Prior to the implementation of the Base Services Charge, which will begin in November 2025, the costs of maintaining the electric grid have been included in the variable energy delivery charges on customers’ bills. With the restructuring, the costs of things like meters and other equipment, which keep your home connected to the electric grid, will be separated from the variable electricity charges. These costs will now be covered primarily by the Base Services Charge, which will be a set daily charge on residential customer bills each month. 

The exact monthly amount of your Base Services Charge depends on the number of days in your billing cycle.

• $6.00 per month for CARE-enrolled customers, assessed via an approximate daily charge of $0.20
• $12.08 per month for FERA-enrolled customers and those in qualifying deed-restricted affordable housing*, assessed via an approximate daily charge of $0.40
• $24.15 per month for customers not enrolled in any of these programs, assessed via an approximate daily charge of $0.80

To calculate your new Base Services Charge per month, multiply the applicable daily charge by the number of days in your billing period.

* Deed-restricted affordable housing properties are identified by the California Housing Partnership and defined as an affordable rental home that is restricted by the rules of state or federal subsidies to residents who have incomes at or below 80 percent of the Area Media Income. For more information, visit chpc.net. chpc.net.

Residential customers* including homeowners, renters, and solar customers will have a Base Services Charge on their bill. The charge amount will vary because some customers who are enrolled in income qualified programs like California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) or Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) or who live in qualifying housing property knows as deed-restricted affordable housing** are eligible for a discounted Base Services Charge amount.

* The Domestic Multifamily Accommodation rate (Schedule DM) is exempt from the Base Services Charge. These customers will continue to pay the Basic Charge. 
** Deed-restricted affordable housing properties are identified by the California Housing Partnership and defined as an affordable rental home that is restricted by the rules of state or federal subsidies to residents who have incomes at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income. For more information, visit chpc.net. 

The Base Services Charge is not a new fee or tax, but rather a change in how electric bills are structured. Currently, both fixed costs and electricity usage costs are combined into energy usage charges on bills for residential customers. The new law (Assembly Bill 205) requires costs to be separated into a Base Services Charge to cover the cost of certain electrical equipment and services, and variable electricity delivery charges based on the electricity the customer uses during their billing period. This means that instead of paying for certain infrastructure costs through the variable electricity rate, customers will pay these costs through a standard fee, regardless of how much electricity they use.

The Base Services Charge is designed by the state to cover the costs connecting each customer to the electric grid and providing state programs to assist income-qualified customers.

This change becomes effective October or November of 2025. The charge will appear on your bill as “Base Services Charge” under the “Delivery Charges” section of your bill.