Customers who want to buy power from sources other than PG&Eor generate their ownhave many alternatives.
On my PG&E bill, what are MCE electric generation charges?
Your account is identified by the PG&E given number. If you call to enroll in MCE’s Deep Green or Local Sol service choices, or if you opt out, please have the first 10 digits handy.
The cost of power delivered by PG&E. It covers the expense of transferring energy from the grid to your home or company, as well as the cost of maintaining the electric wires to ensure that you have consistent service, rain or shine!
Charges levied by MCE for the generation of electricity. It takes into account the cost of power to meet your house or business’s energy requirements. It takes the place of a fee that PG&E would charge if they provided your generation service. There is no extra payment for this.
What is covered by the PGE bill?
Each energy statement includes the following account information in addition to your monthly energy charges:
Sign in to your account right now to see your statement and learn about strategies to save energy and money.
Is there a substitute for PGE?
Customers who defect from utility monopolies and acquire their electricity from community-based suppliers will face new exit fees, which were approved by state regulators on Thursday, but the scheme has been slammed as being overly beneficial to power behemoths like PG&E.
The Public Utilities Commission voted 5-0 to launch a plan to ensure that those who remain PG&E customers are not charged for costs incurred on behalf of ratepayers who left the company to become customers of an alternative energy provider and that departing customers are not charged for costs that were not incurred on their behalf. PUC Commissioner Carla Peterman produced a strategy that was adopted by the state body.
In recent years, an increasing number of alternative energy suppliers have sprung up in California, typically selling green energy-derived electricity to users and tapping into a market for people looking to quit their present utility company.
The Valley Clean Energy Alliance was founded in June to provide a viable alternative to PG&E. The Energy Alliance claims that its customers pay around 2.5 percent less than PG&E customers. Customers in Davis, Woodland, and rural Yolo County are affected.
What can I do to reduce my PG&E bill?
- Set your thermostat to a lower temperature to save money. For each degree you lower the thermostat, you can save around 2% on your heating expense (if the turndown lasts a good part of the day or night).
- Make the most of your thermostats. Install a programmable thermostat and make sure it’s set correctly.
What is the average PG&E bill?
Gas and electricity costs are influenced by a variety of factors, and the California Public Utilities Commission must approve rate changes requested by PG&E and other investor-owned utilities.
“What we’ve witnessed recently, on both the natural gas and power side, is a nearly unparalleled increase in the cost of natural gas,” says Lynsey Paulo, a PG&E representative, noting that natural gas prices have risen by 90% since last winter.
“We pass on to our customers what we pay for their energy source, including natural gas and electricity.” “There’s no markup on that price,” she claims.
Worse, recent drought conditions on the electric side have curtailed the amount of lower-cost hydroelectric power.
“It couldn’t be happening at a worse time,” says Steven Weissman, a lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy.
“Not only do you have inflation that appears to be outpacing people’s rising salaries, but we’re also trying to convince people to transition from natural gas and gasoline to more electricity at this time.” So, if electricity rates continue to rise, it will be more difficult to persuade consumers to make the move.”
These increased natural gas and wholesale electricity prices are likely to last until 2022, so any relief from higher bills will have to come from the traditionally lower consumption of gas during the spring and summer months.
In reality, the Public Utilities Commission approved PG&E’s proposal for a 9 percent increase in electricity rates on Thursday.
As a result, consumers will have to dig deeper into their wallets to pay their electricity bills. Starting in March, the average monthly residential cost of $152 will increase to $166.
While Paulo points out that this is yet another cost that will be passed on to customers, customers who are still dealing with the huge gas and electric rate increases that took effect in January may find this to be little consolation.
“It’s absurd,” says Mark Toney, executive director of the Utility Reform Network, who estimates that customers would pay $20 to $30 more per month than last year, and possibly more in the following years.
“We’re talking about some very dreadful consequences for people’s monthly bills.” (Toney’s group is lobbying the Utilities Commission to place a ceiling on rate hikes.)
While energy prices are unusually high right now, they are part of a larger increasing trend for utility users in California. According to the Mercury News, typical PG&E rates surpassed $200 per month for the first time last year, and the most recent rate hike will make them among of the most costly in the country.
According to a report released in May 2021 by the California Public Utilities Commission, PG&E rates have risen by 37% since 2013 and are expected to rise by an average of 3.7 percent annually between 2020 and 2030. (Rates for other California investor-owned utilities have also increased.)
“We’re already in a pattern of very large annual rate rises,” says Weissman, an expert on energy policy.
The price of improving PG&E’s infrastructure and minimizing the effects of wildfires have played a large part in recent rate hikes.
For example, the January rate hike was influenced by rising gas commodity prices as well as wildfire-related expenses. (PG&E’s Paulo claims that previous wildfire obligations were handled through bankruptcy and not passed on to customers.)
The threat of wildfires and the need for a large energy transition are only getting worse as a result of climate change, as are the associated costs.
What is the average cost of electricity in California?
Utility bills in California are relatively inexpensive. Californians use an average of 572 kWh per month, according to the March 2022 Save on Energy Electricity Bill Report. They pay an average of 23.22 cents per kWh, which equates to a monthly cost of $101.49. Hawaii has the most expensive average monthly bill ($191.01), while Utah has the smallest ($78.13). The average price in the United States is $122.79.
Is it possible to opt out of MCE?
Is there a charge for opting out? Opting out of MCE before or within the first 60 days of service is free of charge. MCE will impose a one-time $5 (residential) or $25 (commercial) administrative fee after the first 60 days of service.