How to Read Your PG&E or SCE Utility Bill
Decode every line on your PG&E or SCE bill — and learn exactly what the numbers will look like after your solar system is granted PTO.
Anatomy of your bill
California utility bills are dense. Here’s what every line means and what to focus on as a current or future solar customer:
- Total Usage (kWh): energy you imported from the grid this period.
- Generation charges: the energy itself ($/kWh × usage).
- Delivery charges: transmission & distribution ($/kWh × usage).
- Non-bypassable charges: ~$0.02–$0.03/kWh, applies even with solar.
- Customer charge / minimum: a fixed monthly fee (~$10).
- NEM cumulative balance: only on solar bills — your running annual balance.
Tier vs TOU — what plan are you on?
California has been migrating customers from tiered plans (price per kWh increases as you use more) to TOU plans (price varies by hour of day). New solar customers are required to be on a TOU plan.
| Utility | Common solar TOU plan | Best when |
|---|---|---|
| PG&E | E-TOU-C | Standard residential solar default |
| PG&E | EV2-A | You have an EV; cheap overnight charging |
| SCE | TOU-D-PRIME | Solar + battery + EV combination |
| SCE | TOU-D-4-9PM | Standard residential solar default |
Peak / off-peak windows
Most California TOU plans share the same shape: a single 4 PM – 9 PM peak window daily, with off-peak the rest of the time, and a partial-peak shoulder in some plans. Summer peak rates can exceed $0.55/kWh on PG&E E-TOU-C.
- Peak (4–9 PM): ~$0.40–$0.55/kWh in summer
- Off-peak (rest of day): ~$0.30–$0.40/kWh
- Super off-peak (some EV plans, midnight–6 AM): ~$0.20–$0.25/kWh
Annual true-up under net billing
Solar customers pay non-bypassable charges and any net dollar deficit each month. Once a year, on your true-up date, the utility calculates your annual net position:
- If you imported more $$$ than you exported → you owe the balance.
- If you exported more → the credit cashes out at avoided cost (small).
A well-designed system aims to slightly under-produce annually — over-producing creates exports that cash out at low avoided-cost rates instead of offsetting retail-priced imports.
Find your annual kWh on the bill
On most PG&E bills, look for the section titled “Your electric usage” — it shows a 13-month bar chart with your usage each month. Sum the most recent 12 months for an accurate annual figure. SCE shows a similar chart on page 2.
If you’d rather skip the math, both utilities offer a CSV download in your online account — and we can pull it for you during your free estimate.
What changes after PTO
Once your utility grants Permission To Operate (PTO), your bill structure shifts:
- You’re moved to a TOU rate plan.
- Each monthly statement shows imports, exports, and a running NEM balance.
- You pay only non-bypassable charges + any net dollar deficit each month.
- Once a year on your true-up date, the annual settlement happens.
Optimize your bill with solar
Bring your most recent 12-month bill to your free estimate and we’ll model the exact post-solar bill, including TOU plan recommendation, true-up projection, and whether a battery makes financial sense for your usage shape.
Related: NEM 3.0 explained, battery sizing, savings calculator.
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