This week, the California Public Utilities Commission approved two additional rate hikes requested by PG&E.
Officials say the typical non-CARE residential bill will increase by about 1.5%, or $3.20 per month, starting in January.
The funds from this hike will reportedly go toward extended operations at Diablo Canyon.
Local non-CARE bills are set to increase again by about 1.6%, or $3.40 per month, starting in March.
This additional hike will cover vegetation management work that was done in 2020, according to PG&E.
Although the rates are increasing, company officials tell KSBY that residential electric bills are about 4.5% lower in December of 2024 than they were in January of 2024.
Representatives add that rate increases are offset by large decreases throughout the year, such as the 9% drop in electric prices that was seen in July.
"Rates fluctuate throughout the year, based on the timing of regulatory approvals and items coming off the bill," Mike Gazda, a PG&E communications representative, told KSBY.
Gazda says recent fluctuations should be analyzed by looking at the entire year's rates, rather than broader trends.
"There are some groups out there who are latching onto the narrative that rates have increased four times this year," the communications representative said. "While that’s a great soundbite for them, it is misleading because it doesn’t acknowledge the big picture that residential electric bills are lower today [...] than they were in January."
