Base Services Charge

Implementing a Base Services Charge and lowering the cost of electricity will:

• Make bills clearer and more transparent
• Shift costs away from low-income customers
• Support the path to electrification and carbon-free energy
• Enable PG&E to comply with the CA State Legislature's Assembly Bill (AB) 205

Electric pricing will be lower for residential customers.³

Separating some of the costs of services from electricity pricing will make bills more transparent. The change will lower kWh pricing and help make it more affordable for customers to replace gas appliances and vehicles with efficient electric options. It will ensure that customers' energy bills are better matched to their income level. It also will shift cost burdens away from low-income customers. While electric pricing will be lower, some customers will experience a lower total bill, and others may see their bills slightly increase.

1. Distribution customer access costs

Costs of the connection to the grid, metering, and a portion of customer service costs related to billing

2. Public Purpose Program charges

Costs of clean energy and equity programs like CARE, energy efficiency, and demand response

3. New System Generation Charge

Funds system reliability for all customers

Customers enrolled in the CARE or FERA program will automatically receive a discount, reducing their effective Base Services Charge. The standard Base Services Charge is discounted to $6.00 per month for CARE customers and is discounted to $12.00 per month for FERA households or Affordable Housing (Deed Restricted) dwellers.

CARE and FERA customers will continue to receive their electricity usage discount. This will be in addition to the already reduced kWh pricing.

Yes. Solar customers, even though they are producing clean energy, still use the electric grid, and so will pay the same Base Services Charge as non-solar customers to maintain the infrastructure.

Reducing the cost of electricity will make it more affordable for customers, particularly low-income customers, to transition to clean, electric-powered homes and vehicles. A lower electricity price can help accelerate adoption of modern, efficient electric appliances and vehicles. Lower costs help customers save money while contributing to a clean energy future.

To learn more about an electrified home, visit pge.com/electrification.

Yes. Utilities throughout the state have already implemented or will soon implement this change, as required by state law. Visit CA State Legislature's Assembly Bill (AB) 205 to learn more.

For the past several years, PG&E has consistently provided our customers with electricity that is 95-100 percent free of greenhouse gas emissions. Greater access to electrification through lower kWh pricing supports California's clean energy goals by encouraging the adoption of cleaner technologies – helping the state achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.