- Core Gas Aggregation Service (CGAS)
- Core Transport Agents (CTA)
- How to Become a Core Transport Agent (CTA) Provider
Core Gas Aggregation Service (CGAS) is an optional service. CGAS allows customers to buy gas for their home or business directly from third-party gas suppliers. These alternate gas providers are Core Transport Agents (CTAs).
Customers aren't required to sign up with a CTA. They can continue to receive natural gas from PG&E. It’s the customer's choice.
How does Core Gas Aggregation Service work?
Before joining Core Gas Aggregation Service, an end-use customer, such as a resident or business owner, will need to agree through verbal or written contract to buy natural gas from CTA other than PG&E.
The CTA will procure natural gas for its customers, but PG&E continues to transport the natural gas to the end-use customer. Customers are required to make a minimum 12-month commitment to Core Gas Aggregation Service and purchase natural gas from a CTA, instead of PG&E. And CTAs are required to serve a gas-usage pool with a combined usage of at least 120,000 therms per year.
PG&E is mandated to allow Core Transport Agents (CTAs) to operate and offer service. Regardless of whether you continue to buy your natural gas from PG&E or from a CTA, PG&E remains committed to the safe and reliable delivery of gas to your home or business. We continue to be your first point of contact for safety issues regarding gas service. CTAs are in charge of marketing their own services.
All core end-use customers are eligible for service with a CTA. These rates include:
- Residential: G1, GM, GS, GT, GL-1, GML, GSL, GTL
- Residential NGV: G1-NGV, GL1-NGV
- Commercial: G-NR1, G-NR2
- Natural Gas Vehicles: G-NGV1, G-NGV2
No. Due to the way natural gas utilities are regulated, PG&E doesn't profit from the sale of natural gas to its retail customers. PG&E instead makes its regulated profit from delivering gas through its pipeline system, as well as from other sources.
PG&E doesn't assess any 'extra' charges to customers who purchase natural gas from a CTA. Under any of the billing options available to a CTA (e.g., PG&E Consolidated Billing, CTA Consolidated Billing and Separate Billing), a customer’s bill is first calculated as if the customer remained on bundled service with PG&E. The PG&E procurement (gas) portion of the bill is then subtracted from the bill through a Procurement Credit. Finally, a franchise fee is added to the PG&E portion of the bill.
Please note that the franchise fee is NOT an extra charge for customers buying their gas from a CTA—it's part of the PG&E procurement charge and is collected under Gas Schedule G-SUR to pay franchise fees (roughly 1 percent) on the gas volumes purchased from a CTA.
Continue to call PG&E in case of an emergency involving gas service to your home or business. We'll also continue to respond to your safety-related calls, such as gas leaks, and maintain the distribution system leading to your home. We can be reached at 1-800-743-5000.
To find your meter read date, view this PG&E schedule for reading your meter.
Core Transport Agents (CTAs) are not affiliated with PG&E. A CTA is a third-party supplier other than PG&E who procures gas for end-use customers.
Frequent questions about CTA service
Revised as of May 2024
Note: Some CTAs may not appear on this list by their own request.
Those marked with an asterisk (*) do not currently serve customer load in a PG&E service area.
AAA Energy Services
1-888-377-7757
ABAG Publicly Owned Energy Resources (ABAG POWER)
1-415-820-7956
Agera Energy, LLC
1-844-692-4372
Ambit California, LLC
1-877-282-6248
Big Tree Energy, LLC
1-800-404-1061
Bolt Energy Services, LLC
1-800-213-2870
Calpine Energy Solutions, LLC (Formerly Noble Solutions)
1-877-273-6772
Commercial Energy
1-510-567-2700
Constellation NewEnergy Gas Division, LLC
1-855-465-1244
Interstate Gas Supply, Inc.
1-888-995-0992
Just Energy Solutions Inc. (Formerly Commerce Energy, Inc.)
1-866-587-8674
National Gas & Electric, LLC
1-888-442-0002
North Star Gas Company LLC, d/b/a YEP Energy
1-877-418-5872
NRG Business Marketing, LLC
1-888-925-9115
Pacific Summit Energy, LLC
1-949-777-3218
Peak Six Power and Gas, LLC
1-888-414-9669
Pilot Power Group, LLC
1-855-227-4568
School Project for Utility Rate Reduction (SPURR)
1-925-743-1292
SFE Energy Inc.
1-888-659-2994
Shell Energy North America, (US) L.P.
1-858-210-2682
Smart One Energy LLC
1-888-363-4976
Spark Energy Gas, LP
1-866-288-2874
StateWise Energy California LLC
1-855-862-1185
Symmetry Energy Solutions LLC (Formerly CenterPoint Energy Services, Inc)
1-888-200-3788
Tiger Natural Gas, Inc.
1-888-875-6122, extension 4
UET, LLC. dba Callective Energy
1-800-296-2203
UET, LLC. dba Greenwave Energy
1-800-296-2203
Vista Energy
1-888-508-4782
XOOM Energy California, LLC
1-888-997-8979
Note: Neither Pacific Gas and Electric Company, the California Public Utilities Commission, nor any of their employees recommends, endorses or represents any firm listed herein; makes any warranty or representation, express or implied, with respect to the accuracy, quality or completeness, or usefulness of this information or the goods or services offered by the companies listed; can or does guarantee the financial stability of or service quality of the service providers listed, or their compliance with applicable laws or regulations, or assumes any liability with respect to the use of, or for damages resulting from the use of, this information.
In the past, the CPUC did not have jurisdiction to regulate CTAs’ business or marketing activities. This changed as a result of Senate Bill (SB) 656, which was signed into law on October 5, 2013. SB 656 provides the CPUC with jurisdiction over CTAs. It also allows the CPUC to adopt new consumer protections for customers served by CTAs. Moving forward, the CPUC will continue to adopt rules addressing SB 656's remaining consumer protection provisions such as complaint resolution, consumer information including rate comparisons, permissible CTA marketing activities and minimum CTA service standards. In addition, PG&E will continue to require new CTAs to enter into a service agreement which outlines their obligations and responsibilities. PG&E will continue requiring all new CTAs to complete a certification process, which entails meeting credit and technical requirements, before they are eligible to enroll and serve customers.
As of September 2, 2014, all current and new CTAs will be required to register with the CPUC before providing service. The CPUC may suspend or revoke a CTA's registration if it finds that a CTA made material misrepresentations in the course of soliciting customers, committed fraud, misrepresented a material fact in obtaining a registration, or if the CPUC finds there is evidence a CTA is not financially viable, and technically and operationally capable. In addition, CTAs must, prior to the start of service, provide customers with a written notice describing the price, terms, and conditions of the service. The CPUC will continue developing and updating the regulatory framework to implement all of SB 656's provisions.
View the final decision at Order Instituting Rulemaking to Implement Registration of Third Party Natural Gas Procurement Services Providers (PDF)
Visit cpuc.org.ca.gov to find out How to Register as a CTA.
A CTA is responsible for ensuring that sufficient gas is delivered daily to PG&E's pipeline system to supply its customers' forecasted usage. As part of PG&E's ongoing service, we are the backup supplier in the event your CTA fails to arrange for an adequate supply of natural gas, defaults on its obligations or goes out of business.
Be sure to carefully review the cancellation process and conditions of any agreement or contract you enter into with your CTA. If a CTA terminates service to you, you will be returned to PG&E's bundled service. This means that PG&E will resume buying gas for your home or business.
Your return date to PG&E's bundled service will be determined based on the meter read cycle. If a CTA submits a disconnect enrollment with PG&E and PG&E accepts the disconnect request 15 days before the next meter read date then your service will begin with PG&E on the next meter read date. If the disconnect request is submitted less than 15 days of the next meter read date, then your service with PG&E will begin on the next month's meter read date.
The dispute resolution process is currently being developed by the CPUC. PG&E suggests that you contact your CTA first to see if you can resolve the issue. If you are unable to resolve the issue, you may contact PG&E's Customer Service line for CTA related questions at 1-877-442-7457.
Billing questions for those with service from a CTA
Yes, in most cases. PG&E provides three types of billing options for a CTA:
- PG&E Consolidated Billing. PG&E consolidates its monthly gas distribution and transmission charges and a CTA's gas charges into a single bill
- CTA Consolidated Billing. A CTA consolidates its monthly charges and PG&E's charges into a single bill
- Separate Billing. PG&E and a CTA separately bill for their respective monthly charges. You will experience a few days' delay in receiving your monthly bill if your CTA is using PG&E as its biller. However, your payment due date will not be affected by this process.
Access PG&E's bill inserts at pge.com/billinserts.
Customers who join the Core Gas Aggregation Service will see a Procurement Credit under the gas details page on their bill. The Procurement Credit is PG&E's gas commodity cost for that particular month and will vary month to month.
Contact PG&E for any questions regarding PG&E's gas delivery and other charges shown on your monthly bill. Contact your CTA for any questions concerning the CTA's monthly gas charges.
Yes. The California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) discount is mandated by the State of California and continues for all qualified customers regardless of whether PG&E or a CTA supplies their gas. The CARE discount for the customer’s gas commodity, distribution and transmission charges will continue to appear on the PG&E portion of the bill and the discount would be the same as if the customer remained a bundled customer with PG&E.
Yes. Customers are still eligible for FERA, LIHEAP and any energy efficiency-related rebates and incentives.
Medical Baseline discounts are only applied to PG&E's portion of the cost.
PG&E does not assess any 'extra' charges to customers who purchase natural gas from a CTA. Under any of the billing options available to a CTA (e.g., PG&E Consolidated Billing, CTA Consolidated Billing, and Separate Billing), a customer’s bill is first calculated as if the customer remained on bundled service with PG&E. The PG&E procurement (gas) portion of the bill is then subtracted from the bill through a Procurement Credit. Finally, a franchise fee is added to the PG&E portion of the bill.
Please note that the franchise fee is NOT an extra charge for customers buying their gas from a CTA—it is part of the PG&E procurement charge and is collected under Gas Schedule G-SUR to pay franchise fees (roughly 1 percent) on the gas volumes purchased from a CTA.
What you must submit to join our Core Gas Aggregation Service
Core Transport Agent (CTA) applicants must fill out and submit the following documents to PG&E in order to join our Core Gas Aggregation Service (CGAS). You can get details on submitting each of the necessary documents from your CTA account manager.
Submit the CGAS Agreement
To join our Core Gas Aggregation Service, you must fill out and submit the CGAS Agreement and related attachments. Download all of the required documents to begin CGAS. Visit Gas Aggregation Service Agreement and Attachments.
Get details on how to become a CTA and continue service with us, including details on the set-up process, billing process and continuing service as a CTA (gas nominations). Download Gas CTA Handbook (PDF)
Gas CTAs and electric service providers (ESPs) must fill out and submit a form to join Direct Access (DA) with us. Download Energy Service Provider Information (PDF)
Get Gas Transmission Service Agreement and exhibit documents
Complete the Gas Transmission Service Agreement that enables CTAs to receive monthly intrastate distribution services.
Electronic Data Interchange documents
EDI Trading Partner Agreement (PDF)
CTAs who offer consolidated CTA billing services must fill out and submit the EDI Trading Partner Agreement.
- Filename
- editrade.pdf
- Size
- 43 KB
- Format
- application/pdf
EDI trading partner setup form (PDF)
Fill out the form to set up CTAs for electronic data exchange with PG&E using the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) protocol.
- Filename
- edi_set.pdf
- Size
- 4 KB
- Format
- application/pdf
Access California Gas Transmission documents
CTAs must fill out and submit the credit application and obtain credit approval from us before joining CGAS. Download Pacific Gas and Electric Company – California Gas Transmission Credit Application (PDF)
At times, CTAs are required to submit certain California Gas Transmission documents. Examples include the California Production Cumulative Imbalance Trading Form and Cumulative Imbalance Trading Form for Schedule G-BAL Service. Get information about these forms. Visit Reference / Library.
Get our meter-reading schedule
Meter readers need monthly access to meters. Check the schedule.
Alternative energy resources for businesses
Electric Transmission Services
Find out how large electric customers can access electricity directly from transmission lines.