Time-of-use rate plans for your business

Why does my time-of-use rate vary?

Time-of-use rate plans better align the price of energy with the cost of energy at the time it is produced. Lower rates during partial-peak and off-peak hours offer an incentive for customers to shift energy use away from more expensive peak hours, which can help you save money and reduce strain on the electric grid.

Because the growth in renewable energy has shifted peak demand time from afternoons to evenings, peak hours are changing. See sections below for full details.

How can I save money on a time-of-use rate plan?

On a time-of-use rate, you can lower your bill by shifting when you use energy to partial-peak and off-peak hours. Rates during partial-peak and off-peak hours of the day are lower than rates during on-peak hours. This puts you in the driver's seat so you can have more control over your bills. PG&E can help you identify ways to shift energy use away from peak hours and conserve energy in your business with rebates for making energy efficiency upgrades.

What are the rate plan changes?

Beginning in March 2021, businesses will be moving to new time-of-use rate plans with later peak hours. The new on-peak hours, when rates will be higher, will be 4-9 p.m. every day of the year. In addition, these new rate plans will only have partial-peak periods during summer months (2-4 p.m. and 9-11 p.m. every day, June through September), and a super off-peak period, when prices will be lower, during spring months (9 a.m. – 2 p.m. every day, March through May). Businesses have the option to enroll early in these new rate plans.

Beginning in March 2021, agriculture customers will be transitioning to rate plans that have a June through September summer season with on-peak hours from 5-8 p.m. 365 days a year. These plans will bill customers based on measured demand rather than self-reported connected load. Qualifying agriculture customers will transition in March 2022 rather than March 2021. Agriculture customers can also choose to enroll early in these new rate plans.

Where can I compare rate plans and can I switch to a different rate plan?

You can change to any other time-of-use rate plan up to once a year. Commercial and Agriculture customers can choose to enroll in one of the time-of-use rate plans early. To compare available rate options and select a different rate plan, log in to your PG&E online account.

Am I eligible to transition to a new time-of-use rate plan with later peak periods?

In order to be eligible to transition to the new time-of-use business and agriculture rate plans, customers must have an interval meter that can be read remotely by PG&E (SmartMeter or MV90 meter), and 12 months of historical billing interval data. Transitions to the new time-of-use rate plans will continue in perpetuity for customers who were not previously eligible; post-March 2021, transitions for business customers will be every November and transitions for agriculture customers will be every March. Customers can voluntarily enroll prior to transition if they have an interval meter capable of being read remotely by PG&E.

Who do I contact if I have a question about my bill?

Call our Business Customer Service Center at 1-800-468-4743 to speak to a PG&E Representative about bill inquiries. Our staff can help you navigate your new bill or connect you with a Customer Relationship Manager who can walk you through an energy survey over the phone. They can see if your business might qualify for potential rebates and other savings programs. Plus, you can also schedule a free, comprehensive facility assessment.

What is the Demand Charge on my bill?

To help keep the supply of electricity reliable in California, some time-of-use rate plans, like Business Medium Use (B10), include a Demand Charge to encourage businesses to spread their electricity use throughout the day. This Demand Charge is calculated by using the 15-minute interval during each billing month when your business uses its maximum amount of electricity. As a benefit to this type of rate plan, regular electricity usage charges are approximately 30% lower than for a comparable rate plan without a Demand Charge--giving you the opportunity to save on your bill if you can lower your highest usage 15-minute interval.

Why does my Demand Charge vary from month to month?

The Demand Charge reflects the maximum amount of electricity you used during any 15-minute interval over the course of a billing period, and can vary depending on how and when you use your equipment from month to month. One way to lower your monthly Demand Charge is to stagger times at which you use equipment, rather than using all your equipment at the same time, thereby minimizing spikes in your electricity use. Depending on your business type, it may be possible to spread your electricity use throughout the day to lower your Demand Charge.

Battery Storage with Net Energy Metering (NEM2)

PG&E's NEM2 program, when paired with battery storage, provides a way to optimize energy by storing power to use later. It's a great way to get the most out of your investment in renewable energy.

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For a limited period of years, qualifying solar customers will be eligible for delayed transition, which retains their legacy Time-of-Use hours and seasons. This will help preserve the economics of the original decision to go solar.

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It's easy to go green with Solar Choice

With PG&E's Solar Choice and Regional Renewable Choice programs, you have the option to purchase up to 100% of your electricity from solar power generated within California, without needing to install your own rooftop solar panels.

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