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Budget Billing

Reduce big spikes on your energy bills

Get more control of your bills

Predictable monthly energy costs help budget your expenses. Budget Billing helps offset peak bills that result from:

  • High winter heating
  • Summer air conditioning
Enroll in Budget Billing

How Budget Billing works

The Budget Billing program averages your energy costs over the previous 12 months to determine your monthly payment amount. If your actual energy costs significantly change, we adjust your monthly Budget Billing payment amount once every four months.

 

✓ Pro tip: To realize the full benefits and start avoiding seasonal peak bills, stay enrolled in the Budget Billing program for at least a year.

 

Budget Billing is available to:

  • Residential customers who are not on a NEM rate plan
  • Small business customers on A1, A6, B1, B6 and GNR1 rate plans

Understanding your bill

How Budget Billing affects your monthly payments.

Sample of monthly payments

A Budget Billing customer's actual energy costs compared to their Budget Billing amounts over a year:

A bar graph showing monthly payments with Budget Billing

  • While in the program, you may accrue an account balance or credit.
  • If you unenroll from the program, this balance or credit will be reflected on your next energy statement.
  • You must pay the exact monthly Budget Billing amount on time to remain in the program.

Descriptions of each section are listed below.

  1. Account No: Your account number is a 10-digit number. We use this number to identify your account if you call us about your energy use. Your account number and due date are at the top of every page of your statement. You receive a separate monthly energy statement for each active account.

  2. Service For: This is the address where your charges were incurred. Some customers receive PG&E service at multiple locations. This section indicates which property incurred the charges.

  3. Your Budget Billing Summary: Your ‘Budget Billing Amount This Period’ is based on average energy charges over the past 12 months. Although a more detailed breakdown of your usage and payments is available on your energy statement, you’re required to pay this amount.

  4. Questions About Your Bill?: Contact us with questions using the information found on the first page of the statement.

  5. Total Amount Due: This shows the amount you need to pay for that billing period. This charge includes your calculated Budget Billing monthly payment amount and any generation or procurement charges for Community Choice Aggregator (CCA), Direct Access (DA) or Core Transport Agent (CTA) customers. The notes below reflect other information about your account and any special programs you participate in.

  6. Savings Alert: We use this space for notes about your account, including any special programs that might affect your total charges.

  7. How Budget Billing Affects Your Energy Payments: This chart helps you identify any trends in your monthly energy usages over the past year. Use the data to understand how Budget Billing helps equalize your payment across different seasons.

  8. Your Account Details: The information in this section helps explain how your payments and energy usage are currently affecting your account balance.
    • Account Balance from Previous Statement: This shows your total account balance, the amount that you owed (positive value) or the amount you were credited (negative value) before you made a payment per your previous bill.
    • Payment(s) Received Since Last Statement: This shows the payment from your previous bill. Payments made to PG&E are shown as credits—hence, the negative value.
    • Account Balance Before Current Charges: This shows the total account balance after your payment for your previous bill. It's the sum of your a) Account Balance from Previous Statement; and b) Payment(s) Received Since Last Statement.
    • Current Electric Charges: This is the actual cost related to your electricity usage in the last billing period.
    • Current Gas Charges: This is the actual cost related to your gas usage in the last billing period. It's the amount you'd be required to pay for your electricity usage if you were NOT enrolled in Budget Billing.
    • Total Current Account Balance: This shows your current account balance at this billing period. This is the accumulated differences between your monthly payment amounts and actual usage costs during your enrollment in Budget Billing. The amount you credit/owe would be reflected on your bill if you voluntarily unenroll or are removed from the Budget Billing program.
       
  9. Important Messages: We use this space to share timely information—from summer safety tips to regulatory updates.

  10. Payment Stub: Return this form to the address indicated with your payment. The remittance stub indicates your account number, bill due date and total amount due. For your convenience, we have included a windowed return envelope. Please place the remittance stub with the PG&E address visible in the window. The back of the remittance stub includes an area for you to update your account information, as well as an overview of payment options.

 

CCA, DA or CTA customers

Budget Billing doesn’t apply to the electric generation or procurement portion of your energy costs if you’re a Community Choice Aggregator (CCA), Direct Access (DA) or Core Transport Agent (CTA) customer.

Below is a sample energy statement of a CCA/DA customer on Budget Billing. The Total Amount due in this case includes both the Budget Billing monthly payment amount and the associated CCA/DA electric generation charges.

Audio description
Transcript (PDF)

Keep monthly payments predictable

Stay on budget year round. Watch this Energy Essentials video to learn more. 

Frequently asked questions about Budget Billing

  • We recommend 12 months of usage at your current address before enrolling in Budget Billing.
  • Why? If you don’t have one year of usage history at your address, Budget Billing averages in the previous account holder’s usage.
  • If the location is a new construction or new build, it has no usage history. You won’t be able to enroll in Budget Billing until the location has 12 months of data.

Budget Billing takes effect in the billing cycle following enrollment.

  • Budget Billing performs a review of your usage every four months.
  • This ensures you are paying a monthly average of your usage and costs throughout the year. 
  • If your energy usage or costs change significantly, we adjust your Budget Billing amount.

  • There is no benefit to overpaying your monthly bill while enrolled in the Budget Billing program.
  • If you pay more than your monthly payment amount, you won't see the credit reflected on your account until you unenroll from the program.

If you miss two payments or underpay for two billing cycles, you:

  • Will be removed from Budget Billing
  • Will be required to pay off your entire balance
  • Won’t be allowed to re-enroll in Budget Billing for six months

  • When you transfer your service to a new address served by PG&E, your Budget Billing also transfers.
  • However, your Budget Billing amount will need to be recalculated at the new service location. To do this, we’ll look:
    •  Look at the new location’s usage history.
    • Adjust your monthly payment amount based on this history.

 

Did you stop service at your old address before starting your service at your new address?

  • You may end up being unenrolled from the Budget Billing program.
  • If this happens, your account balance may be reflected on your next energy statement.
  • Call 1-800-743-5000 to re-enroll in Budget Billing and transfer your account balance to your new service.

Yes. You may also enroll in: 

Yes. CARE, FERA and Medical Baseline program participants can enroll in Budget Billing.

No. If you are enrolled in a payment plan or have past due payments, you cannot enroll in Budget Billing.

  • The program remains in effect unless you decide to cancel or default on your payments.
  • You can remove your account from the program at any time. Access your account online or call 1-800-743-5000.

 

Note: If you cancel the Budget Billing program while you have a payoff balance, the amount you owed or credited will be applied to your next month's bill.

More financial help

Discounted phone service

Discounted phone service is based on your income level or program participation. See if you qualify.

 

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Low-cost home internet

You could receive a $30 monthly discount off fast home internet. 

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