PG&E Bills Getting Lower? What You Need to Know NOW!
Good news for Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) customers! Monthly bills are decreasing as certain wildfire and emergency response expenses recede from the utility's rate base. This means a bit of relief for your wallet.
How Much Will My Bill Drop?
Residential customers using around 500 kilowatt hours per month, and who aren't on a subsidized plan, can expect their electricity bills to decrease by approximately $5. This translates to a 2.1% reduction. Gas bills are also slated to drop, albeit by a smaller amount – around 39 cents a month for typical customers using 31 therms, a decrease of 0.4%.
More Good News on the Horizon?
According to PG&E spokesperson Mike Gazda, no further rate changes are anticipated for the remainder of 2025. Even better, bills are projected to decrease further in 2026. In fact, residential electric rates have already decreased three times in the last 15 months.
California Climate Credit
Adding to the savings, residential electric customers will receive a $58.25 credit from the California Climate Credit during their October billing cycle.
PG&E's Perspective
PG&E executives emphasize their commitment to stabilizing electric prices through company-wide savings programs. Carla Peterman, PG&E executive vice president, stated, "Our focus is on making our system safer and more reliable for customers every day, while managing our costs to keep bills as low as possible."
National Trends vs. PG&E
While the U.S. Energy Information Administration forecasts national electric prices to increase through 2026, PG&E anticipates its rates will continue to decline. This is welcome news for PG&E customers in California.
Important Considerations
The Utility Reform Network (TURN) points out that this temporary reduction should be considered in the context of significant bill increases in recent years. While any decrease is appreciated, it's important to remember the larger trend of rising utility costs.