Here's how much PG&E customers’ monthly bills will increase

(KRON) – Starting October 1, a emblematic Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) customer's monthly electrical bills volition summation by astir $6, the inferior institution confirmed with KRON4. This marks the 4th PG&E terms hike successful 2024 alone.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) agreed to the summation connected Thursday. PG&E says the terms hike is simply a signifier of harm power successful effect to an unexpected acceptable of earthy disasters that deed the authorities implicit the past fewer years. 

“PG&E restored powerfulness to much than 7 cardinal customers during a grounds 15 large storms that winter-- mobilizing implicit 7,200 unit to regenerate oregon repair much than 4,500 poles and 850 miles of wire. Timely betterment of these expenses helps to little costs for customers successful the agelong term," the inferior institution said.

According to PG&E, the mean customer’s bill, including energy and gas, is presently $281 per month.

The inferior institution says households utilizing 500 kWh per period oregon much volition spot a $6 summation successful their monthly bill. Those who person income-qualified discounts specified arsenic the CARE discount volition spot a $4 increase, PG&E said. 

With the accumulated terms hikes since the opening of 2024, Mark Toney with the Utility Reform Network Turn says customers are seeing a astir $50 summation successful their monthly bills this twelvemonth alone. He believes overmuch of PG&E's terms hikes are owed to "overspending."

"That is what is making radical truthful upset... Instead of utilizing a faster and cheaper mode to support their powerfulness lines -- which is to instal insulated polls and lines -- (PG&E) wants to hide their lines astatine 5 times the outgo due to the fact that it produces much returns for their shareholders," Toney said.

PG&E electrical rates person jumped 110% successful the past decade. CPUC approved the 4th terms hike this twelvemonth aft 1 successful January, March, and a earthy state terms summation earlier successful September. In January's terms hike, some customers’ bills astir doubled.

Despite not being the archetypal terms hike of the year, PG&E claims their investments are delivering results. 

“Our investments are delivering results. Our layers of extortion person reduced wildfire hazard crossed our work area, and we person enhanced our quality to respond to storms, wildfires and different earthy catastrophe emergencies,” the inferior institution said. 

PG&E said they are moving to "stabilize bills" and bounds mean yearly combined state and electrical measure increases to "no much than 3% done 2026."