Understanding Direct Access

IMPORTANT NOTE: Per Decision D. 10-02-022 residential customers are not eligible for the Limited Direct Access (DA) Re-opening. Any residential customers currently on DA may remain, but no other residential customers are allowed to participate in the open enrollment periods.

DA is an optional service that allows eligible customers to buy electricity directly from non-PG&E providers known as electric service providers (ESPs). The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued Decision D.10-03-022 on March 11, 2010, approving a limited reopening of DA for non-residential customers. PG&E continues to transport and deliver electricity to all customers on DA service.

Decision D.10-05-039, approved May 20, 2010, extended the initial open enrollment window from April 16, 2010 to July 15, 2010, and changed the DA enrollment date for 2011 to July 16, 2010.

Learn about the DA background

DA has been unavailable to new California customers since the legislature suspended the program during the 2001 energy crisis. CPUC Decision D.10-03-022 implemented Senate Bill 695, a law signed in October 2009, which allowed a limited reopening of DA to non-residential customers starting in April 2010. Get more information about DA. Visit Suspension of Direct Access—Frequently Asked Questions.

Read Limited DA Reopening details

Under the Limited DA Reopening rules, customers can enroll in DA, up to a maximum allowable annual limit (measured in gigawatt-hours (GWh). The PG&E DA load cap increased from 5,574 GWh in November 2009 to a 9,520 GWh total cap in November 2013.

View DA annual increases

Following are the annual increases allowed under the Limited DA Reopening:

• 2010: Up to 35 percent of the room available under the cap (1,381 GWh).
• 2011: Up to 70 percent of the room available under the cap (an additional 1,381 GWh).
• 2012: Up to 90 percent of the room available under the cap (an additional 789 GWh).
• 2013: Up to 100 percent of the room available under the cap (an additional 395 GWh).