When I opened my Pacific Gas and Electric (PGE) bill for August of 2024, it was so high that I nearly fell out of my chair.
My typical electric bill here in the San Francisco Bay Area is around $500-600. Bills are usually higher in the Summer, when people use more air conditioning.
But my August 2024 bill was something else entirely. As I read the bill, I was shocked to see the total cost: $1,452.32.
Almost $1,500, just to provide electricity and a trickle of natural gas to my home? That’s insane!
My August bill was abnormally high–almost 300% of my normal charges. And I’m not alone. As our readers recently shared, people all over the Bay Area have been floored by their PGE bills this month.
One local called their bill “criminal.” Residents on fixed incomes are saying that they’ll need to choose between paying their PGE bill and eating this month.
Was your bill insanely high this month, too? Join the discussion with other locals on our Facebook page.
A few caveats about my own bill. I have an electric car, so I tend to use a lot more electricity than the average user. I don’t have a major cost for gasoline, so that does balance out my super-high bill a bit.
But still, my bill was substantially higher this month than in other months.
Why Are Bills So High?
So what’s the culprit? Why was my bill so insane–and why is your bill crazy high, too?
July was one of the hottest months on record for the San Francisco Bay Area. Here in Lafayette, California, the temperatures got as high as 107 degrees.
When temperatures are that high, air conditioners need to work extra hard to cool your home. In my own case, my AC ran for up to 18 hours per day. I have a two-level home and my kids sleep upstairs, so avoiding using the AC isn’t an option–their room gets to 90 degrees in an hour or so without cooling.
For many people with medical conditions around the Bay Area, turning down the AC isn’t an option either. So we suffer, paying bills that are almost as much as many people in other parts of the US spend on rent or a mortgage.
What to Do
If your PGE bill was insane last month, what should you do?
Firstly, if paying your bill will create financial hardship, you can apply to one of PGE’s assistance programs. These programs provide steep discounts for seniors and people with low incomes.
Either way, you should also check that you’re on the lowest-cost PGE plan. My bill was still insane, but it would be hundreds of dollars higher if I hadn’t switched to a special PGE plan for electric homes, which saves me over $2,000 per year.
Beyond that, we can petition our politicians and energy regulators to lower prices. Or we can gripe. Or both.
More Pain Ahead
No matter what we do, the problem is likely to get worse. Summers are getting hotter, so these months of very high AC usage are likely to continue.
Shockingly, PGE is working to raise rates even higher. Rates are already higher this year, and will likely continue to climb.
PGE bills over $1,000 could soon become the norm. Better start saving if you want to keep the AC on next Summer.
What do you think of these recent price hikes? Join the discussion with other locals on our Facebook page.
What about adding solar? That allows you to significantly reduce your electric bill, especially in the summer