January 5, 2018 - Starting this month, PG&E will begin notifying residential electric customers of a new Time-of-Use rate plan.
Approximately 150,000 customers have been selected from across the service area as part of the first phase of a multi-year, statewide effort to promote more efficient energy usage, increase our state’s use of clean energy, and create a healthier environment while balancing the need to keep customer rates affordable.
On the new plan, which takes effect in April, customers will have greater control over energy costs and benefit from lower pricing during the times of day when demand is lower (off-peak) and renewable energy is more plentiful.
In the Fresno Division, approximately 8,039 customers will receive a series of notifications over the next several months about the new plan and other options available. The Fresno Division includes most of Fresno County and the portions of Tulare and Kings county that we serve. We have 295,000 residential accounts in the Fresno Division.
Another 8,875 customers in our Yosemite Division will receive the same notifications. The Yosemite Division includes all of our customers in Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Stanislaus, Tuolumne as well as small portions of Fresno and San Joaquin counties. We have 232,000 residential accounts in that area.
The notifications will include personalized rate plan comparisons to help customers choose the plan that best meets their needs. We also will provide tips and tools to help customers adjust some energy usage and manage costs under the new plan, such as running the dishwasher or doing laundry during off-peak hours.
The rates for this pilot program have not yet been finalized by the CPUC, but the expectation is that the majority of customers will see either a small increase or decrease in their energy charges if they make no changes to their usage. Again, customers in the pilot will have one year of rate protection, so if they are charged more during the pilot than they would of under their previous rate plan, the difference will be refunded.
While customers who take no action will transition to the new plan in April 2018, they will have the option of staying on their current plan or choosing an alternate plan at any time – before or after – the April transition. Customers also can try the new rate plan risk-free with 12 months of bill protection. We will be working with and learning from customers included in the first phase to plan for the full rollout to all other eligible residential customers, starting either in late 2019 or late 2020, pending a decision by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).
Source: PG&E