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PG&E (Pacific Gas and Electric) rates and bills

PG&E's 1,738,444 default-service customers in California paid an average of 37.52¢ per kWh in 2025, for an average bill of $173.95 a month on 464 kWh.1 Over the last 12 months (Sep 2025–Aug 2026) the average was 34.74¢, and 26.13¢ in August 2026.2 Another 3,317,112 homes on its wires (65.6%) buy their supply elsewhere and pay PG&E delivery charges averaging 24.60¢ per kWh, plus their supplier's price.

EIA-861 2025 final (released October 7, 2026) and EIA's monthly utility survey through August 2026 (preliminary); next monthly update expected November 24, 2026. Averages are revenue divided by kWh, all charges included: not the rate printed in a tariff.

50 of 58 California counties served (EIA-861 2025)

PG&E's wires reach 5,055,556 homes, but only 1,738,444 of them bought their electricity from PG&E in 2025; most get their supply from a community choice aggregator or another supplier. Those full-service customers paid an average of 37.52¢ per kWh, the 3rd highest of 177 large US utilities, and their average bill changed −12.2%1 on 2024 as both price and use went down.

What PG&E customers paid per kWh

Pacific Gas and Electric Company is the largest utility in California, with 35.6% of the state's residential customers on its wires in 2025. Its bundled residential customers, the homes that buy both delivery and electricity from PG&E, paid an average of 37.52¢ per kWh that year. That was the 3rd highest of the 25 California utilities with 10,000 or more residential customers, 19.7% above the California average and 111.0% above the national average for investor-owned utilities. Among the 177 US utilities with 100,000 or more residential customers it ranked 3rd highest of 177; the highest averages in that group were SDG&E (California) at 45.77¢ per kWh and Hawaiian Electric (Hawaii) at 40.54¢ per kWh1.

This is average revenue per kWh: what those customers paid in total, divided by the kWh they used. It folds together the tiered and time-of-use energy charges, any fixed monthly charge and bill credits, so it does not match any one line of a PG&E tariff, and no single household pays exactly this figure per kWh.

Over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026), EIA's monthly survey puts PG&E's bundled residential average at 34.74¢ per kWh2, with the 2026 months still preliminary.

Down in 2025, and a low August 2026

The annual average fell 5.3% from 2024 to 2025, from 39.62¢ per kWh3 to 37.52¢ per kWh1. California's average for all providers slipped 1.9% over the same period, to 31.35¢ per kWh4.

PG&E: residential price each month, Jan 2025 to Aug 2026
PG&E: residential price each month, Jan 2025 to Aug 202620¢30¢40¢50¢20252026

Source: EIA-861M monthly sales and revenue by utility; EIA, Electric Power Monthly / EIA-861M sales and revenue by state. Residential revenue divided by kWh in each month, as reported to EIA's monthly survey (EIA-861M; months since January 2026 preliminary). Bundled (default-service) customers only.

Show the numbers
MonthPG&E (¢/kWh)kWh per customerBill per customer
January 202534.02¢507$172.53
February 202535.96¢448$160.98
March 202540.81¢364$148.47
April 202528.64¢275$78.77
May 202558.59¢254$148.73
June 202545.85¢435$199.42
July 202539.77¢604$240.09
August 202537.33¢631$235.62
September 202534.94¢689$240.63
October 202538.37¢451$173.20
November 202537.03¢356$131.88
December 202529.78¢540$160.92
January 202629.50¢543$160.16
February 202632.57¢456$148.64
March 202637.96¢338$128.41
April 202644.64¢277$123.48
May 202647.18¢278$131.06
June 202640.95¢403$165.05
July 202634.99¢587$205.30
August 202626.13¢764$199.68

The latest month stands out. In August 20265 PG&E's bundled residential customers paid an average of 26.13¢ per kWh, −30.0% against the same month a year earlier (preliminary). That month should be read with a schedule change in mind: in April 2026 the California Public Utilities Commission moved the residential electric Climate Credit for PG&E, SCE and SDG&E to August and September. A bill credit reduces what customers pay in the month it lands, so a single summer month says little about the trend; the 12-month figure, 34.74¢ per kWh2 for September 2025 to August 2026, is the better guide.

PG&E's rates are set by the California Public Utilities Commission in general rate cases and separate cost-recovery proceedings, and pending increases appear in those dockets before they reach bills. The guide to rate cases explains the process.

A smaller bill on fewer kWh

PG&E's bundled residential customers paid $173.95 a month on average in 2025, down from $198.05 in 2024. Two things moved together: the average price fell, and use per home dropped from 500 kWh3 to 464 kWh1 a month. Over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026) the average bill was $164.41 for 473 kWh2.

Bills sit closer to the national norm than prices do because California homes use little electricity: the state's average of 494 kWh a month in 2025 was the lowest among the states. Statewide, the average California bill of $154.73 was $4.05 more a month than the US average6. PG&E's bundled customers paid more than that state average, at $173.951, while using slightly less than the state's typical home.

Most homes on PG&E's wires buy power elsewhere

In many communities, a city or county runs a community choice aggregator (CCA): under California's community choice rules, the local government becomes the default electricity provider and the investor-owned utility keeps delivering the power over its lines. EIA counts those homes as PG&E delivery-only customers. In 2025 they numbered 3,317,112, so 65.6% of PG&E's residential customers bought supply from a CCA or another supplier, against 29.5%1 at Southern California Edison.

The bundled average above therefore describes a minority of PG&E's residential customers. For the others, EIA reports two separate numbers that cover different parts of the bill and should not be combined:

  • Delivery-only (PG&E's part): 24.60¢ per kWh in 2025, against 25.76¢ per kWh3 in 2024 (−4.5%); $92.25 a month for 375 kWh of use.
  • Supply-only (the CCA's or supplier's part): EIA reports this statewide, not by utility territory: 14.48¢ per kWh1 on average across California's CCA and supplier customers in 2025.
Delivery-only revenue per kWh, California's three largest investor-owned utilities, 2025
Southern California Edison (CA)19.19¢
PG&E (CA)24.60¢
SDG&E (CA)27.33¢

Source: EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2025 final. Delivery charges only: what the utility billed customers who buy supply elsewhere, divided by their kWh. Not comparable with bundled prices.

Show the numbers
Utilitydelivery-only revenue per kWh (residential)
Southern California Edison (CA)19.19¢
PG&E (CA)24.60¢
SDG&E (CA)27.33¢

PG&E's delivery-only average was higher than SCE's (19.19¢ per kWh) and lower than SDG&E's (27.33¢ per kWh1). A CCA customer's total cost depends on the CCA's own rates, which this page does not list; the California retail choice guide explains what can be chosen.

PG&E next to SCE, SDG&E and the public utilities

California's investor-owned utilities and its city and district utilities report very different averages. In 2025, bundled customers paid 37.52¢ per kWh at PG&E, 31.48¢ per kWh at Southern California Edison and 45.77¢ per kWh at SDG&E. Public power averaged 22.74¢ per kWh statewide; SMUD, Sacramento's public utility, 18.93¢ per kWh, and LADWP 26.48¢ per kWh1.

Average residential price, California's five largest utilities, 2025
SMUD (CA)18.93¢
LADWP (CA)26.48¢
Southern California Edison (CA)31.48¢
PG&E (CA)37.52¢
SDG&E (CA)45.77¢

Source: EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2025 final. EIA-861 2025 final. Average revenue per kWh is all charges divided by kWh; it is not a tariff rate.

Show the numbers
Utilityaverage residential price (bundled customers)
SMUD (CA)18.93¢
LADWP (CA)26.48¢
Southern California Edison (CA)31.48¢
PG&E (CA)37.52¢
SDG&E (CA)45.77¢

The Legislative Analyst's Office lists wildfire-related costs, transmission and distribution costs recovered mostly through per-kWh charges, public purpose programs funded through rates, and the cost shifted by earlier rooftop-solar net metering among the reasons investor-owned utility rates in California have risen, and notes that their contributions have not been precisely quantified. Homes cannot pick between PG&E and SMUD: each serves its own territory, and the utility's map decides by address.

Summer use, spring lows

Use per home in PG&E's monthly data peaks in summer. Over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026), it ranged from 277 kWh in April 2026 to 764 kWh in August 2026, and the average bills in those two months were $123.48 and $199.68. The bill rose far less than use did between those two months, as is usual when part of the bill does not vary with use; in August 20262 the bill also carried the Climate Credit described above.

PG&E: average residential use and bill by month

Source: EIA-861M monthly sales and revenue by utility. kWh per residential customer in each month (EIA-861M; months since January 2026 preliminary). The table adds the average bill and price for the month.

Show the numbers
MonthkWh per customerBill per customer¢/kWh
September 2025689$240.6334.94¢
October 2025451$173.2038.37¢
November 2025356$131.8837.03¢
December 2025540$160.9229.78¢
January 2026543$160.1629.50¢
February 2026456$148.6432.57¢
March 2026338$128.4137.96¢
April 2026277$123.4844.64¢
May 2026278$131.0647.18¢
June 2026403$165.0540.95¢
July 2026587$205.3034.99¢
August 2026764$199.6826.13¢

Rooftop solar, smart meters and time-of-use

PG&E reported 924,854 net-metered residential solar installations in 2025, 182.9 per 1,000 residential customers, with 5,948.3 megawatts of capacity. SCE reported 734,452 installations (158.7 per 1,000) and SDG&E 340,500 (247.0 per 1,000). Advanced meters cover 99.3%7 of residential meters.

PG&E reported 659,141 residential customers (13.0% of all homes on its wires) enrolled in time-of-use and critical peak pricing in 2025. As each utility reported its own count to EIA, SCE's share was 57.9% and SDG&E's 87.1%7. The time-of-use guide explains how such plans change a bill; current schedules and peak hours are in PG&E's tariffs.

Outages

PG&E customers averaged 273 minutes without power in 2025 including major events, fewer than the California average of 345 minutes, and 1.63 interruptions per customer. Excluding major event days the figure was 208 minutes, against 135 minutes8 for California as a whole, so day-to-day interruptions were longer than the state norm even though the all-events total was lower. Both use the IEEE 1366 definitions.

Business customers

Bundled commercial customers paid 38.42¢ per kWh on average in 2025, slightly more than homes, and bundled industrial customers 32.54¢ per kWh. Across all sectors the average was 36.32¢ per kWh. Most commercial customers on PG&E's wires buy supply elsewhere: PG&E billed 381,577 delivery-only commercial customers an average of 20.93¢ per kWh1 for delivery.

Help paying and where PG&E serves

The CPUC's CARE and FERA programs give income-qualified households a discount on the electric bill, and federal LIHEAP aid also reaches California: $242.1 million9 for fiscal year 2026.

PG&E reports residential customers in 50 of California's 58 counties, from Humboldt and Butte in the north to Kern in the south. In 8 of them no other distribution utility reports service; in the other 4210, city utilities, irrigation districts or another company serve part of the county, so a ZIP code or city name is not enough to tell who delivers to a home.

Counties where PG&E reports customers in California
Counties where PG&E reports customers in CaliforniaLos Angeles County: not served by PG&ENevada County: PG&E reports service, with 3 other utilitiesSanta Barbara County: PG&E reports service, with 2 other utilitiesSan Bernardino County: PG&E reports service, with 10 other utilitiesRiverside County: not served by PG&EVentura County: not served by PG&EPlumas County: PG&E reports service, with 2 other utilitiesGlenn County: PG&E reports service, with 1 other utilityInyo County: not served by PG&EStanislaus County: PG&E reports service, with 3 other utilitiesContra Costa County: PG&E reports service, with 1 other utilitySolano County: PG&E reports service, with 2 other utilitiesFresno County: PG&E reports service, with 3 other utilitiesKern County: PG&E reports service, with 1 other utilityYuba County: PG&E reports service, with 1 other utilityButte County: PG&E reports service, with 3 other utilitiesAlameda County: PG&E reports service, with 3 other utilitiesSan Francisco County: PG&E reports service, with 1 other utilityMarin County: PG&E reports service (no other utility reported)Del Norte County: not served by PG&EModoc County: PG&E reports service, with 3 other utilitiesLassen County: PG&E reports service, with 4 other utilitiesYolo County: PG&E reports service, with 2 other utilitiesMerced County: PG&E reports service, with 3 other utilitiesKings County: PG&E reports service, with 1 other utilityLake County: PG&E reports service (no other utility reported)Santa Cruz County: PG&E reports service (no other utility reported)Sierra County: PG&E reports service, with 2 other utilitiesAmador County: PG&E reports service, with 1 other utilityTuolumne County: PG&E reports service, with 4 other utilitiesMonterey County: PG&E reports service (no other utility reported)San Mateo County: PG&E reports service, with 2 other utilitiesSan Luis Obispo County: PG&E reports service (no other utility reported)Tehama County: PG&E reports service, with 1 other utilitySan Diego County: PG&E reports service, with 4 other utilitiesMendocino County: PG&E reports service, with 1 other utilityColusa County: PG&E reports service, with 1 other utilitySan Benito County: PG&E reports service (no other utility reported)Sutter County: PG&E reports service, with 1 other utilitySacramento County: PG&E reports service, with 2 other utilitiesNapa County: PG&E reports service (no other utility reported)Alpine County: PG&E reports service, with 2 other utilitiesEl Dorado County: PG&E reports service, with 1 other utilityMono County: not served by PG&ETulare County: PG&E reports service, with 1 other utilityImperial County: not served by PG&EPlacer County: PG&E reports service, with 5 other utilitiesTrinity County: PG&E reports service, with 2 other utilitiesCalaveras County: PG&E reports service, with 1 other utilityHumboldt County: PG&E reports service, with 1 other utilityShasta County: PG&E reports service, with 4 other utilitiesSan Joaquin County: PG&E reports service, with 5 other utilitiesOrange County: not served by PG&EMariposa County: PG&E reports service (no other utility reported)Sonoma County: PG&E reports service, with 2 other utilitiesSanta Clara County: PG&E reports service, with 3 other utilitiesMadera County: PG&E reports service, with 2 other utilitiesSiskiyou County: PG&E reports service, with 2 other utilities

Source: EIA-861 2025, service territory; Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file, counties. EIA-861 2025 service territory: 50 counties. Counts whole counties even where the utility serves only part of one; check the utility's own service-area map for an address.

Show the numbers
CountyOther utilities reporting service
Alameda CountyAlameda Municipal Power, Port of Oakland, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
Alpine CountyLiberty Utilities, Kirkwood Meadows PUD
Amador CountyKirkwood Meadows PUD
Butte CountyCity of Gridley, City of Biggs, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
Calaveras CountyWAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
Colusa CountyWAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
Contra Costa CountyWAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
El Dorado CountyLiberty Utilities
Fresno CountySouthern California Edison, Kings River Conservation Dist, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
Glenn CountyWAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
Humboldt CountyShelter Cove Resort Improvement Dist No. 1
Kern CountySouthern California Edison
Kings CountySouthern California Edison
Lake Countynone
Lassen CountyLassen Municipal Utility District, Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative, Surprise Valley Electrification, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
Madera CountySouthern California Edison, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
Marin Countynone
Mariposa Countynone
Mendocino CountyCity of Ukiah
Merced CountyTurlock Irrigation District, Merced Irrigation District, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
Modoc CountyPacifiCorp, Surprise Valley Electrification, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
Monterey Countynone
Napa Countynone
Nevada CountyLiberty Utilities, Truckee Donner P U D, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
Placer CountySMUD, City of Roseville, Liberty Utilities, Truckee Donner P U D, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
Plumas CountyLiberty Utilities, Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative
Sacramento CountySMUD, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
San Benito Countynone
San Bernardino CountySouthern California Edison, Bear Valley Electric Service, City of Colton, Rancho Cucamonga Municipal Utility, City of Needles, Colorado River Indian Irr Proj, DOD USMC Marine Air Ground Combat, Aha Macav Power Service, City of Victorville, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
San Diego CountySouthern California Edison, SDG&E, Imperial Irrigation District, City of Escondido
San Francisco CountyCity & County of San Francisco
San Joaquin CountyModesto Irrigation District, City of Lodi, Lathrop Irrigation District, Port of Stockton, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
San Luis Obispo Countynone
San Mateo CountyCity & County of San Francisco, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
Santa Barbara CountySouthern California Edison, City of Lompoc
Santa Clara CountyCity of Santa Clara, City of Palo Alto, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
Santa Cruz Countynone
Shasta CountyCity of Redding, PacifiCorp, City of Shasta Lake, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
Sierra CountyLiberty Utilities, Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative
Siskiyou CountyPacifiCorp, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
Solano CountyPittsburg Power Company, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
Sonoma CountyCity of Healdsburg, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
Stanislaus CountyModesto Irrigation District, Turlock Irrigation District, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
Sutter CountyWAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
Tehama CountyWAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
Trinity CountyTrinity Public Utilities Dist, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
Tulare CountySouthern California Edison
Tuolumne CountySouthern California Edison, Turlock Irrigation District, Tuolumne County Pub Power Agny, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
Yolo CountySMUD, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
Yuba CountyWAPA-- Western Area Power Administration

PG&E rates: common questions

How much does PG&E charge per kWh?

PG&E's full-service (bundled) residential customers paid an average of 37.52¢ per kWh1 in 2025 and 34.74¢ per kWh2 over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026, EIA-861M, 2026 months preliminary). That is total residential revenue divided by kWh, so it includes fixed charges, credits and the different tiers and time-of-use periods. It is not the rate printed on any single tariff schedule.

Did PG&E rates go up in 2026?

EIA's latest data do not show an increase in the average. The bundled residential average fell from 39.62¢ per kWh3 in 2024 to 37.52¢ per kWh1 in 2025, and the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026) averaged 34.74¢ per kWh. The August 20265 figure, 26.13¢ per kWh2, is preliminary and was taken in a month when the California Climate Credit was paid.

What is the average PG&E electric bill?

$173.95 a month in 2025 for bundled residential customers using 464 kWh1 on average, and $164.412 over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026). Customers of a community choice aggregator pay PG&E for delivery and the aggregator for the electricity, so their PG&E bill covers only part of their cost.

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

Use per home more than doubles between spring and late summer: EIA's monthly data show 277 kWh in April 2026 and 764 kWh in August 2026, with average bills of $123.48 and $199.682. Usage, more than price, drives the summer bill.

Related pages

Sources

  1. EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2025 final; table Sales_Ult_Cust_2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
  2. EIA-861M monthly sales and revenue by utility; table sales_ult_cust_2025 and _2026; released October 23, 2026. www.eia.gov
  3. EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2024 final; table Sales_Ult_Cust_2024; 2024, final (file updated December 3, 2025); released December 3, 2025. www.eia.gov
  4. EIA, Historical state data, annual sales, revenue and customers; table HS861 2010-.xlsx; 2010-2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
  5. EIA, Electric Power Monthly / EIA-861M sales and revenue by state; table sales_revenue.xlsx (EPM Table 5.6.A); January 2001 to 2026-08; months since January 2026 preliminary; released October 23, 2026. www.eia.gov
  6. EIA-861 2025, average monthly bill by state; table Average_Bill_2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
  7. EIA-861 2025, advanced meters, dynamic pricing and net metering; table Advanced_Meters, Dynamic_Pricing, Net_Metering 2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
  8. EIA-861 2025, reliability; table Reliability_2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
  9. HHS, LIHEAP funding releases to states; table FY2027 first release; FY2026 final; FY2027 first release (October 9, 2026); FY2026 total; released October 9, 2026. acf.gov
  10. EIA-861 2025, service territory; table Service_Territory_2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
  11. Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file, counties; table cb_2025_us_county_5m; cb_2021_us_county_5m; 2025 (2021 for Connecticut). www.census.gov

How every figure is built: methodology. Found an error? Write to [email protected]; corrections are listed on the updates page.