Understand the High Usage Surcharge

The chart below shows customer bill amounts that are four times the specific Tier 1 (Baseline) Allowance for each Baseline Territory. If your bill amount is less than the amount displayed for your Baseline Territory, you're unlikely to incur the surcharge.

Determine the minimum High Usage electric bill amount for your Baseline Territory:

1. Locate your Baseline Territory on the map below.
2. Lookup your Baseline Territory in the table by the letter found on the map.

If your monthly electric bill exceeds the dollar amount in the table under your current Baseline Territory, you may incur a surcharge. Please check your energy statement.

* Your Baseline Territory can also be found on the Details of Electric and Gas Charges page of your energy statement in the right-hand column.
The table represents only the electric part of your bill and the values are approximate.

Learn more about your tier 1 (baseline) allowance

Sign in to check your energy statement

As of March 2017, customers who have incurred the High Usage Surcharge will find the following sections regarding electric charges and tier usage on page 3 of the Energy Statement. Note that the Energy Statement below indicates that a High Usage Surcharge has been applied to this customer’s current bill.

If you have not yet received a High Usage Surcharge, you can review your energy statement and follow these three steps to determine whether you are at risk of incurring the surcharge:

Step 1: Multiply your Tier 1 Allowance by four.

Step 2: Compare the result to your Total Usage.

Step 3: If your Total Usage is close to four times of your Tier 1 Allowance, in future bill cycles you might incur a High Usage Surcharge.

If your Total Usage is four times or more than your Tier 1 (Baseline) Allowance, you will incur the surcharge.

Sign in to see your energy statement

The surcharge will depend on your amount of usage above four times baseline and the price per kWh. As of March 2017, the High Usage Surcharge (for non-CARE* customers) approved by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is $0.40139 dollars per kWh. The dollar amount of your surcharge would be:
$0.40139 dollars x Amount of your kWh usage over four times your baseline amount.

*California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) Program gives qualified households deep discounts on their energy bills.

Yes. When you sign up for High Usage Alerts, you’ll receive an early warning notification via text, email or voice message that your usage is projected to trigger a surcharge. The High Usage Surcharge is incurred when you exceed four times your Baseline Allowance. You can take immediate steps to curb your energy use and avoid this surcharge.

Energy Alerts give you more control over your budget and energy usage. Prevent the surprise of a high bill by making changes before you receive your next bill.

The Bill Forecast Alert sends a notification if your bill is expected to exceed an amount you specify.
High Usage Alerts will send you an early warning notification when you’re on track to incur a surcharge. You can then take immediate steps to reduce your energy usage and avoid the surcharge.

Sign up for Energy Alerts

To make electric rates simpler for all customers, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) voted on July 3, 2015 to adopt a series of changes to the residential rate structure. As a result, the way utilities charge for electricity is changing throughout California.
Learn more about Residential Rate Change