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Budget Billing

Keep your energy bills consistent all year round

Apply now to manage your energy costs with Budget Billing.

Enroll now

PG&E’s Budget Billing Program has recently been improved!

 

In December 2024, the Budget Billing program was updated based on customer feedback to provide more consistent billing amounts throughout the year. Budget Billing amounts will now adjust monthly rather than up to three times a year.

 

To get the most out of the new program, we recommend staying enrolled for at least one year. This allows you to see how the adjustments account for seasonal changes and smooth out your payments over time. For more information, visit the frequently asked questions.

 

To see the comparison of the old and new Budget Billing program experiences by region, please view these graphs (PDF).

Program overview

Get more control of your bills

Budget Billing is a free program that helps you easily manage your monthly energy costs . We calculate your monthly payment amount based on your average energy costs over the last 12 months and adjust your payment amount each month, so that you don’t have big spikes on your bill.

While it’s not a savings program, Budget Billing helps you stay in control of your bill by avoiding seasonal bill spikes.

Young couple calculating taxes at home

How Budget Billing works

The Budget Billing program averages your energy costs over the previous 12 months to determine your monthly payment amount. Each month, we recalculate your payment using a 12-month rolling average of your energy costs.

 

During your time on Budget Billing, you will have an account balance that tracks any difference between your actual bill and your monthly payment amount. This balance is updated monthly so that you do not accumulate a huge balance that becomes due if you unenroll from Budget Billing. If you leave the program, any remaining balance will be applied to your final bill. Don’t worry, on Budget Billing you only pay for what you use—nothing more, nothing less. 

 

✓ Pro tip: To realize the full benefits of Budget Billing, stay enrolled in the program for at least a year.

 

Budget Billing is available to:

  • Residential customers who are not on a NEM rate plan
  • Small business customers on A1, A6, B1, B6 and GNR1 rate plans

Monthly payments vs. actual costs

Sample of monthly payments

This example compares actual bill amounts with monthly Budget Billing payments.

A bar graph showing monthly payments with Budget Billing

  • While in the program, you may accrue an account balance or credit.
  • If you unenroll from the program, this balance or credit will be reflected on your next energy statement.
  • You must pay the exact monthly Budget Billing amount on time to remain in the program.

Frequently asked questions

Budget Billing amounts will now be recalculated every month instead of up to three times a year.

Many customers like having the same bill amount for a few months, but some have said they don't like big changes in their bills when adjustments are made only a few times a year. To improve this, we are now making monthly adjustments to the Budget Billing amount.

 

Monthly adjustments will result in smaller changes from month to month. While monthly bills will vary, the costs will be spread out more evenly throughout the year, helping you budget more consistently. This ensures that you bill stays more consistent even during summer and winter months when bills can spike unpredictably.

  • We recommend 12 months of usage at your current address before enrolling in Budget Billing.
  • Why? If you don’t have one year of usage history at your address, Budget Billing averages in the previous account holder’s usage.
  • If the location is a new construction or new build, it has no usage history. You won’t be able to enroll in Budget Billing until the location has 12 months of data.

Budget Billing takes effect in the billing cycle following enrollment.

Yes, your Budget Billing amount changes every month. We adjust your payment amount each month to make sure you’re paying an average amount based on your historical 12-month usage. 

There is no benefit to overpaying your monthly bill while enrolled in the Budget Billing program. If you pay more than your monthly payment amount, you won't see the credit reflected on your account until you unenroll from the program.

If you miss two payments or underpay for two billing cycles, you:

  • Will be removed from Budget Billing
  • Will be required to pay off your entire balance
  • Won’t be allowed to re-enroll in Budget Billing for six months

  • When you transfer your service to a new address served by PG&E, your Budget Billing also transfers.
  • However, your Budget Billing amount will need to be recalculated at the new service location. To do this, we will:
    • Look at the new location’s usage history.
    • Adjust your monthly payment amount based on this history.

 

Did you stop service at your old address before starting your service at your new address?

  • You may end up being unenrolled from the Budget Billing program.
  • If this happens, your account balance may be reflected on your next energy statement.
  • Call 1-877-660-6789 to re-enroll in Budget Billing and transfer your account balance to your new service.

Yes. You may also enroll in: 

No. If you are enrolled in a payment plan or have past due payments, you cannot enroll in Budget Billing.

Yes. However, you will not see it applied directly to your monthly Budget Billing amount. The credits will be applied to your account balance.

The program remains in effect unless you decide to cancel or default on your payments. You can remove your account from the program at any time. Access  your account online or call 1-877-660-6789.

 

Note: If you cancel the Budget Billing program while you have a payoff balance, the amount you owed or credited will be applied to your next month's bill.

Detailed breakdown of your bill

Descriptions of each section are listed below.

  1. Account No: Your account number is a 10-digit number. We use this number to identify your account if you call us about your energy use. Your account number and due date are at the top of every page of your statement. You receive a separate monthly energy statement for each active account.

  2. Service For: This is the address where your charges were incurred. Some customers receive PG&E service at multiple locations. This section indicates which property incurred the charges.

  3. Budget Billing Summary: Your ‘Budget Billing Amount This Period’ is based on average energy charges over the past 12 months. Although a more detailed breakdown of your usage and payments is available on your energy statement, you’re required to pay this amount.

  4. Questions About Your Bill?: Contact us with questions using the information found on the first page of the statement.

  5. Total Amount Due: This shows the amount you need to pay for that billing period. This charge includes your calculated Budget Billing monthly payment amount and any generation or procurement charges for Community Choice Aggregator (CCA), Direct Access (DA) or Core Transport Agent (CTA) customers. The notes below reflect other information about your account and any special programs you participate in.

  6. Savings Alert: We use this space for notes about your account, including any special programs that might affect your total charges.

  7. How Budget Billing Affects Your Energy Payments: This chart helps you identify any trends in your monthly energy usages over the past year. Use the data to understand how Budget Billing helps equalize your payment across different seasons.

  8. Your Account Details: The information in this section helps explain how your payments and energy usage are currently affecting your account balance.
    • Account Balance from Previous Statement: This shows your total account balance, the amount that you owed (positive value) or the amount you were credited (negative value) before you made a payment per your previous bill.
    • Payment(s) Received Since Last Statement: This shows the payment from your previous bill. Payments made to PG&E are shown as credits—hence, the negative value.
    • Account Balance Before Current Charges: This shows the total account balance after your payment for your previous bill. It's the sum of your a) Account Balance from Previous Statement; and b) Payment(s) Received Since Last Statement.
    • Current Electric Charges: This is the actual cost related to your electricity usage in the last billing period. It's the amount you'd be required to pay for your electricity usage if you were NOT enrolled in Budget Billing.
    • Current Gas Charges: This is the actual cost related to your gas usage in the last billing period.
    • Total Current Account Balance: This shows your current account balance at this billing period. This is the accumulated differences between your monthly payment amounts and actual usage costs during your enrollment in Budget Billing. The amount you credit/owe would be reflected on your bill if you voluntarily unenroll or are removed from the Budget Billing program.
       
  9. Important Messages: We use this space to share timely information—from summer safety tips to regulatory updates.

  10. Payment Stub: Return this form to the address indicated with your payment. The remittance stub indicates your account number, bill due date and total amount due. For your convenience, we have included a windowed return envelope. Please place the remittance stub with the PG&E address visible in the window. The back of the remittance stub includes an area for you to update your account information, as well as an overview of payment options.

 

CCA, DA or CTA customers

Budget Billing may not apply to the electric generation or procurement portion of your energy costs if you’re a Community Choice Aggregator (CCA), Direct Access (DA) or Core Transport Agent (CTA) customer. Please consult your CCA, CTA or DA for more information.

 

Below is a sample energy statement of a CCA/DA customer on Budget Billing. The Total Amount due in this case includes both the Budget Billing monthly payment amount and the associated CCA/DA electric generation charges.

 

Audio description
Transcript (PDF)

Keep monthly payments predictable

Stay on budget year round. Watch this Energy Essentials video to learn more. 

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