Why Is My PG&E Bill So High? What's Really in Your 2026 Bill

Your PG&E bill can look surprisingly high even when PG&E reports that electric rates went down.

That is because your total bill depends on more than one number. It reflects your electricity usage, the hours when you use it, your rate plan, fixed charges, wildfire-related costs, and other approved programs and investments.

So, why is my PG&E bill so high in 2026?

The short answer is that PG&E electricity remains expensive per kilowatt-hour. Your household may also be using more power during costly hours or relying on larger electric loads such as air conditioning, an electric vehicle, a pool pump, or electric appliances.

This guide explains what is in a 2026 PG&E bill and what you can check before deciding what to do next.

Quick context: The figures below focus on bundled residential electric customers. A bundled customer receives both electricity delivery and generation from PG&E. If your home is served by a Community Choice Aggregator or another electricity provider, the generation portion may be different.

What does a typical 2026 PG&E bill contain?

PG&E’s official Electric Rate Advisory shows a bundled residential non-CARE average rate of 40.60 cents per kilowatt-hour as of March 1, 2026.

For a typical non-CARE customer using 500 kWh per month, the advisory lists:

$203.54 per month as the average electric bill after the March 1 rate change
$197.51 per month when including the average California Climate Credit shown in the advisory

One commonly repeated figure, $208.68, was the previous January 1, 2026 reference bill before the March decrease. It is not the current March average.

These are system averages. They are not a prediction of your exact PG&E bill. Your total can vary based on your usage, rate plan, climate zone, assistance program, billing days, taxes, local fees, and whether you receive electricity generation from PG&E.

CARE customers have different rates. PG&E’s March advisory lists an average 500 kWh bill of $117.42, or $111.39 including the California Climate Credit.

The main parts of the bill

1. Delivery and generation

A bundled PG&E bill includes both:

Delivery: Moving electricity through transmission and distribution systems to your home
Generation: Producing or purchasing the electricity supplied to you

PG&E’s January 2026 bundled residential average-rate breakout shows several major categories within the average rate:

Distribution: 24.7%
Wildfire-related costs: 15.4%
Energy supply: 31.2%
Transmission: 10.4%

These percentages describe the average bundled residential rate. They are not a line-by-line diagnosis of an individual household bill.

2. The Base Services Charge

Starting in March 2026, PG&E began showing a Base Services Charge as a separate fixed charge on residential electric bills.

The approximate monthly amounts are:

$24: Most residential customers
$12: FERA and qualifying deed-restricted affordable-housing customers
$6: CARE customers

The charge is calculated daily. The amount on a specific bill can vary slightly depending on the number of days in the billing period.

PG&E describes the change as a restructuring of existing costs. Some costs that were previously included in per-kWh rates are now shown through a fixed charge. Per-kWh rates were reduced as part of the change.

This means conserving electricity can still reduce usage charges. However, reducing usage does not remove the Base Services Charge.

3. The Wildfire Fund charge

The CPUC set the 2026 Wildfire Fund Nonbypassable Charge at $0.00591 per kWh.

The charge supports the California Wildfire Fund created under Assembly Bill 1054. It applies to eligible non-exempt electricity usage, including usage for customers who receive generation through a Community Choice Aggregator.

For illustration, 500 kWh of usage at $0.00591 per kWh equals about $2.96 for that month. The actual amount depends on your usage and any applicable exemptions.

This is only one part of a much larger bill. It does not explain every dollar you pay.

Why can your bill be high when your usage has not changed?

A bill can increase even when the number of kWh looks similar to last year.

Time-of-use pricing

Many PG&E residential customers are on a time-of-use plan. On the E-TOU-C plan, peak hours are 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. every day.

As of March 1, 2026, the published total bundled energy rates for E-TOU-C are:

Season	Peak, 4–9 p.m.	Off-peak
Summer	52.240¢/kWh	39.940¢/kWh
Winter	39.757¢/kWh	36.757¢/kWh

Summer runs from June 1 through September 30. Winter runs from October 1 through May 31.

If your air conditioner, electric vehicle, oven, dryer, or pool pump runs during the 4–9 p.m. window, those kWh may cost more than the same usage at another time.

Large energy loads

A single major load can change the shape of a monthly bill.

Common examples include:

Central air conditioning
Electric resistance heating
Heat pumps
Electric water heaters
EV charging
Pool and spa equipment
Well pumps
Workshops or other high-demand equipment

A home may use similar total electricity from one month to the next, but the timing and size of those loads can still affect the total cost.

Rate structure changes

The March 2026 Base Services Charge changed how residential electric costs appear on the bill. Other approved rate updates, wildfire-related cost recovery, and changes in generation or delivery charges can also affect the total.

That is why comparing only the total dollar amount may not tell you what changed.

Why do PG&E rates stay high?

Electric rates are approved through regulatory proceedings. Several categories continue to influence the amount utilities collect from customers.

These include:

Wildfire mitigation and grid hardening
Transmission and distribution investments
Safety work and infrastructure replacement
Wildfire insurance and Wildfire Fund costs
Energy supply and purchased power
Public-purpose and energy-efficiency programs
Fixed-charge and rate-structure changes
General Rate Case decisions and other CPUC proceedings

The Public Advocates Office's Q1 2026 Electric Rates Report identifies wildfire mitigation and insurance, transmission and distribution investments, and rooftop solar / net energy metering costs among the primary statewide drivers of PG&E's long-term residential rate growth (10-year change of about 101% from January 2016 to March 2026). This is a consumer-advocate attribution, not GridScore's own position.

This does not mean every cost affects every customer in the same way. It means that the price per kWh reflects a broad set of system costs, not only the electricity used inside your home.

What could happen next?

Several future proceedings may affect PG&E rates and bills.

PG&E’s 2027 General Rate Case, filed as Application A.25-05-009, covers proposed costs for future electric and gas distribution work, infrastructure, safety, and other operations.

The 2026 Energy Resource Recovery Account forecast, filed as A.25-05-011, also provides context for future generation-related costs.

Billing modernization, gas safety, and wildfire mitigation proceedings appear in current regulatory filings and forecast materials. However, the exact timing and amount of any future bill change depend on CPUC decisions.

PG&E's January 2026 rates webinar states the September 2026 electric rate change is forecast to be an increase of about 1.5% for bundled customers and about 2% for the PG&E-provided portion of unbundled customers, driven by requested approval of billing modernization, wildfire and gas safety cost recovery, and the 2024 Wildfire Mitigation and Catastrophic Events proceedings. It is a forecast that depends on pending CPUC decisions, not an adopted change.

The Public Advocates Office, the consumer advocate within the CPUC, has analyzed PG&E's expected rate requests and estimates the average customer bill could increase by about 16% in 2027 and about 30% by 2030 when expected revenue requests outside the 2027 General Rate Case are included. That analysis is a consumer-advocate estimate of pending and expected requests, not an adopted rate decision.

How to read your own PG&E bill

Before calling anyone, compare your current bill with one from a similar month.

Step 1: Check the billing period

Look at the number of days in each billing cycle. A longer billing period can increase total usage even if your daily routine has not changed.

Step 2: Compare kWh usage

Find the current and previous kWh totals. If usage increased, look for seasonal changes or major equipment.

If usage stayed similar, focus next on rates, time periods, fixed charges, and credits.

Step 3: Identify your rate plan

Look for the name of your plan, such as E-TOU-C. Confirm the peak hours and whether most of your household activity occurs during that window.

Step 4: Look for large loads

Think about recent changes. Did you add an EV, use more air conditioning, operate a pool pump longer, or switch to electric heating?

Step 5: Review fixed charges and credits

Check the Base Services Charge, California Climate Credit, CARE or FERA status, solar credits if applicable, and any other listed adjustments.

This process can help you understand the overall pattern. It is not the same as a detailed utility-bill audit, and it may not identify the exact cause of every charge.

A practical next step: See your home’s overall energy picture with the free GridScore assessment. It takes about two minutes and looks at your household energy costs, major energy needs, backup priorities, preparedness for rising energy costs, and future energy demand. It does not audit your PG&E bill or determine its exact cause.

What options may help lower an electric bill?

There is no single answer for every home. The right approach depends on your usage pattern, rate plan, goals, roof and site conditions, budget, and need for backup power.

Shift some usage

If practical, move flexible activities such as EV charging, laundry, dishwashing, or pool pumping outside the 4–9 p.m. peak period. The potential value depends on how much usage you can shift and the rates on your plan.

Consider solar

Solar can change how much electricity your home draws from the grid. Its value depends on system size, home usage, roof conditions, export rules, rate plan, and future electricity needs.

Consider battery storage

A battery may help shift energy use and provide backup for selected loads during an outage. Its value depends on your backup priorities, battery size, operating settings, rate plan, and total costs.

None of these options guarantees savings. Start by understanding your home’s energy picture before comparing larger changes.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my PG&E bill so high in 2026?

High PG&E bills may reflect elevated per-kWh rates, time-of-use peak usage, major electric loads, fixed charges, seasonal demand, and changes in credits or rate structures. Your bill may be high for more than one reason.

What is the PG&E average electric bill in 2026?

PG&E lists an average bundled non-CARE bill of $203.54 for 500 kWh per month as of March 1, 2026. Including the average California Climate Credit shown in the advisory, the figure is $197.51. Your actual bill may differ.

What are PG&E peak hours?

On the E-TOU-C residential plan, PG&E peak hours are 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. every day.

Did PG&E rates increase or decrease in March 2026?

PG&E’s March 1, 2026 Electric Rate Advisory reported a decrease in the bundled residential non-CARE average rate from 41.46¢ to 40.60¢ per kWh. The Base Services Charge was also introduced as part of the bill restructuring.

What is the PG&E Base Services Charge?

The Base Services Charge is a fixed daily charge shown on residential electric bills. It is approximately $24 for most customers, $12 for FERA and qualifying affordable-housing customers, and $6 for CARE customers.

How can I lower my electric bill?

Start by comparing usage, rate-plan pricing, peak-hour patterns, fixed charges, and major energy loads. Shifting flexible usage may help. Solar or batteries may be worth evaluating when they match your home’s long-term energy and backup needs.

Can GridScore tell me exactly why my PG&E bill is high?

No. GridScore does not perform a detailed PG&E bill audit or determine the exact cause of a particular bill. It provides a broader view of your home’s energy costs, major energy needs, backup priorities, preparedness for future costs, and future energy demand.

If you want a simple starting point, take the free two-minute GridScore assessment. There is no sign-up requirement, purchase obligation, or pressure to continue.