Standard allowance for your region (often 200-400 kWh)
Estimated Monthly Total
$0.00
Understanding Your PG&E Rate Schedule
Navigating California utility bills can be complex. Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) offers different rate structures that significantly impact your monthly costs based on when and how much energy you consume. Using a PG&E rate calculator helps you decide which plan fits your lifestyle.
Tiered vs. Time-of-Use (TOU) Rates
The Tiered Rate Plan (E-1) focuses on total consumption. You are assigned a "Baseline Allowance" based on where you live and your heating source. Electricity used within that allowance is billed at the lowest rate (Tier 1). Any usage exceeding that amount is billed at a higher rate (Tier 2).
Time-of-Use (TOU) plans focus on when you use electricity. Prices are higher during "Peak" hours when demand on the grid is highest and lower during "Off-Peak" hours. This is the default plan for most residential customers in California.
TOU-C: Peak hours are 4 PM to 9 PM daily. This is generally better for households that can shift laundry or dishwashing to earlier in the day or late at night.
TOU-D: Peak hours are 5 PM to 8 PM on weekdays. This shorter peak window usually carries a higher peak price but offers more flexibility for those home in the early evening.
Calculation Example
Suppose you consume 500 kWh in a month on the E-1 Tiered plan with a 300 kWh baseline:
Tier 1 (Baseline): 300 kWh × $0.34 = $102.00
Tier 2 (Excess): 200 kWh × $0.43 = $86.00
Estimated Total: $188.00 (excluding taxes and mandates)
How to Lower Your PG&E Bill
To reduce your monthly energy costs, consider shifting high-energy tasks—like running the dryer or charging an electric vehicle—to off-peak hours if you are on a TOU plan. For tiered plans, the goal is purely conservation to stay within your baseline allowance as much as possible.
function toggleInputs() {
var plan = document.getElementById("ratePlan").value;
var tieredDiv = document.getElementById("tieredInputs");
var touDiv = document.getElementById("touInputs");
if (plan === "e1") {
tieredDiv.style.display = "block";
touDiv.style.display = "none";
} else {
tieredDiv.style.display = "none";
touDiv.style.display = "block";
}
}
function calculatePGE() {
var plan = document.getElementById("ratePlan").value;
var totalKwh = parseFloat(document.getElementById("usageKwh").value);
var baselineKwh = parseFloat(document.getElementById("baselineKwh").value);
var peakPercent = parseFloat(document.getElementById("peakUsagePercent").value);
var resultDiv = document.getElementById("pgeResult");
var costDisplay = document.getElementById("totalCost");
var breakdownDisplay = document.getElementById("breakdown");
if (isNaN(totalKwh) || totalKwh < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid monthly usage.");
return;
}
var totalCost = 0;
var details = "";
// Estimated current average rates (Base pricing – varies by region/season)
// Tiered E-1
var tier1Rate = 0.35;
var tier2Rate = 0.44;
// TOU-C (4-9 PM)
var touCPeak = 0.51;
var touCOffPeak = 0.41;
// TOU-D (5-8 PM)
var touDPeak = 0.56;
var touDOffPeak = 0.39;
if (plan === "e1") {
if (isNaN(baselineKwh)) baselineKwh = 300;
if (totalKwh <= baselineKwh) {
totalCost = totalKwh * tier1Rate;
details = totalKwh.toFixed(0) + " kWh billed at Tier 1 rate ($" + tier1Rate + ")";
} else {
var t1Cost = baselineKwh * tier1Rate;
var excess = totalKwh – baselineKwh;
var t2Cost = excess * tier2Rate;
totalCost = t1Cost + t2Cost;
details = "Tier 1: $" + t1Cost.toFixed(2) + " | Tier 2: $" + t2Cost.toFixed(2);
}
} else if (plan === "touc") {
if (isNaN(peakPercent)) peakPercent = 30;
var peakKwh = totalKwh * (peakPercent / 100);
var offPeakKwh = totalKwh – peakKwh;
totalCost = (peakKwh * touCPeak) + (offPeakKwh * touCOffPeak);
details = "Peak: " + peakKwh.toFixed(0) + " kWh | Off-Peak: " + offPeakKwh.toFixed(0) + " kWh";
} else if (plan === "toud") {
if (isNaN(peakPercent)) peakPercent = 25;
var peakKwhD = totalKwh * (peakPercent / 100);
var offPeakKwhD = totalKwh – peakKwhD;
totalCost = (peakKwhD * touDPeak) + (offPeakKwhD * touDOffPeak);
details = "Peak: " + peakKwhD.toFixed(0) + " kWh | Off-Peak: " + offPeakKwhD.toFixed(0) + " kWh";
}
// Add estimated fixed fees (e.g., minimum delivery charge approx $0.33/day)
var fixedFees = 10.00;
totalCost += fixedFees;
costDisplay.innerText = "$" + totalCost.toFixed(2);
breakdownDisplay.innerHTML = details + "*Includes estimated $10 fixed delivery fees and mandates.";
resultDiv.style.display = "block";
}