PG&E rate increases over time
Pacific Gas & Electric's average residential electricity price has risen from 18.03 cents per kWh in 2015 to 39.62 cents in 2024, an increase of about 120 percent, or roughly 9.1 percent per year. The chart compares PG&E (solid) against the state residential average (dashed). Hover any point for the exact figure.
What rising PG&E rates could cost you
PG&E rates have risen about 9.1% per year. Enter your bill to see what that pace of increase could compound to over time, and what you have likely already absorbed. This is an estimate, not a guarantee.
Estimate only. Projects your current bill forward at PG&E's historical average rate increase (9.1% per year, from EIA data); it assumes your usage stays the same except for any add-ons you select. Actual rates depend on your usage, rate plan, and the utility's future filings, and are not guaranteed. This is general information, not financial advice.
Current residential rates
PG&E residential rates are shown below, from the utility's published tariffs and the public Utility Rate Database. Rates vary by plan, season, and usage and change over time.
| Plan | Energy charge | Fixed / basic |
|---|---|---|
| E-1 Tiered | Tier 1 (up to baseline) 33 cents/kWh; Tier 2 (over baseline) 41 cents/kWh | ~$24.00/mo Base Services Charge (CARE ~$6, FERA ~$12) |
| E-TOU-C (default time-of-use) | Summer (Jun-Sep) peak 4-9pm ~52 cents, off-peak ~40 cents (above baseline); Winter (Oct-May) peak ~40 cents, off-peak ~37 cents | ~$24.00/mo Base Services Charge (CARE ~$6, FERA ~$12) |
| E-ELEC (Electric Home) | Summer peak 4-9pm ~55 cents, off-peak ~33 cents; Winter peak ~32 cents, off-peak ~28 cents | ~$24.00/mo Base Services Charge (CARE ~$6, FERA ~$12) |
Per-kWh prices and the ~$24/month Base Services Charge are PG&E's official residential rate-plan figures effective March 1, 2026 (PG&E residential rate plan pricing sheet and PG&E Base Services Charge newsroom page). The March 2026 restructuring moved fixed infrastructure costs into the Base Services Charge (~$24 standard, ~$6 CARE, ~$12 FERA/affordable housing) while lowering per-kWh prices by an estimated 5-7 cents; PG&E states it does not increase total revenue collected. E-TOU-C off-peak prices carry a baseline credit, so effective off-peak prices below the baseline allowance are a few cents lower than the above-baseline figures shown. Exact prices vary by climate zone and baseline territory; rounded to the nearest cent.
Net metering and solar export: NEM 3.0 (Net Billing Tariff, avoided-cost exports)
PG&E solar customers who interconnected on or after April 15, 2023 are on California's NEM 3.0, formally the Net Billing Tariff (NBT). Exported solar is no longer credited at the full retail rate (the old NEM 2.0 model). Instead, exports are credited at hourly avoided-cost values from the CPUC's Avoided Cost Calculator, which vary by month, hour, and weekday/weekend. In practice the export credit averages only about 3 to 8 cents/kWh, roughly 75-85% below the ~33-55 cents/kWh retail price you pay for grid power. Because midday solar exports are worth so little while evening grid power is expensive, NEM 3.0 strongly favors pairing solar with a battery: store your midday surplus and use it during the 4-9pm peak instead of exporting it cheaply and buying it back high. Customers grandfathered on NEM 1.0/2.0 keep retail-rate netting for their remaining transition period.
What it means for solar
PG&E rates have risen about 9.1 percent per year over the past decade. Solar can offset that grid cost, every kWh you generate and use is a kWh you do not buy, but how much you save depends on your rate level and on how exported power is credited (NEM 3.0 (Net Billing Tariff, avoided-cost exports)). Where exports are worth little, using your own solar, often with a battery, matters more than selling surplus back. Whether solar makes sense depends on your usage, roof, and rate plan, so get a site-specific quote.
PG&E service area
PG&E serves Northern and Central California, an approximately 70,000-square-mile service territory spanning from Eureka in the north to Bakersfield in the south, including San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento, Fresno, and surrounding rural areas..
To confirm whether a specific address is served by PG&E, check your electricity bill. A ZIP lookup tool is coming to this site.
Full data and sources
Per-utility prices are computed from EIA Form 861 (bundled residential revenue divided by sales), which reconciles to the EIA's published figures. The state average comes from EIA retail-sales data. These are public-domain U.S. government data.
| Year | PG&E (c/kWh) | State avg (c/kWh) |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 18.03 | 16.99 |
| 2016 | 19.94 | 17.39 |
| 2017 | 21.18 | 18.31 |
| 2018 | 22.22 | 18.84 |
| 2019 | 22.35 | 19.15 |
| 2020 | 23.65 | 20.45 |
| 2021 | 25.86 | 22.82 |
| 2022 | 30.98 | 25.84 |
| 2023 | 34.04 | 29.51 |
| 2024 | 39.62 | 31.97 |
Sources: EIA Form 861 annual data (Sales_Ult_Cust files, 2015-2024) · EIA Table 6 - 2024 Utility Bundled Retail Sales - Residential (sales/revenue/price) · PG&E residential rate plan pricing sheet (effective March 1, 2026) · PG&E Electric Rates / tariff information · PG&E Base Services Charge (restructured bill, March 2026) · CPUC - Net Energy Metering and Net Billing (NEM 3.0) · PG&E Company Profile (service area, customer counts)
FAQ
How much have PG&E electricity rates gone up?
PG&E's average residential price rose about 120 percent since 2015, roughly 9.1 percent per year, reaching about 39.62 cents per kWh in 2024.
Does PG&E offer net metering for solar?
PG&E uses NEM 3.0 (Net Billing Tariff, avoided-cost exports). See the net metering section above for exactly how exported solar is credited and what that means for your system.
Is solar worth it with PG&E?
It depends on your electricity usage, roof, system size, and whether you add a battery. Higher rates and rate increases make solar more attractive, but the value of exported power depends on PG&E's net metering rules. Get a site-specific quote rather than relying on a general estimate.
Where does this rate data come from?
The per-year prices come from the U.S. Energy Information Administration's Form 861, and the current rate structures come from the public Utility Rate Database. Both are public, free, and updated regularly.