Rules and rates
You may be eligible for a lower rate. To learn more about optional rates or view a complete list of rules and rates, visit www.pge.com or call 1-800-743-5000.
If you believe there is an error on your bill, please call 1-800-743-5000 to speak with a representative. If you are not satisfied with our response, contact the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), Consumer Affairs Branch (CAB), 505 Van Ness Avenue, Room 2003, San Francisco, CA 94102, 1-800-649-7570 or 7-1-1 (8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday) or by visiting www.cpuc.ca.gov/complaints/.
To avoid having service turned off while you wait for the outcome of a complaint to the CPUC specifically regarding the accuracy of your bill, please contact CAB for assistance. If your case meets the eligibility criteria, CAB will provide you with instructions on how to mail a check or money order to be impounded pending resolution of your case. You must continue to pay your current charges while your complaint is under review to keep your service turned on.
If you are not able to pay your bill, call PG&E to discuss how we can help. You may qualify for reduced rates under PG&E's CARE program or other special programs and agencies may be available to assist you. You may qualify for PG&E's Energy Savings Assistance Program which is an energy efficiency program for income-qualified residential customers.
Important definitions
Rotating outage blocks are subject to change without advance notice due to operational conditions.
Tier 1/Baseline allowance: Some residential rates are given a Tier 1/Baseline allowance - a CPUC approved percentage of average customer usage during summer and winter months. Your Tier 1/Baseline allowance provides for basic needs at an affordable price and encourages conservation. Your allowance is assigned based on the climate where you live, the season and your heat source. As you use more energy, you pay more for usage. Any usage over your baseline allowance will be charged at a higher price.
High Usage: An increased price per kWh whenever electricity usage exceeds four times the Baseline Allowance (Tier 1) in a billing period. This charge does not apply to Time-of-Use rate plans.
DWR bond charge: Recovers the cost of bonds issued by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to purchase power to serve electric customers during the California energy crisis. DWR bond charges are collected on behalf of DWR and do not belong to PG&E.
Power Charge Indifference Adjustment (PCIA): Ensures that non-exempt customers under PG&E's GT and ECR rate schedules or who purchase electricity (generation) from non-PG&E suppliers pay their share of generation costs.
Gas Public Purpose Program (PPP) Surcharge. Used to fund state-mandated gas assistance programs for low-income customers, energy efficiency programs, and public-interest research and development.
Visit www.pge.com/billexplanation for more definitions. To view most recent bill inserts including legal or mandated notices, visit www.pge.com/billinserts.
Your Electric Charges Breakdown
Conservation Incentive |
-$9.50 |
Transmission |
12.42 |
Distribution |
35.08 |
Electric Public Purpose Programs |
4.71 |
Nuclear Decommissioning |
0.33 |
DWR Bond Charge |
1.91 |
Competition Transition Charges (CTC) |
0.42 |
Energy Cost Recovery Amount |
-0.22 |
PCIA |
10.26 |
Taxes and Other |
0.25 |
Total Electric Charges |
$55.66 |