay $30 a month. Households earning from $69,000 to $180,000 would pay $51 a month.

Price increases have been driven by higher demand and tighter supplies on the West Coast, as customers use more natural gas for heating during cooler than normal temperatures. Power plants also use more natural gas to meet electricity demand.

Feeling sticker shock from your latest PG&E bill? It could only get worse from here. The utility company says it's planning a 16.3% increase to all energy bills compared with rates in January 2022 to account for inflation and around $13 billion in new investments in maintenance and facilities.

According to Severin Borenstein, one of the report's co-authors and a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, electricity prices in the state are so high because utility companies are also paying for damages from wildfires and buying back electricity from people who've installed rooftop solar panels, among ...

For residential tiered rates, Tier 1 includes the baseline quantity and Tier 2 extends from 101% of baseline or greater. PG&E also offers electric Time-of Use-rates for residential customers. Some of these rates are tiered and others are not.

Three to five percent more energy is used for each degree you set your furnace above 68 F. When you leave the house, set your thermostat to 56 F. By turning your thermostat back 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours, you can save five to 15 percent a year on your heating bill.

What time of day is PGE most expensive? ›

For example, residential customers with average gas and electricity consumption will see their monthly bill increase approximately 18 percent from $217 to $255. Additional increases for 2024, 2025 and 2026 are $1,048, $860, and $680 million respectively.

Monthly electric bills are a product of how much electricity you use per month and your electric rate. In California, the average monthly electric bill for residential customers is $218/month, which is calculated by multiplying the average monthly consumption by the average electric rate: 721 kWh * 30 ¢/kWh.

If you leave your computer or laptop plugged in to charge overnight, you could be wasting a significant chunk of electricity. Even when it's off, that power cord will continue to draw energy. Phones. Similarly, leaving your phone plugged in to charge overnight is a bad idea.

It's cheaper at night, when demand for power is at its lowest. This quieter period is called the off-peak hours, which usually falls between 10pm and 8am. Conversely, peak hours are during the daytime, when more people are using electricity and demand is higher.