What is Community Choice Aggregation (CCA)?

Community Choice Aggregation, or CCA, is a program available within the service areas of investor-owned utilities, such as PG&E, which allows cities and counties to purchase and/or generate electricity for their residents and businesses. It is not a PG&E program. PG&E would continue to deliver the electricity through its transmission and distribution system and provide meter reading, billing, and maintenance services.

How does this affect customers?

The primary change is that your electricity will be provided by another party other than PG&E. PG&E will continue to deliver the electricity through its transmission and distribution system and provide meter reading, billing and maintenance services. As your electricity is provided by a party other than PG&E, what you are charged for the electricity component of your bill may change.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) – the primary state agency that regulates PG&E – does not control CCA program rates, does not oversee CCA program reliability and is not responsible for resolving complaints by customers against CCA programs. CCA programs may incur higher or lower levels of costs in providing power than PG&E; the result may be an increase or decrease in a customer's overall electricity bill. CCAs may also offer different power mixes than PG&E resulting in a "less clean" or "cleaner" supply of energy, although they are required to satisfy the state's Renewable Portfolio Standard.

How are customers enrolled?

Once a city or county implements a CCA program, all eligible customers within a specified area automatically become energy supply customers of that CCA program. As part of the CCA notification process, you will receive at least two notices during a 60-day period prior to CCA service commencement and at least two additional notices during a 60-day period after CCA service commencement. These notices will describe CCA terms and conditions and will inform you about how to opt out of the program if you choose to do so.

Are any customers exempt from automatic enrollment in a CCA program?

All PG&E customers in a CCA program's service area automatically become customers of that CCA program (which may occur in phases) unless they actively opt out of the CCA program.

What happens to my electric service if I move to a city or county that is part of a CCA program?

If you move to a city or county that has started a CCA program, you become a customer of the CCA program by default. Following enrollment, you will have opportunities to opt out of CCA service. You should contact the CCA to obtain information on their program including information on how to opt out. Because CCAs may enroll customers in phases, it is possible that some areas of a city or county are not served by the CCA. If your new location is not part of the CCA service area, you would receive electric service from PG&E upon your start of service.

Whom do I call to start my electric service if I move to a city or county that is part of a CCA program?

Always contact PG&E to start or stop your electric service. If your city or county is part of a CCA program, PG&E will automatically enroll you in the CCA program upon initiation of service as required.

What PG&E services remain available to CCA customers?

PG&E would continue to manage the transmission, distribution and delivery of a CCA customer's electricity, including providing meter reading, billing, and maintenance and outage response services. Additional PG&E services, including energy efficiency, CARE, medical baseline, balanced payment plans, net metering, California Solar Initiative, other solar programs, the ClimateSmart™ program and some demand response programs, as well as programs such as eBills and Automated Payment Services are still available to CCA customers. However, certain programs administered by the CCA may differ from those provided by PG&E.

Are the service deposit requirements different in CCA programs?

No, PG&E's deposit requirements will remain the same. However, the CCA may also have its own deposit requirements.

Is my current PG&E rate option still available with CCA service?

The following options are not available to customers participating in CCA programs

• E-FERA - Family Electric Rate Assistance
• E-RSMART - Residential SmartRate Program
• E-CSMART - Commercial SmartRate Program
• AG-ICE - Agricultural Internal Combustion Engine
• E-SLRP - Scheduled Load Reduction Program
• E-CPP - Critical Peak Pricing Program

If you are on any of the rate options listed above, you would need toopt out of the CCA program in order to maintain your rate election.

How will I be billed for CCA service?

Customers who receive their electric supply from a CCA receive a consolidated bill issued by PG&E that includes charges from both parties. Payments for CCA service are made to PG&E, and PG&E then provides payment to the CCA to cover electricity charges.

The first page of the consolidated bill shows PG&E charges and CCA charges as separate line items along with the total amount due. Details of CCA charges appear on the "Third Party" page of your bill.

How much will I pay for PG&E's charges?

Under a CCA program, PG&E will continue to bill you for non-generation charges, which include electricity delivery (transmission and distribution) and other miscellaneous charges (e.g., public purpose programs). Your CCA provider will bill you for its electricity generation charges, which are included in the consolidated monthly bill you receive from PG&E.

To see PG&E's non-generation rates, click one of the links below based on your account type – residential or business - and locate your rate schedule in the left-hand column.* The price you pay for non-generation appears in the green column.

Residential Non-Generation Rates (XLS, 135 KB)
Business Non-Generation Rates (XLS, 88 KB)

*Your rate schedule can be found under the "Electric Account Detail" heading of your PG&E bill.

Why is my home's electric use billed according to "pricing tiers?"

The State of California has adopted a policy to require utilities like PG&E to charge all residential customers on a tiered rate structure. With tiers, electricity is charged at a progressively increasing rate based on your household's use. At the beginning of each month, you start with a baseline amount of electricity where energy costs the least—Tier 1. The higher the tier, the more you pay for a kilowatt-hour of electricity in that tier. You can find your baseline quantity on page 1 of your monthly PG&E energy statement.

As a CCA customer, this tiered rate structure remains in place and applies to both the PG&E and CCA portions of your bill.

What is the Power Charge Indifference Adjustment (PCIA)?

The PCIA is the portion of your bill intended to ensure that customers who receive their electric supply from third-party providers, such as a CCA, pay their share of costs for energy that was acquired by PG&E to serve them prior to their departure.

The PCIA is included in PG&E's "non-generation charges" and may change annually to ensure that PG&E’s remaining customers do not bear any cost created by departing customers who receive their electric supply from a third-party provider, such as a CCA.

Why do I have a "Vintage" as a CCA customer?

When a PG&E customer begins receiving their electricity from a third-party provider, such as a CCA, the current PG&E non-generation rate is established as the customer's "Vintage" going forward. Generally, the vintage is associated with a year (e.g. 2010). The customer's Vintage does not change, but the PCIA rate associated with that vintage will likely change every year.

What is a Franchise Fee Surcharge (FFS)?

Customers who receive their electric supply from a third-party provider are billed a franchise fee surcharge (FFS). PG&E normally collects the FFS directly from PG&E bundled customers in rates but it is itemized separately for customers of third-party providers, such as CCA customers.

The money collected through the FFS is paid to municipalities for the purpose of supporting vital local services. CCAs do not bill customers for the FFS. Instead, PG&E collects the FFS to ensure that local governments continue to receive these important revenues.

If I return to full PG&E service what will happen to my CCA electric charges?

If you return to PG&E bundled service you will no longer be billed for CCA's electric charges. Any unpaid CCA charges at the time you return to PG&E will still be due. It should be noted that your return to PG&E service can take 1 to 2 billing cycles (30 to 60 days) depending on when your request was received by the CCA. The 1 to 2 billing cycle timeframe applies regardless of whether you opted-out during or after the CCA 60 day enrollment period. If you select to return in six months your CCA charges will continue during that 6 month period until you transition back to full PG&E service.

If I'm in a CCA program and have questions about the charges on my bill, who should I contact?

Depending on which portion of the bill the customer is calling about, you may need to contact both PG&E as well as the CCA. You may also need to contact both service providers for inquiries other than billing. For example, PG&E will continue to help with any questions related to PG&E service charges such as the delivery of electricity, or service requests such as gas pilot relights or new service arrangements. However, you would need to contact the CCA for any inquiries related to CCA service – information about the CCA, the CCA's rates or the sources used to generate the CCA's electricity.

Can I opt out of a CCA program?

Yes. There will be two sixty-day periods during which you can opt out; one immediately before you are automatically enrolled in CCA service, and another immediately after you are automatically enrolled. You have the right to opt out of CCA service during these two periods. If you opt out during these two periods, PG&E will continue to procure electricity for you upon opt-out. If you do not opt out during these two notification periods (or any intervening time between them), you will be automatically enrolled in CCA. In either event, PG&E will continue providing transmission and distribution services to you. Regardless of whether or not you opt out of CCA service, you will continue to be eligible for ratepayer-funded programs, such as the California Solar Initiative and energy efficiency programs that are funded by distribution surcharges. Please refer to the last question in this section for opt-outs processed outside of the two sixty-day periods.

How do I opt out of a CCA?

To remain a customer of PG&E or a Direct Acess provider (if you have one), you must actively opt out of the CCA program during the notification period or you may need to comply with additional fees, terms or conditions.

CCA programs are required to send potential customers at least four notifications that include opt-out instructions; twice during a 60-day period in advance of the date of automatic enrollment, and twice during a 60-day period following enrollment in the CCA program. During these periods, customers can opt out of the CCA program without any cost. To opt out, CCA programs will require customers to take some type of action, such as calling a toll-free number, sending a self-addressed return postcard or letter, or completing an opt-out form.

Can PG&E process my opt-out request?

PG&E cannot assist with your request to opt out of CCA, you MUST contact the CCA directly in order to opt out. To opt out, each CCA program will require customers to take some type of action, such as calling a toll-free number, sending a self-addressed return postcard or letter, or completing an opt-out form. A CCA is required to notify customers in writing to explain which opt-out methods will be available should they decide to opt out of the program.

Once a customer opts out of a CCA program, can he/she join the CCA program at a later time?

Yes, a customer who opts out of a CCA program can choose to receive CCA service at a later date. However, in order to do so, the customer must contact the CCA program directly.Also, there may be a restriction on when you can return to CCA service if you opted-out after the 60 day period following automatic enrollment.

Can I return to PG&E after the 60 day period following my automatic enrollment concludes?

Yes, you can return to PG&E at any time. If you opt-out during the 60 day period, you can return to PG&E bundled service without restrictions . You also have the right to return to PG&E's bundled service after the 60 day period. Your options for returning after the 60 day period following automatic enrollment are:

1. You can notify your CCA program at least six months before the date that you want to return to PG&E bundled service. When you return to PG&E six months later, you will pay the then-existing electric generation rate for your rate class, which will be identical to similarly situated PG&E customers in your customer class.
2. If you do not provide your CCA program with six-months' notice, you can return to PG&E bundled service at any time, but you will pay the then-existing transitional electric generation rate (TBCC)* – which may be higher or lower than the bundled electric generation rate – until six months after PG&E receives notice from your CCA. After that six month period, your bundled electric generation rate will be identical to similarly situated PG&E customers in your customer class. Under TBCC pricing, electric rates are market based (based on the spot market) and can change weekly based upon the cost of electricity. If you return to PG&E bundled service after the notification period has ended without six months' notice, the PCIA charge will be applied to your charges until the six-month period has ended.

With either option, you'll be required to make a one-year commitment to PG&E bundled service. After the one-year commitment you may go back to CCA service or another third-party provider if one is available.

*TBCC stands for "Transitional Bundled Commodity Cost". Please refer to PG&E's webpage for additional details, including rates: http://www.pge.com/nots/rates/tariffs/tbcc/

Where can I find additional information on customer rights, obligations and updates regarding CCA programs?

For additional information concerning customer rights, obligations, and updates regarding the CCA program you may visit the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) website:http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/PUC/energy/Retail+Electric+Markets+and+Finance/070430_ccaggregation.htm

What is PG&E's view on CCA?

PG&E is committed to communicating with customers and communities to ensure they have accurate, complete information to make well informed decisions about CCA.

If I become a CCA customer, how will my participation in PG&E's Net Energy Metering (NEM) be affected?

If you are a NEM customer with PG&E when you become a CCA customer, you will automatically be enrolled in the CCA's NEM program, if one is available. PG&E will perform an initial true-up when you are enrolled in CCA. This ensures that you will have the same anniversary date on both PG&E and CCA NEM Programs. PG&E will continue to calculate your monthly charges or credits for non-generation and will perform an annual true-up of those charges and credits. The CCA's NEM Program may be different from PG&E's NEM program. Please contact your CCA for more information about their NEM Program.