FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, February 9, 2026
Press Contact:
Jackie Nuñez | Senior Communications Manager
(925) 695-2124 | communications@mceCleanEnergy.org
SAN RAFAEL and CONCORD, Calif. — The MCE Board of Directors voted on February 19, 2026 to reduce electricity generation rates and provide additional bill relief to customers, helping offset rising state-mandated charges outside MCE’s control. The proposed rate reduction is expected to be finalized during the March 19th budget-setting meeting.
The Board’s vote proposes a 14% reduction in MCE’s generation rates, along with a temporary bill credit and additional funding of $10 million for the MCE Cares Credit, which supports income-qualified households and small businesses. If finalized in March, the changes will take effect April 1, 2026.
“This action reflects our commitment to keep electricity affordable while continuing to provide cleaner energy and reinvest locally. By lowering rates and approving an additional allocation to our MCE Cares Credit, our Board is acting to protect customers from rising costs driven largely by state regulatory changes.”
The proposed rate reduction includes:
- Lower generation rates: A 14% reduction will bring MCE’s generation rate into parity with PG&E’s generation rate.
- Temporary bill credit: A credit will help offset the recent surge in PG&E exit charges, ending December 31, 2026, when those charges are expected to decrease.
- Re-funding the MCE Cares Credit: Monthly bill credits of $20-25 will continue for income-qualified households and small businesses.
Together, these measures are designed to reduce customer bills while maintaining MCE’s strong financial stability and clean energy commitments, offering at least 60% renewable.
Despite the generation rate reduction, customers continue to face increases in the PG&E’s Power Charge Indifference Adjustment (PCIA) — an exit fee authorized by regulators and collected by PG&E. Recent changes to how this fee is calculated have significantly increased costs for customers who receive service from community choice aggregators like MCE, shifting more costs onto those customers. MCE has no control over PCIA charges but is taking steps to help mitigate their impact.
MCE is partnering with the California Community Choice Association (CalCCA), to support AB 1761 (Rogers), which will give CCAs and ratepayer advocates better, more transparent access to the data that’s used to calculate the PCIA. The goal of the bill is to ensure that PCIA calculations are accurate, and to help MCE and other CCAs ensure that our customers’ bills are as stable and affordable as possible.
As a not-for-profit public agency, MCE reinvests revenues locally in customer programs, clean energy projects, and workforce development rather than shareholder profits. MCE has provided hundreds of millions of dollars customer rebates, programs, and bill relief in Marin, Contra Costa, Napa, and Solano counties.
"Low-income families are struggling to meet basic needs, and targeted assistance can make a meaningful difference for those who need support the most. Rates are important to stay competitive, but this is not just about rates. It is about balancing affordability, equity, and our responsibility to maintain and advance clean energy for the future.”
MCE’s rates have been stable since the agency’s last major rate change in 2023. Combined with $10 million distributed to customers through the MCE Cares Credit, MCE has prioritized customer affordability while maintaining a strong credit rating and advancing energy equity through clean energy programs.
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About MCE: MCE is a not-for-profit public agency and the preferred electricity provider for more than 600,000 customer accounts and 1.8 million residents and businesses across Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, and Solano counties. Setting the standard for clean energy in California since 2010, MCE leads with 60-100% renewable power at stable rates, serving a 1400 MW peak load, significantly reducing greenhouse emissions, and reinvesting millions in local programs. For more information about MCE, visit mcecleanenergy.org, or follow us on your preferred social platform @mceCleanEnergy.
