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Thomas Smith
My PGE Bill Was Over $1,400 in August. Here's What's Going On.
8 days ago
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When I opened my Pacific Gas and Electric (PGE) bill for August of 2024, it was so high that I nearly fell out of my chair.
My typical electric bill here in the San Francisco Bay Area is around $500-600. Bills are usually higher in the Summer, when people use more air conditioning.
But my August 2024 bill was something else entirely. As I read the bill, I was shocked to see the total cost: $1,452.32.
Almost $1,500, just to provide electricity and a trickle of natural gas to my home? That’s insane!
My August bill was abnormally high–almost 300% of my normal charges. And I’m not alone. As our readers recently shared, people all over the Bay Area have been floored by their PGE bills this month.
One local called their bill “criminal.” Residents on fixed incomes are saying that they’ll need to choose between paying their PGE bill and eating this month.
A few caveats about my own bill. I have an electric car, so I tend to use a lot more electricity than the average user. I don’t have a major cost for gasoline, so that does balance out my super-high bill a bit.
But still, my bill was substantially higher this month than in other months.
Why Are Bills So High?
So what’s the culprit? Why was my bill so insane–and why is your bill crazy high, too?
When temperatures are that high, air conditioners need to work extra hard to cool your home. In my own case, my AC ran for up to 18 hours per day. I have a two-level home and my kids sleep upstairs, so avoiding using the AC isn’t an option–their room gets to 90 degrees in an hour or so without cooling.
For many people with medical conditions around the Bay Area, turning down the AC isn’t an option either. So we suffer, paying bills that are almost as much as many people in other parts of the US spend on rent or a mortgage.
What to Do
If your PGE bill was insane last month, what should you do?
Firstly, if paying your bill will create financial hardship, you can apply to one of PGE’s assistance programs. These programs provide steep discounts for seniors and people with low incomes.
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