Understanding Your PG&E Bill
Overview
There are two components to electricity service: generation and delivery. Before Ava existed, you paid PG&E for both generation and delivery service. Now, we provide your generation service and PG&E continues to provide delivery service. PG&E also owns the transmission lines and the meters that measure your electricity usage, so they handle billing. Our generation charges appear on your PG&E bill.
When you are an Ava customer:
- Your bill comes from PG&E.
You get a single bill each month from PG&E that includes Ava charges. - PG&E still charges the same amount for energy delivery.
Ava energy is delivered via PG&E’s lines and poles. - The cost of energy from Ava replaces the cost of energy from PG&E. Ava charges are not duplicates. They replace what PG&E used to charge you for generating electricity.
- PG&E subtracts its electricity generation charge.
As an Ava customer, PG&E credits you the amount they would have charged you to generate your electricity. - If you receive a discount on your electricity bill through the CARE, FERA or Medical Baseline Allowance programs, that discount will continue to apply as an Ava customer. These discounts will appear on the delivery charges portion of the bill.
View a sample bill below.
PG&E Bill Before Joining Ava:
Before a customer joins Ava, they pay PG&E for both generation and delivery. Both charges are contained on a single page called “Electric Charges.”
PG&E Bill After Joining Ava:
After a customer joins Ava, they pay PG&E for delivery and they pay Ava for generation. Ava’s generation charges are separated out into a new page.
Sample Bill
Understand Your Bill: Page 1
A. Your Account Number
You will need this number if you change your Ava service level or choose PG&E service.
B. PG&E Delivery Charges
This is PG&E’s charge to deliver electricity over their transmission lines, maintain infrastructure, and provide other services including their customer service and billing.
C. Ava Electric Generation Charges
This charge covers Ava’s cost of purchasing clean electricity for customers, plus relevant local taxes.
D. Total Amount Due
This is the total amount you pay to PG&E for all charges from both PG&E and Ava.
Understand Your Bill: Page 3
E. Generation Credit
Ava provides generation service for customers in Alameda County and the City of Tracy, so PG&E credits this charge back to your account to avoid any duplication of generation fees. The credit is what PG&E would have charged you for electricity.
F. Power Charge Indifference Adjustment
PG&E charges Ava customers a Power Charge Indifference Adjustment (PCIA), which is calculated based on the number of kilowatt-hours used each month. The amount of this charge varies for customers depending on their vintage year (the year you started service with us), which is found below the “Total PG&E Electric Delivery Charges.”
The PCIA is intended to ensure that Ava customers pay the difference between what PG&E paid for power contracted to serve them before their switch, and the current market value of that power. The PCIA charge is factored into Ava’s rate-setting process.
G. Franchise Fee Surcharge
This fee is collected by PG&E to cover costs associated with the rights to use public streets to provide gas and electric service. This fee is factored into Ava’s rate-setting process.
Understand Your Bill: Page 4
H. Rate Schedule and Ava Service Plan
The initial letter(s) and/or number combination show your rate schedule as determined by PG&E. For residential customers, this is commonly E-TOU-C.
This is followed by the Ava service you are on: Bright Choice or Renewable 100. Depending on your service, you will see an additional line item below for the Bright Choice Discount or the Renewable 100 Premium.
I. Net Charges
This is the amount Ava collects for the power that you use.
J. Energy Commission Tax
This fee is collected on behalf of the California Energy Commission and applies to all customers, regardless of service provider.
