CA Industry Assistance Credit vs. California Climate Credit 

Your company may already receive the California Climate Credit—a bill credit for small businesses that typically use less than 20 kilowatts (kW) of power per month. This credit appears automatically on your electricity bill twice a year, in April and October, and applies to customers of utilities, community choice aggregators, and other electric service providers.

If you decide to apply for the CA Industry Assistance Credit, you will stop receiving the California Climate Credit for any service accounts tied to that facility. Instead, you will begin receiving the annual CA Industry Assistance Credit.

To check if you are currently receiving the California Climate Credit, look for the line item “California Climate Credit” on your April electricity bill.

To learn more about the California Climate Credit, visit  https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/climatecredit.

 

Key Differences Between the Two Credits

California Climate Credit for Small BusinessesCA Industry Assistance Credit
Credit is based on a flat amount and may fluctuate every year

Calculated based on historical electricity consumption (2008-2010 for most customers) 

Exception: Large customers with product-based formulas.

Happens automaticallyRequires most customers to periodically claim eligibility
Applies only to service accounts that typically use < 20kWApplies to your entire facility and includes all service accounts associated with that facility
Appears twice a year in April and OctoberAppears annually on one service account per facility
Will not subject you to an auditMay subject you to an audit  

 

Choosing Between Bill Credits

If Your Business Has One Utility Service Account

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has found that for businesses with just one utility account already receiving the California Climate Credit, switching to the CA Industry Assistance Credit may not make a big financial difference. In this case, it might be better to stick with the California Climate Credit.

 

If Your Business Has  More Than One Utility Service Account

It’s harder to say which credit is better—it depends on your company’s operations and facilities usage.

  • If ALL your facility's service accounts receive the California Climate Credit for Small Businesses, you may be better off sticking with the California Climate Credit for the reasons outlined above.
  • If at least one of your facility's service accounts does NOT receive the California Climate Credit for Small Businesses, it all depends on your electricity usage. You will need to estimate how much you might receive from the CA Industry Assistance Credit and determine for yourself whether it's in your best interest to switch.

 

What happens if you switch?

f you apply for the CA Industry Assistance Credit:

  • You will stop receiving the bi-annual California Climate Credit for all service accounts tied to that facility for the duration of your participation in the CA Industry Assistance Program.
  • If you submit an application by September 30, you will receive the CA Industry Assistance Credit in April and continue receiving it annually for as long as you participate.
     

CIAC Open Enrollment Period

Begins: September 1 - 30, 2025. To submit a new application, you must first be logged into My Account. Submit Application
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