PG&E serves customers in California. This guide covers current rates, billing structure, common charges, and how to verify your bill is accurate.
Quick Facts
Service Area: Northern and Central California
Rate Range: 28¢–67¢/kWh
Standard Rate: ~42.5¢/kWh (Tiered Rate Plan (E-1))
Off-Peak Rate: 34¢/kWh (Time-of-Use (E-TOU-C))
Rates Updated: February 2026
Current Rates
PG&E residential rates range from 28¢–67¢/kWh depending on your rate plan. The standard Tiered Rate Plan (E-1) plan has an effective rate of ~42.5¢/kWh. Time-of-use customers on the Time-of-Use (E-TOU-C) plan pay 34¢/kWh off-peak and 59¢/kWh during peak hours. Rates last updated February 2026.
Understanding Your Bill
Your PG&E bill includes several components: base charges, energy charges, fuel adjustments, taxes, and fees.
PG&E residential rates vary significantly by tier and time of use, ranging from approximately 25–55¢/kWh. California's tiered rate structure means your effective rate increases with usage. PG&E offers several rate plans including time-of-use (TOU) options that can lower costs for customers who shift usage to off-peak hours.
Why is my PG&E bill so high?
High PG&E bills are commonly caused by California's tiered rate structure, wildfire mitigation costs, PCIA (Power Charge Indifference Adjustment) charges, or being on a suboptimal rate plan. PG&E rates are among the highest in the nation. Upload your bill to verify you're on the best available rate plan.
What is the PCIA charge on my PG&E bill?
The Power Charge Indifference Adjustment (PCIA) is a charge that appears on PG&E bills for customers who switched to Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) programs. It's designed to recover costs PG&E incurred for power procurement. Utility Check verifies this charge against published PCIA rates.
How can I verify my PG&E bill is correct?
Upload your PG&E bill to Utility Check. We verify your rate plan, recalculate tiered or time-of-use charges, check baseline allocations, and validate all surcharges including wildfire mitigation and PCIA charges against PG&E's published tariffs.
Does Utility Check support PG&E?
Yes. Utility Check fully supports PG&E bill verification in California. We analyze your rate plan, verify tier calculations, check time-of-use periods, and validate all surcharges on your bill.