July 2009 Bill Inserts

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Each month, PG&E offers important information on rebates, saving energy and safety in printed inserts that accompany your bill. Now, access this information online whenever you wish.

• Breathe easy with CARE during these challenging economic times
  Save money on your PG&E bill every month with CARE/FERA
  Applying is free, easy and confidential California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) Program provides a monthly discount on electric bills for income qualified households. To learn more or download an application.
  
  Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) Program provides a monthly discount on electric bills for income qualified households of three or more. To learn more or download an application.
• Business customers: You may save money by choosing a different rate schedule.
  GAS SUPPLIER OPTION:
  G-CT: Core Gas Aggregation Service. Gas customers may select an alternative gas supplier, who may be able to provide gas pricing or billing services that meet their needs. Under this option, PG&E continues the same reliable gas delivery and service response, but gas is supplied by an independent party. PG&E encourages customers to explore this energy supply option. Information and a list of suppliers are available at www.pge.com/gaschoice.
  
  GAS RATE OPTIONS FOR LARGER USERS:
  Noncore End-Use Customers must secure their gas suppliers from a third party and not from PG&E.
  
  G-NT: Gas Transportation Service to Noncore End-Use Customers. If your average monthly use over the past 12 months has exceeded 20,800 therms (excluding those months during which usage was 200 therms or less) your business can elect noncore (less firm) delivery service, with lower gas delivery rates.
  
  G-NGV4: Experimental Gas Transportation Service to Noncore Natural Gas Vehicles. If your natural gas fueling station is currently taking service on Schedule G-NGV1 and the average monthly use over the past 12 months has exceeded 20,800 therms (excluding those months during which usage was 200 therms or less), your station can elect noncore (less firm) delivery service, with lower gas delivery rates.
  
  ELECTRIC RATE OPTIONS:
  A-1: Small General Service. This rate schedule includes a customer charge and an energy charge that varies by season. Typical A-1 customers use most of their energy between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
  
  A-10: Medium General Demand-Metered Service. This rate schedule is an option for customers with monthly demand usage under 500 kilowatts (kW). It includes a higher customer charge than A-1, a lower energy charge than A-1 (which also varies by season) and an additional charge for demand (measured in kW).
  
  A-10 TOU: Medium General Service Time-of-Use (TOU) Service. This rate schedule is an option for customers with monthly demand usage under 500 kilowatts (kW). It includes a higher customer charge than A-1, a lower energy charge than A-1 (which also varies by season and according to the time of day electricity is used) and an additional charge for demand (measured in kW). Customers must have an interval meter to participate. Customers who choose the A-10 rate schedule and have a demand greater than 200 kW for three consecutive months, must have an inteval meter and take service under the TOU provisions of the A-10 rate schedule. A customer whose demand is less than 200 kW and chooses the time of use option, must pay for the installation of the interval meter.
  
  A-6: Small General TOU Service. This rate schedule is an option for customers who use much of their electricity at times other than noon to 6 p.m. on weekdays. A-6 rates vary by season and according to the time of day electricity is used. Rates are lowest between 9:30 p.m. and 8:30 a.m. weekdays, and all day on weekends and holidays.
  
  E-19V: Medium General Demand-Metered TOU Service, Voluntary Provisions. The voluntary E-19 rate also varies by season and according to the time of day electricity is used. It includes a higher customer charge than A-6, lower energy charges than A-6 and an additional charge for demand (kW). This option is available for customers whose demand is less than 500 kW.
  
  Accounts billing on mandatory E-19 or E-20 rates cannot participate in any of the rate schedules above. Accounts with demand (kW) equal to or greater than 200 kW must be on A-10 TOU, A-6, or E-19V.
  
  NEM: Net Energy Metering Service. NEM is for customers qualifying for general service rates who operate a photovoltaic (solar) and/or wind electric generating facility with a capacity of 1,000 kW or less on their premises that offsets all or part of their electric load while interconnected with PG&E.
  
  NEMBIO: Net Energy Metering Service for Biogas Customer Generators. A limited pilot program for bundled customers on TOU rate schedules who operate an eligible Biogas Digester Electrical Generating Facility located on or adjacent to the customer’s premises, which offsets all or part of their electric load while interconnected with PG&E.
  
  NEMFC: Net Energy Metering Service for Fuel Cell Customer Generators. A limited pilot program for bundled customers on TOU rate schedules who operate an eligible Fuel Cell Electrical Generating Facility with a generating capacity of 1,000 kW or less located on or adjacent to the customer’s owned, leased or rented premises, which offsets all or part of their electric load while interconnected with PG&E.
  
  Customers interested in interconnecting more than one generator, each subject to different rate treatment (for example, NEMFC and NEM solar), on a single account can now do so. Contact PG&E at gen@pge.com for more information.
  
  Check our Web site at www.pge.com/gen for NEMBIO's, NEM's and NEMFC's current requirements or for more information. Direct Access customers should contact their Energy Service Provider (ESP) directly for information about the ESP’s net metering program.
  
  E-SRG and E-PWF are new rate schedules available to renewable customer- generators up to 1.5 MW. For more information, e-mail gen@pge.com
  
  E-37: Medium General Service to Oil and Gas Extraction Customers. This schedule is an optional demand metered TOU service option. The E-37 optional firm-service rate schedules may save you money if your account has a NAICS (North American Industry Classification System) code of 211111 (crude petroleum and natural gas extraction).
  
  To request a rate schedule change, rate option information, free electric rate analysis or detailed rate schedule information, you can either visit us at our Web site at www.pge.com/rateoptions, or contact our Business Customer Service Center at 1-800-468-4743.
• Residential customers: You may save money by choosing a different rate schedule.
  LOW INCOME RATE OPTIONS
  PG&E has two programs to help low income customers reduce their gas and electric bills.
  
  CARE: California Alternate Rates for Energy provides a 20% discount on both gas and electricity for qualifying customers whose household income is below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. For additional information, please call the CARE Program at 1-866-743-2273.
  
  FERA: The Family Electric Rate Assistance program allows qualifying customers with large households of three or more persons whose income is between 200 percent (plus $1) to 250 percent of the Federal Poverty Level to save on electric bills by charging “101-130 percent of baseline” Tier 2 rates for “131-200 percent of baseline” Tier 3 usage. For additional information, please call the FERA Program at 1-800-PGE-5000.
  
  FERA is for customers who exceed the income threshold for the CARE Program.
  
  ELECTRIC RATE SCHEDULES
  E-1: Standard Service. The cost per kWh does not vary by season or time of day. It is suited for those who opt not to shift load.
  
  E-6: Time-of-Use (TOU) Service. Summer (service from May 1–October 31) Peak: 1–7 p.m. Monday through Friday; Partial-Peak: 10 a.m.–1 p.m., 7–9 p.m. Monday through Friday, plus 5–8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; Off-Peak: All other times including holidays.
  
  Winter (service from November 1–April 30) Partial-Peak: 5–8 p.m. Monday through Friday; Off-Peak: All other times including holidays.
  
  E-9: Low-Emission Vehicle Fueling Service. This schedule is required for customers with an electric vehicle and is optional for customers with a home refueling appliance (HRA)for a natural gas vehicle (NGV). This is a time-of-use schedule.
  
  Summer (service from May 1–October 31) Peak: 2–9 p.m. Monday through Friday; Partial-Peak: 7 a.m.–2 p.m. and 9 p.m.–midnight Monday through Friday plus, 5–9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; Off-Peak: All other hours
  
  Winter (service from November 1–April 30) Partial-Peak: 7 a.m.–midnight Monday through Friday and 5–9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; Off-Peak: All other times including holidays.
  
  ET, ES, ESR, GS, GT: Master Metered Customers with Submetered Tenants. If you submeter electricity or gas to your tenants, you are required by state law to charge your tenants the same rates as if they were being billed directly by PG&E and pass along any refunds or rate reduction to your tenants. Section 739.5 (a) of the California Public Utilities Code discusses your obligation to pass along any rebates to your tenants. Should you have any questions regarding your obligation, please call our Customer Services Center at 1-800-PGE-5000.
  
  EM rate schedule is a master-metered rate schedule without submeters. EM-TOU is a time of use rate schedule which is now available for customers who qualify for Schedule EM. The time of use periods are the same as on Rate Schedule E-6. For more information or to request service on this new schedule, please call 1-800-PGE-5000.
  
  NEM, NEMFC, NEMBIO: Net Energy Metering Service. These schedules are for customers who operate a fuel cell, photovoltaic (solar) system and/or wind, electric generating facility on their premises with a maximum total capacity of 1,000 kW where the generation offsets all or part of the customer’s electric load while interconnected with Pacific Gas and Electric Company.
  
  Please visit www.pge.com/gen for more information about the net energy metering program and eligibility requirements. Direct Access customers should contact their Energy Service Provider (ESP) directly for information about the ESP’s net energy metering program.
  
  E-SRG: This is a new rate schedule available for renewable generators up to 1.5 MW. For more information e-mail gen@pge.com.
  
  ELECTRIC BASELINE ALLOWANCE
  The last character in your electric rate schedule determines your electric baseline allowance. For example, E 1XB or E 6TH. If your permanent source of heat is not correctly reflected in your rate schedule per the following list, please contact PG&E.
  
  B = Basic electric service. Your home heating system utilizes natural gas or propane for your central heating, wall furnace or floor furnace, and you do not have permanently installed electric space heating (heat pump, baseboard or hydronic system).
  
  H = All electric service. Your primary source of heat is permanently installed electric space heating (heat pump, electric baseboard heating, electric hydronic system, etc.) You may also have electric water heating.
  
  M = Basic plus medical baseline allowances.
  
  S = All electric plus medical baseline allowances.
  
  GAS SUPPLIER OPTION
  Did you know you have the option of choosing a different gas supplier or a rate option?
  
  G-CT: Core Gas Aggregation Service. Gas customers may select an alternative supplier, who may be able to provide gas pricing or billing services that meet their needs. Under this option, PG&E continues the same reliable gas delivery and service response, but gas is supplied by an independent party. PG&E encourages customers to explore this energy supply option. Information and a list of suppliers is available at www.pge.com/gaschoice.
  
  RESIDENTIAL NATURAL GAS RATE FOR HOME REFUEL APPLIANCE
  G1-NGV or GL1-NGV: An optional residential rate schedule for the compression of natural gas on a customer’s premise for use in vehicles is available. A natural gas vehicle and associated home refueling appliance (HRA) must be at the premise to qualify for this typically lower rate.
• Proposition 65—Public Warning The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986
  The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, commonly referred to as Proposition 65, requires the governor to publish a list of chemicals “known to the State of California” to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. It also requires California businesses to warn the public quarterly of potential exposures to these chemicals that result from their operations.
  
  Pacific Gas and Electric Company uses chemicals in its operations that are “known to the State of California” to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.
  
  For example, Pacific Gas and Electric Company uses natural gas and petroleum products in its operations. Pacific Gas and Electric Company also delivers natural gas to its customers. Petroleum products, natural gas and their combustion by-products contain chemicals "known to the State of California" to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.
  
  A warning odorant is added to natural gas so that leaks of unburned gas can be quickly detected. If gas odor is detected, Pacific Gas and Electric Company should be contacted promptly.
  
  Pacific Gas and Electric Company provides a free service to check and adjust your home gas appliances. Please call 1-800-PGE-5000 if you would like your gas appliances checked.
  
  For additional information on this Proposition 65 warning, write to Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Prop. 65 Coordinator, 77 Beale Street B23H, PO Box 770000, San Francisco, CA 94177.
• Notification of Application By PG&E for Its Forecast 2010 Electric Procurement Costs and Other Project Costs
  On June 1, 2009, PG&E submitted an application requesting the CPUC to lower electric rates by $1.098 billion, or approximately 9 percent on average, effective January 1, 2010.
  
  Each year, PG&E is required to file an application that forecasts in detail how much it will spend the following year to ensure adequate electricity supplies for its customers. The CPUC carefully reviews PG&E's forecast to ensure that customers are not charged more than it costs PG&E to provide electricity. The forecast costs approved by the CPUC are included in PG&E electric rates the following year. During that year PG&E's actual costs and revenues are tracked, and any difference is passed through to PG&E customers later. PG&E recovers its electric procurement costs dollar-for-dollar, with no profit margin.
  
  This application requests the CPUC to adopt PG&E's electric procurement cost forecast of $3.509 billion for 2010. This forecast for 2010 is $1.138 billion lower than 2010 revenues would be at present rates. The decrease is due primarily to energy prices so far in 2009 and as forecast through 2010 being lower than currently reflected in PG&E rates.
  
  In addition, this application requests rate recovery of costs associated with two projects. First, PG&E requests a revenue requirement of $35.9 million to recover costs of the initial stage of the Market Redesign and Technology Upgrade (MRTU) initiative. MRTU changes the manner in which electricity is procured and sold by participants in newly redesigned wholesale electric markets in California. The MRTU initiative, developed by the California Independent System Operator and approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, was launched on March 31, 2009. Second, PG&E requests rate recovery of $4.9 million dollars for expenses incurred for the planned Tesla Generating Station. In November 2008 the CPUC dismissed PG&E's request for approval of the Tesla project.
  
  The net total electric revenue requirement in this application is $3.550 billion. PG&E requests that electric rates designed to recover this amount become effective on January 1, 2010.
  
  Does this mean electricity will cost me more?
  For most customers, no. As shown in the table below, each customer classification will have no increase on average. Impacts on individual customers will vary from the average. PG&E's requested net total electric revenue requirement of $3.550 billion for 2010 is $1.098 billion lower than 2010 electric revenues would be at present rates.
  
  What impact will this application have on my electric bills? To reflect PG&E's proposed decrease, rates for PG&E's bundled customers (that is, customers who receive electric generation, as well as transmission and distribution, service from PG&E) will decrease by approximately $1,096.3 million, or an average of 9.2 percent, rates for direct access customers (who purchase their electricity from a non-PG&E supplier) will decrease by $0.1 million, or an average of 0.0 percent, and rates to departing load customers (who discontinue or reduce their purchases of electricity supply and delivery services from PG&E and, while remaining in the same physical location, replace such purchases with electricity supplied and delivered by a source other than PG&E) will decrease by $0.6 million, or an average of 2.7 percent.
  
  The rate changes proposed in this application are provided by customer class for bundled customers and direct access customers in the table below.
  
  Illustrative Revenue Change—2010 ERRA Application
  (Dollars in Thousands)
  

  Customer Class	Proposed Revenue Change	Total Percentage Increase
  Bundled Service
  Residential	-$411,339	-8.4%
  Small Commercial	-$136,488	-8.3%
  Medium Commercial	-$168,489	-9.7%
  Large Commercial	-$150,399	-10.3%
  Streetlights	-$5,372	-8.0%
  Standby	-$4,783	-9.5%
  Agriculture	-$58,717	-8.4%
  Industrial	-$160,751	-11.4%
  Total Bundled Change	-$1,096,340	-9.2%
  Direct Access Service
  Residential	-$22	-0.9%
  Small Commercial	-$3	-0.1%
  Medium Commercial	-$3	0.0%
  Large Commercial	-$23	0.0%
  Agriculture	$0	0.0%
  Industrial	-$42	0.0%
  Total Direct Access Change	-$92	0.0%
  Departing Load Service
  Total Departing Load Change	-$586	-2.7%

  
  If the CPUC approves this application, a typical bundled residential customer using 550 kilowatt-hours per month will see the average monthly bill change from $74.07 to $71.82, a decrease of $2.25 per month. A residential customer using 850 kilowatt-hours per month, which is about twice the baseline allowance, will see the average monthly bill change from $163.68 to $146.68, a decrease of $17 per month. Individual bills may differ.
  
  THE CPUC PROCESS
  The CPUC’s Independent Division of Ratepayer Advocates (DRA) will review this Application. DRA is an independent arm of the CPUC, created by the Legislature to represent the interests of all utility customers throughout the state and obtain the lowest possible rate for service consistent with reliable and safe service levels. DRA has a multi-disciplinary staff with expertise in economics, finance, accounting and engineering. DRA’s views do not necessarily reflect those of the CPUC. Other parties of record will also participate.
  
  The CPUC may hold evidentiary hearings where parties of record present their proposals in testimony and are subject to cross-examination before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). These hearings are open to the public but only those who are parties of record can present evidence or cross-examine witnesses during evidentiary hearings. Members of the public may attend these hearings but are not allowed to participate, only listen.
  
  After considering all proposals and evidence presented during the hearing process, the ALJ will issue a draft decision for each application. When the CPUC acts on these applications, it may adopt all or part of PG&E's request, amend or modify them or deny the applications. The CPUC’s final decision may be different from PG&E's proposed application filings.
  
  FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
  For more details call PG&E at 1-800-PGE-5000.
  
  You may contact the CPUC's Public Advisor with comments or questions as follows:
  
  Public Advisor’s Office
  505 Van Ness Avenue, Room 2103
  San Francisco, CA 94102
  1-415-703-2074 or 1-866-849-8390 (toll free)
  TTY 1-415-703-5282, TTY 1-866-836-7825 (toll free)
  E-mail to public.advisor@cpuc.ca.gov
  
  If you are writing a letter to the Public Advisor’s Office, please include the name(s) of the application(s) to which you are referring. All comments will be circulated to the Commissioners, the assigned ALJ and the Energy Division staff.
  
  Reviewed by the California Public Utilities Commission
• Notification of Application Filing by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E): Biennial Cost Allocation Proceeding (BCAP)
  What is BCAP?
  The Biennial Cost Allocation Proceeding (BCAP) addresses proposals to revise the gas distribution revenue requirement allocation among core and noncore customer classes, as well as the gas throughputs used to calculate gas distribution transportation rates and other gas distribution rate proposals.
  
  On May 29, 2009, PG&E filed an application asking the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to approve a change in natural gas rates beginning July 1, 2010. The net result of these proposed changes would be about an average 2 percent increase in residential rates and about an average 1 percent increase in small commercial rates, compared to the rates in effect in April 2009. Electric rates are not affected.
  
  What PG&E is requesting:
  PG&E is proposing rates that recover the CPUC-authorized costs of transporting gas to customers on our gas distribution system. We are also proposing new gas sales forecasts1, and cost allocation and rate proposals that will result in rates that more fairly reflect the costs to provide service to customers.
  
  If approved by the CPUC, PG&E's gas rates would change as shown below and take effect July 1, 2010.
  
  Proposed Gas Rate Changes
  (Dollars in Thousands)
  

  Electric Customer Class	Present Rate	Proposed Rate	Total Percentage Increase
  Bundled Service
  Residential Non-CARE	$1.393	$1.421	2.0%
  Commercial Non-CARE	$1.210	$1.222	1.0%
  Large Commercial	$0.979	$0.990	1.0%
  Transportation Only
  Industrial Distribution	$0.150	$0.146	-2.4%
  Industrial Transmission	$0.058	$0.057	-0.3%
  Industrial Backbone	$0.038	$0.038	-0.2%
  Electric Generation Transmission	$0.020	$0.020	-0.1%
  Electric Generation Backbone	$0.005	$0.005	-0.4%

  
  How residential gas costs would change:
  If the CPUC approves PG&E's request, a typical bundled residential customer (that is, customers who receive gas and electric generation, as well as transmission and distribution, service from PG&E) bill would increase about $1 from $51.50 to $52.50. The typical residential customer uses about 37 therms per month. Individual bill impacts will differ, depending on energy usage. On January 1, 2011 and January 1, 2012, PG&E proposes a further 0.8 percent increase in residential rates in each year.
  
  How small commercial gas costs would change: If the CPUC approves PG&E's request, a bundled small commercial customer bill would increase about $3.40, from $347.30 to $350.70. The average small commercial customer uses about 287 therms per month. Individual bill impacts will differ depending on energy usage. On January 1, 2011 and January 1, 2012, PG&E proposes a 2.5 percent decrease in small commercial rates in each year.
  
  Rates that are actually adopted by the CPUC may be higher or lower than PG&E's initial proposal shown here. Bundled core rates include an illustrative procurement rate. Actual procurement rates change monthly and reflect the current market price for gas.
  
  THE CPUC PROCESS
  
  The CPUC's Independent Division of Ratepayer Advocates (DRA) will review this Application. DRA is an independent arm of the CPUC, created by the Legislature to represent the interests of all utility customers throughout the state and obtain the lowest possible rate for service consistent with reliable and safe service levels. DRA has a multi-disciplinary staff with expertise in economics, finance, accounting and engineering. DRA’s views do not necessarily reflect those of the CPUC. Other parties of record will also participate.
  
  The CPUC may hold evidentiary hearings where parties of record present their proposals in testimony and are subject to cross-examination before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). These hearings are open to the public but only those who are parties of record can present evidence or cross-examine witnesses during evidentiary hearings. Members of the public may attend these hearings but are not allowed to participate, only listen.
  
  After considering all proposals and evidence presented during the hearing process, the ALJ will issue a draft decision for each application. When the CPUC acts on these applications, it may adopt all or part of PG&E's request, amend or modify them or deny the applications. The CPUC’s final decision may be different from PG&E's proposed application filings.
  
  FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
  For more details call PG&E at 1-800-PGE-5000.
  
  You may contact the CPUC's Public Advisor with comments or questions as follows:
  
  Public Advisor’s Office
  505 Van Ness Avenue, Room 2103
  San Francisco, CA 94102
  1-415-703-2074 or 1-866-849-8390 (toll free)
  TTY 1-415-703-5282, TTY 1-866-836-7825 (toll free)
  E-mail to public.advisor@cpuc.ca.gov
  
  If you are writing a letter to the Public Advisor’s Office, please include the name(s) of the application(s) to which you are referring. All comments will be circulated to the Commissioners, the assigned ALJ and the Energy Division staff.
  
  Reviewed by the California Public Utilities Commission
  
  (1) A forecast is the estimation of events or the projection into the future of current and past information, adjusted for expected changes.