Regions have different rates based on their average climate conditions.

Your daily baseline allocation is different during the summer months (June-September) than the rest of the year.

Additional Information:

• All-electric households have a different baseline allocation.
• Medical Baseline customers receive an additional 16.5 kWh daily allocation to operate life-support devices and equipment.
• The summer season begins at 12 a.m. on June 1 and continues until 12 a.m. on October 1 each year. Winter rates apply for the rest of the year.

Climate Zone Details:

• Hot: 13, 14, 15
• Moderate: 5, 9, 10
• Cool: 6, 8, 16
• Climate Zone 10 is a moderate zone but has hot summer weather. This distinction is made in relation to CPUC Code Section 745.d.2.
• ZIP codes do not correlate with Climate Zones

[Daily Baseline Allocation] x [# of days in billing period] = Monthly Baseline Allocation

Baseline Allocation - An amount of electricity (measured in kilowatt hours) that is provided to households at a lower rate than electricity used above this threshold. Baseline allocations are determined by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) based on the number of days in the billing period, the season, the climate, and whether your primary heat source is electric. 

Baseline Allocation (Daily/Monthly) - Since billing periods can have different numbers of days, the baseline allocation is initially defined as a daily allocation. This is then calculated into an allocation for the entire billing period, which is sometimes called a “Monthly Baseline Allocation” for convenience. 

Baseline Credit - A discount that reduces total electricity charges. A baseline credit is calculated per kilowatt hour (kWh) used and is capped by the monthly baseline allocation. 

Daily Basic Charge - A flat, daily charge billed every month, regardless of customer use or activity.

Kilowatt Hour (kWh) - A unit of measurement for electrical energy consumption over time that we use to compute billing. One kilowatt hour is equivalent to using 1,000 watts for 1 hour. 

Minimum Daily Charge - A flat, daily charge applied if a customer’s total delivery charges fall below a minimum in a billing period (about $10 for a typical residential user). This charge supports the maintenance and operation of providing electricity. 

Tier - An amount of energy allocated to a customer in a billing period at a specific price. Customers who use more energy than what is allocated are charged at a higher rate on the next tier.

By logging in to My Account, you have access to a number of tools and services, including a chart that tracks which tier you’re currently in (as of the previous day), and the tier you’re expected to fall into by the close of the current monthly billing period.

The information provided in the chart is customized based upon your specific electricity use and is updated daily. Because the electricity usage is updated daily, the costs are also updated daily. This chart also provides current tier pricing, and the amount of electricity allocated to each tier. This can be a valuable resource to help you better understand the rate structure and more effectively manage your monthly bill.

Log in to My Account to access the chart, then select the "View Recent Usage" button, and then "How is this calculated?" which is located below your “Projected Next Bill” total.

Each city within our service territory has been assigned to a baseline region which corresponds to the primary climate associated with that geographic area. The climate zone for each city can be found in the Index of Communities.

A map of the baseline regions also depicts how the baseline regions align with coastal, inland and desert geographies.

Medical Baseline customers have an additional 16.5 kilowatt hours (kWh) allocated to their baseline usage on a daily basis, in addition to their applicable seasonal baseline for the operation of life-support devices and other qualifying equipment.