Lower PG&E bills expected for electric and gas customers

"OAKLAND After years of rising monthly bills, PG&E customers will be able to ring in 2026 with the prospect of lower charges for their electricity and gas services, the investor-owned utility disclosed in a new regulatory filing. The typical residential customer who receives combined electric and natural gas services from PG&E can expect an average charge of $285 a month starting with the January 2026 billing cycle, according to information provided by the company."

"We know how important stable and predictable bills are for families and businesses, PG&E Chief Executive Officer Patricia Poppe said. That's why we are lowering rates, even as national prices are expected to rise. Starting in January 2026, the average electric bill is expected to be $203 a month, down $10 from January 2025, or 3.8% less. The average gas bill is slated to be $82, a decline of $2 from a year ago, or down 2.4%."

"That January 2026 average bill would be $10 less than the average $295 a month that typical residential customers paid in January 2025, according to PG&E estimates. This works out to a 3.4% decrease for the average combined bill. Despite the expected decline, the anticipated bills will still be far above where average PG&E bills were in early 2023, this news organization's survey of PG&E bills shows. The prospect of lower bills contrasts sharply with rising charges that have affected PG&E customers in recent years."

PG&E projects the average combined residential bill for electric and natural gas to be about $285 per month starting January 2026. The projected combined amount is approximately $10 lower than the $295 average in January 2025, representing a 3.4% decrease. The average electric bill is expected at $203 per month (down $10, 3.8%) and the average gas bill at $82 per month (down $2, 2.4%). Despite the decline, anticipated bills will remain substantially higher than early 2023 levels after several years of rising charges. PG&E cites the move as a way to provide more stable, predictable bills amid national price pressures.

Read at www.mercurynews.com