Starting March 2026, PG&E changed how electric costs show up on your bill. This update affects all PG&E electric customers — including customers who get renewable electricity generation from MCE.
You may notice a new line item on your PG&E bill called the Base Services Charge. It’s a fixed monthly charge that moves some costs that were previously bundled into the per‑kilowatt‑hour (kWh) price into a separate, easier‑to‑see amount. At the same time, PG&E lowered the per kilowatt-hour electric rate for everyone. The overall change to your total bill depends on how much electricity you use each month.
What is the Base Services Charge?
The Base Services Charge is designed to affix certain costs needed to provide electric service — including approved grid infrastructure and maintenance, customer programs, and services like billing and call centers — while lowering the per kilowatt-hour rate. This also makes electrification efforts more affordable. This is not a new fee, but instead, a restructuring of the existing fee structure. As part of the change, PG&E reduced the per kilowatt-hour cost of electricity for customers who receive PG&E electric delivery service. This includes MCE customers.
Why am I seeing this if I’m an MCE customer?
MCE ارائه میدهد electricity generation (the energy you use), while PG&E continues to provide electric delivery (poles, wires, and getting electricity to your home or business) and sends the consolidated bill.
The Base Services Charge is part of PG&E’s electric delivery rate structure and appears on the same PG&E bill that MCE customers already receive. This change affects all customers who take electric delivery service from PG&E — whether their generation comes from PG&E or from a community choice aggregator like MCE.
How much is the Base Services Charge?
For residential customers, PG&E reports the Base Services Charge is:
- Most residential customers: About $24.15/month
- CARE customers: About $6/month
- FERA customers: About $12/month
How will this change impact my total bill?
Because part of your bill is moving from a volumetric rate to a fixed monthly charge, the impact looks different for different households. Everyone will see the new fixed Base Services Charge line item and a lower rate per kilowatt-hour compared to previously.
Lower electricity users can expect to see an increase in their bill as services previously tied to volumetric rates will become fixed and non-bypassable even with lower usage. Average and higher‑usage households may see a smaller net change — or even a decrease — because the savings from lower per kilowatt-hour rate will be greater.
State regulators expected this change to reduce residential per kilowatt-hour rates by roughly 5–7 cents per kilowatt-hour. In other words, the fixed charge is paired with a lower energy price — so the net change to your total bill depends on monthly usage.
Simple examples (illustrative)
Below are illustrative examples using a $24.15/month Base Services Charge and a $0.06 per kilowatt-hour rate decrease. Your actual rates vary by rate plan, location, season, and other bill components.
| Monthly usage | Estimated savings from lower kWh price | Base Services Charge | Estimated net change |
|---|---|---|---|
|
200 kWh |
200 × $0.06 = $12.00 |
$24.15 |
+$12.15 (increase) |
|
500 kWh |
500 × $0.06 = $30.00 |
$24.15 |
−$5.85 (decrease) |
|
800 kWh |
800 × $0.06 = $48.00 |
$24.15 |
−$23.85 (decrease) |
If you’re enrolled in CARE or FERA, your fixed Base Services Charge is lower (about $6 or $12). That means the usage level where you “break even” can be much lower, and many customers may see a smaller net increase — or a net decrease — depending on monthly usage.
What should I look for on my bill?
- Look for a line item called Base Services Charge in your PG&E Electricity Delivery Charges section.
- Expect to see lower per kilowatt-hour prices in the delivery portion of your bill compared with what they otherwise would have been.
- Your MCE generation charges (and any MCE program credits or options you’ve selected) will still appear in the MCE-specific page of your bill. MCE’s charges replace PG&E generation charges — they are not a duplicate fee.
Quick FAQ
Is this a new fee?
PG&E states it’s a bill restructuring: some costs that used to be included in the per kilowatt-hour price are now shown as a separate fixed monthly charge.
Does this apply to MCE customers?
Yes. Because it’s part of PG&E’s electric delivery charges, it applies to anyone receiving electric delivery service from PG&E, including MCE customers.
What can I do to manage my bill?
Energy‑saving steps still help because most of your bill remains usage‑based. You can also review your rate plan (for example, time‑of‑use options) and check whether you qualify for CARE or FERA to receive the discounted Base Services Charge level.
Bottom line
The new Base Services Charge changes how some PG&E electric costs are displayed — a fixed monthly amount plus lower per kilowatt-hour prices. For many average‑use households, PG&E says the combined effect can be a lower monthly bill (PG&E cites about $25/month lower for an average household using about 500 kWh), but results vary based on usage and rate plan. This bill redesign impacts all PG&E electric delivery customers, including MCE customers, because it’s part of PG&E’s delivery charges.
