Photo: Downtowngal / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
San Diego Gas & Electric serves electricity and natural gas customers across San Diego County and southern Orange County, and its rates are among the highest in the continental United States. Understanding how the bill is built is the first step to lowering it.
Delivery and generation
Your bill includes delivery charges from SDG&E for the poles, wires and pipes. Generation, the cost of the electricity itself, comes either from SDG&E or, for most customers in many cities, from a community choice provider such as San Diego Community Power or Clean Energy Alliance. Either way, SDG&E sends the bill.
Baseline allowance
Each residential customer receives a baseline allowance, an amount of energy billed at a lower price that depends on your climate zone and season. Usage above baseline costs more.
Time-of-use
Most residential customers are on time-of-use plans, where electricity costs the most during on-peak hours, 4 to 9 p.m. every day. Running dishwashers, laundry and electric vehicle charging outside that window is one of the simplest ways to save.
California Climate Credit
Twice a year, typically in spring and fall, eligible households see a California Climate Credit on their bill, funded by the state’s cap-and-trade program.
Discounts
- CARE (California Alternate Rates for Energy) offers income-qualified households a discount of 30% or more on electricity and 20% on gas.
- FERA (Family Electric Rate Assistance) offers an 18% electric discount for households of three or more with incomes slightly above CARE limits.
- Medical Baseline provides extra lower-priced energy for people who rely on certain medical equipment.
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