Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Richard230]

I received my PG&E (Northern and Central California utility company) power bill yesterday and now my blood pressure is up and I need to rant. 

I use a low amount of electrical power each month (151 kWh shown on the current bill) and am on the lowest tier of PG&E's rate system. My power bill for August showed an electrical cost of $0.26071 per kWh for the entire month. 

Starting with the current billing cycle, PG&E has instituted a new rate system that charges more for "peak" hours of the day (4pm to 9pm, I believe) and less when electrical power is used at other times during the day or night. The reasoning behind this billing concept has to do with California generating a lot of its electrical power from solar which goes offline when the sun goes down. That power then has to be made up by using more expensive sources such as gas turbines.  OK, that makes sense, but it is sure going to screw their customers over during the summer when AC is needed and during the winter if they generate heat using electrical power - as the state government would like everyone to be doing.

Back to my electric bill: For the period between August 27 and August 30, the rate increased from 26 cents per kWh to a "peak" charge of $0.41972 per kWh and an "off-peak" charge of $0.35628 per kWh.     That seems like quite an increase to me.  For all of October the "peak" charge dropped (relatively speaking) to $0.32264 per kWh and the "off-peak'' charge was $0.30531 per kWh. This is still a substantial increase over the previous month's $0.26 per kWh. 

For both months I was given a "baseline credit" of -$0.07575. At the end of the bill I got an "Adjustment" for the "California Climate Credit" of -$17.20, whatever that is. But I do believe that credit only shows up once or twice a year, typically when electric costs go up in order to disguise the rate increase a bit so it helps this month but likely not from now on. 

I feel as though I am at a magic show and am watching electrical prices come and go to a point where most customers will have no idea what is going on. I give PG&E credit for coming up with a unique billing system that will completely confuse their customers, but it sure is not "customer friendly" - especially for anyone with a weak heart.  And raising prices like that is certainly not going to do anything to promote the sales and usage of electric vehicles.   

[ultratoad]

I feel your pain brother....  We are paying for all of the fire damage that PG&E is on the hook for....  AND now they are talking about suing PG&E for scheduled power outages causing traffic accidents due to signal failures !!!!  AND don't get me going on property taxes or water rape !!!!  NOT my America....

[Curt]

Besides the fire liabilities, there's massive inflation. It's why the stock market is skyrocketing, housing prices are up across the country, restaurants including fast food are through the roof, utilities are way up, wages are ballooning, etc. Cash is not king and no interest is given. Any money saved but not invested is rapidly losing value. The rapid money printing alone has taken $0.25 off the dollar since 2020Q1.

[DonTom]

I received my PG&E (Northern and Central California utility company) power bill yesterday and now my blood pressure is up and I need to rant. 

No, you need to move. Here in Reno, NV Energy charges 11.7 cents per KWH.


And no state income tax.


And your house there will probably buy a few houses here.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[DonTom]

Starting with the current billing cycle, PG&E has instituted a new rate system that charges more for "peak" hours of the day (4pm to 9pm, I believe) and less when electrical power is used at other times during the day or night.

That sounds like the PG&E EV plan I have in Auburn. Peak starts at 1500 hrs (3 PM) and ends at 2200 hrs (10 PM). I pay a lot less after then, but a little more during the peak hours. 


So now everybody will be on the same plan?


It works well for those who charge EVs in the night or morning.


You just need to buy an EV that draws many KWs, like the 12KW my Tesla draws and charge it automatically at night. Or early morning.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[Demoni]

I feel your pain, our PG&E bill went up by 15% compared to last year. Really need to remember not to start laundry till after 9pm.
The new Peak rates make me happy I live on the coast where it's cool. I hate to think what inland customers bills will look like when summer comes.

You might want to see if one of the other rate plans might be a better option. Looks like they have a tool that allows you check your energy usage costs on the various plans.
https://www.pge.com/pge_global/common/pdfs/rate-plans/how-rates-work/Residential-Rates-Plan-Pricing.pdf

They also have 2 plans aimed at EV owners that provide late night savings for charging.
https://www.pge.com/en_US/residential/rate-plans/rate-plan-options/electric-vehicle-base-plan/electric-vehicle-base-plan.page?

[Richard230]

It wasn't the concept of charging more depending upon what hours you were using power, but the fact that the company's per kWh charges increased between 23% and 61% (if my calculations are correct) within just one month. I had anticipated that the electrical rate would increase a little between 4pm and 9pm and might be cut slightly (what a dreamer!  ) during the early morning and during the day. But jumping from 26 cents to between 30 and 42 cents per kWh within just one month, really shocked me. Plus, unlike previously, when I was being charged a flat rate, the power cost now seems to float around based upon some parameters that appear to be hidden from the customer. How can you plan your budget when bills can fluctuate like that? 

[princec]

It's happened everywhere... our electricity rates have gone up ~50% in the last 6 months here in the UK too. Solar getting closer and closer to "no brainer" installation.

Cas

[Richard230]

It's happened everywhere... our electricity rates have gone up ~50% in the last 6 months here in the UK too. Solar getting closer and closer to "no brainer" installation.

Cas

Until the power company gets the regulators to authorize them to charge the customer a fee each month when they install solar, like PG$E did. If you install solar and connect it to the grid so that any excess power goes back into the grid and spins the meter backwards, Pacific, Graft and Explosion (or is that "Extortion"?) charges customers using solar like that $70 a month for the privilege of doing so.  Apparently, it helps when you have the Public Utility Commission members firmly located in your pocket.   

While it is possible to use solar and cut yourself out of the grid, doing so requires a big house or a large property, as well as a battery storage system, to make the system work (as well as lots of investment), something that most people do not have. 

[Richard230]

Everyone's favorite utility company that we love to hate is doing it again:

In my newspaper today was a "Notice of Public Forums regarding PG&E's 2023 General Rate Case Application". Their proposal to be submitted to the CA PUC is to raise both electric and gas rates by 18% over the next four years. The proposed new rates will increase their income by $3.56 billion in 2023, $930 million in 2024, $590 million in 2025 and $381 million in 2026. These are general increases and likely will be supplemented by additional special rate increases, as was done last January and in the next two weeks.   

As near as I can tell from reading the legal notice, they are raising their rates because they can.   

It sure seems as if electric rates in California are going up a lot faster than gasoline costs with no end in sight.   

[HoodRichOG]

9% rate hike today for PG&E.

[princec]

We're looking at a 50% increase next month, and likely similar again in the autumn. My annual leccy/gas combined bill is going to be in the region of £4000-£5000 ... and this is before the Ukrainian situation is taken into account.

Cas

[Richard230]

We're looking at a 50% increase next month, and likely similar again in the autumn. My annual leccy/gas combined bill is going to be in the region of £4000-£5000 ... and this is before the Ukrainian situation is taken into account.

Cas

Ouch!  That has got to hurt!     And here I was crying about California's energy prices. It does seem to be a race to the bottom when it comes to energy affordability all around the world. 

[princec]

I pretty urgently want to get solar installed. Unfortunately I've been unemployed for months and haven't a bean to my name.

Cas

[Richard230]

I pretty urgently want to get solar installed. Unfortunately I've been unemployed for months and haven't a bean to my name.

Cas

My daughter and her husband contracted with Sun Power to have solar panels installed on their roof, along with a backup battery system. They have been waiting almost two months for the design to be completed and submitted to the county for a permit. So far nothing has happened. My guess is that the demand for solar is so great that the companies that install these systems are overwhelmed with orders. Either that or solar power parts are in short supply. 

BTW, I am really sorry to hear that you are out of beans.