More on my Northern California electric bill

[Cudedog]

Since we were talking about this earlier, I thought it might be fun to come back to the cost of electricity topic.

I just received my PG&E (gas and electric) bill.

PG&E has "Peak" and "Off-Peak" rates. Peak rates are from 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. - generally the hottest part of the day is around 5:00 p.m. Since this has been a particularly hot summer - today topped out at 111*. As if you could actuall "budget" your electric useage to avoid Peak rates.

For example, if I turned off my A/C from 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. on a day that topped out at, maybe, "only" 105* - the inside of my house might get up to 130* or so before I could turn it back on at 9:00.

By which time I would very likely be dead. Literally, and not joking here.

So, the imposition of Peak rates by PG&E to, I guess, encourage people to use less electricity during peak hours is pretty much a joke. Except it is no laughing matter.

Here is what is on my actual bill for this billing period:

Peak: 271.553 kwh priced at $.59089 per kwh. Yep that is correct, and you are reading it right: - over FIFTY-NINE CENTS per kilowatt hour.

Off-Peak: 355.643 kwh, priced at $.48789 per kilowatt hour. Again, rounded, this is FORTY-NINE CENTS per kilowatt hour.

And I just checked (drum roll, please): the average rate charged by Pacific Power, the utility that provides electricity to Klamath Falls, charges about. . . $.13 (thirteen cents!) per kilowatt hour.

Yowza. In the summer, my a/c is pretty much running 24/7.

One of my worries about moving north has been that my real estate taxes would increase so much I couldn't afford it. This difference in electricity rates would more than offset any increase in real estate taxes - and might even still leave me with some extra green in my pocket.

I guess it always pays to do the math. Why I didn't do this a long time ago. . . I have absolutely no idea.

And, Beth, you got me off the stick when you reported what my electric rates are - when I had never really bothered to look them up for myself! Just kept writing the ol' check.

DUH.

And here is the final kicker: "Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) has requested a rate increase for 2025 of up to 10.9%".

I definitely gotta get myself outta here.

Yeah, Sue, you certainly said it best.

Anne

[Bethers]

Anne, I always worry I'm sticking my nose where I shouldn't, but those rates and your gas prices alone would do me in. It's possible that you can find property at a lower cost elsewhere which would mean the higher tax rate might not mean paying more than what you already are. I learned that when I lived in Wisconsin with high property taxes but my house cost considerably less than what I'd had in Illinois so I didn't pay more. No promises, but I hope you can get out from under these ridiculous electric rates. BTW, I'm paying 13 cents here at my park in Arizona. But I'm not recommending you come here... the heat has been off the charts this summer. Not as bad as you, but I don't handle the heat well anymore so it's scaring me for what this might mean for future years.

[Cudedog]

Anne, I always worry I'm sticking my nose where I shouldn't, but those rates and your gas prices alone would do me in. It's possible that you can find property at a lower cost elsewhere which would mean the higher tax rate might not mean paying more than what you already are. I learned that when I lived in Wisconsin with high property taxes but my house cost considerably less than what I'd had in Illinois so I didn't pay more. No promises, but I hope you can get out from under these ridiculous electric rates. BTW, I'm paying 13 cents here at my park in Arizona. But I'm not recommending you come here... the heat has been off the charts this summer. Not as bad as you, but I don't handle the heat well anymore so it's scaring me for what this might mean for future years.

Ya know, Beth, I really was truth-telling when I said it was you that finally got me off the stick. And I thank you for that. Truly!!

Klamath Falls, an area that I have researched for years, and have visited a few times, has lower housing prices than are here - and the difference in electric rates. The real estate tax structure is a bit different than it is here in California, and I am researching that. The climate in Klamath Falls is about 10 to 15 degrees cooler on any given summer day; winter temps are considerably cooler than they are here (KF will get some snow).

I am thinking that the difference between what I pay for electric and (perhaps) what I might pay more for property tax might be a wash. A good thing.

Your 13 cents Arizona electric rates really have me scratching my head. Northern California (PG&E Land) has abundant hydro power, quite a lot of wind and solar power. I doubt that Arizona has the kind of hydro power that Northern California has - at least not enough to account for the difference in rates.

The real difference that I can see is that PG&E is a private company that has stockholders and is traded on the New York Stock exchange.

I have definitely kicked up my "looking".

And. . . I know your fear. I am also very concerned what the temps might do where I live now in the coming years.

I just filled up my van a few days ago. . . $3.99/gal. Ugh.

Anne

[JudyJB]

As I consider where I want to settle down, this is really eye opening. My main thoughts have been on taxes and motgage rates, and I would never have guessed that areas could have such different costs of utilities. This is especially important for me because I need cool air. I eventually need to decide whether to try to find a place near my son in Napa or near my son in Ohio.

This past spring, I was considering somewhere in the valley east of Napa because Napa is so expensive, but the heat this summer has pretty much made me reconsider that. But I had not even considered electric rates!! I will have to ask my DIL in Napa about electric because when they bought their recent home about 7-8 years ago, it had some solar panels on the roof. She said once something about sending excess power back to the grid and getting a deduction for it from their bill.

So, what do each of you pay for water, assuming we all like to take showers and wash clothing???

Also, I know a lot of people in California were talked into electric heat in the past, but do most people use natural gas?

[snowball]

so I will start this with I really don't know what I am talking about... really and truly however I also know that giving you a thought you will research it.. My sister lives in Vegas with hot temps and high electric bills... a couple of years ago she decided to lease solar panels it took a year to see the benefit of them but there was a real benefit... I don't remember what her costs were before or after just remember that they were significant. and I don't know if this works when dealing with private company's or not but perhaps worth a check it out... and continue researching houses in the North... it would be nice to see what the average cost is during the winter months
oh and I never look at that part of the statement just pay it
sheila

[Pooker]

I can't believe I just spent 1/2 hour digging up info and replying to this posting and the whole thing disappeared! Seems like just hovering over something wipes it all - very frustrating. Just want to say it's not just one electric company. I have Southern California Edison and my electric costs are through the roof on both my mobilehome and my son's RV site. SCE breaks the kWh's down into a number of lists so one needs a PhD in electric rates to understand. My last month's bill for my mobile was $434+ and the RV site's bill was $274+ (in addition to basic space rent there are also added fees for water, sewer, and trash).

California Dreamin' ---- Ha!

Evie

[Irmi]

I have to admit that, like others, I don't look at that portion of the bills with all the figures on it. I pay the bill and hope it won't be much higher next month. I paid our bill a few days ago and it was $ 120 and some cents. But we were gone for two weeks . We had the a/c on in the casita set on 80. Okay, I just checked Duke Electric's rates and we're at .13 per kwh, same as Beth. Comparing MD's bills to ours now in FL, they are pretty much the same, with the exception of vehicle insurance. That doubled!!! FL's homeowners insurance is also rising because of the damage claims from hurricanes. I think grocery prices are high everywhere.

And for those of you considering relocating, I highly recommend down sizing whatever is in your attic, basement, closets NOW! I had no idea how much crap we stored in our attic in MD because somebody may need it. We had two construction dumpsters in our driveway as we emptied our house. Even in the downstairs area, we had been flooded 5 times. So we threw away more than we kept. We don't have anything in storage. What we own is in the motorhome and casita. That's it. But I don't have a problem with that.

[Bethers]

I saw this this morning. I expected Hawaii to be worst. It was $1 better than California. There's lots of other things to consider than this but it's definitely food for thought.

[JudyJB]

One question: When I lived in Michigan, I needed electricity for the lights, tv AC, refrigerator, stove and washing machine, but the dryer and furnace worked on natural gas. (I had forced-air furnace that ran on gas, but did use a little electricity for the blower motor. We used a lot of natural gas in the winter, but a lot of electricity in the summer, so it evened out.

So, those of you who have listed your electric costs, do you also use natural gas for heating and your dryer? This might make a difference, especially if it is cold and you are heating with electric and drying your clothes with it.

[Pooker]

Yes, Judy, I have natural gas for just about everything: Furnace, hot water heater, dryer, kitchen stove and of course the gas cost goes up in winter. However, my electric bill is significantly higher per year than the natural gas. All my utilities seem extremely high to me, but then, I've been retired since the low 2000's so my fixed income is arrested in time. I'm still glad I don't have to pay for the heating oil we had back east, though (and glad I don't have to deal with the temps that make heating oil a necessity).

Evie

[SoCalGalcas]

Poker, are the fires near you? Are you near Lake Elsinore? What a horrible situation in Southern Calif.
My electricity bill keeps going up, up, up.
Refrigerator still not fixed!!! Part (compressor). Not here yet.
Same ole same ole.
Lyn

[JudyJB]

Correction--My hot water heater also was natural gas.

With southern Michigan's cold winters, we paid more for gas in the winter and more for electric in the summer because of AC usage. I remember that the total about evened out, but I can't remember ever paying more than $200 for either one.

[Redetotry]

August was our hottest month and my bill for gas and electric was $320. The gas was only $22.00 of that as I only have a gas stove, I think Irmi had a good suggestion-- get rid of as much as possible. You may not need a really large place.

[monik7]

My latest bill with PG&E was $137 and that included charging my Tesla two times. I live just over the hills from San Francisco Bay and the temps recently have been up to 101°. I think it pays to be frugal if possible. I never have more than one light on, don’t leave the TV on if I’m not there watching it, and make sure I don’t run the clothes dryer any longer than necessary, etc. I use my air conditioning rarely, and when I do it’s never set less than 80°. I also have a ceiling fan in my family room above where I sit to watch TV and also one over my bed. Having the ceiling fans really cuts down on using the AC. Those are all small things but they do help.

Anne, I hope you can find a location that’s cooler and fits your needs.

Sandi

[Cudedog]

My latest bill with PG&E was $137 and that included charging my Tesla two times. I live just over the hills from San Francisco Bay and the temps recently have been up to 101°. I think it pays to be frugal if possible. I never have more than one light on, don’t leave the TV on if I’m not there watching it, and make sure I don’t run the clothes dryer any longer than necessary, etc. I use my air conditioning rarely, and when I do it’s never set less than 80°. I also have a ceiling fan in my family room above where I sit to watch TV and also one over my bed. Having the ceiling fans really cuts down on using the AC. Those are all small things but they do help.

Anne, I hope you can find a location that’s cooler and fits your needs.

Sandi

Thank you, Sandi.

Anne