PG&E delivers bill shocks to customers amid soaring natural gas prices

[Vision67]

Originally Posted by blameyourself

$34.50 is a bill shock? And in the Bay Area?

Sounds like hyperbole to me.

The more relevant number is the average monthly bill:

"PG&E bills have risen dramatically over the past 10 years. Average monthly residential bills for electric and gas service jumped from $154.52 in January 2016 to $241.03 in January 2023 — an increase of $86.51, according to data from PG&E obtained by the Chronicle."

[mgforshort]

When we get a combined gas/electric bill under $ 300 we celebrate. Old 2 bedroom house, 2 people, 2 dogs, 1700 sq feet with a new efficient NG HVAC installed in May 2023. We get bills as high as $ 450, but checking the "Nextdoor" app we have neighbors paying close to $ 600 or more. If you have an old wood stove that helps in our mild winters.

The price increases are justified with wildfire mitigation efforts and putting the lines underground. Once the NG gas appliances become banned in the near future bills could rise much higher.

[mattja]

"Average" includes the tens of thousands of 600 sq/ft apartments as well.

$600/month PG&E bills are pretty common here, especially in the older homes with marginal insulation.

[blameyourself]

Originally Posted by Vision67

The more relevant number is the average monthly bill:

"PG&E bills have risen dramatically over the past 10 years. Average monthly residential bills for electric and gas service jumped from $154.52 in January 2016 to $241.03 in January 2023 — an increase of $86.51, according to data from PG&E obtained by the Chronicle."

I can't say this is all that much of a shock and quite frankly it seems pretty tame to the type of bills I see in other parts of the country. Summers are hotter and winters are colder. I fully expect both sides of the coin to be higher and think one would have to be naive not to think that.

[WRM20]

Originally Posted by Wartrace

https://finviz.com/futures_charts.ashx?t=NG&p=m1

Doesn't PG&E have energy traders on staff to hedge prices or do they just pay spot prices? Right now it appears natural gas prices are at the low end. If they had competent traders on staff the blip we saw in 2022 would have been hedged. BTW looking back in time the highs in 2022 was nothing compared to a few years back.

PG&E almost certainly has traders to hedge things. Do you think they would actually pass those hedging gains on to customers? No, they use the cash price paid to suppliers. PG&E has never had customers needs in mind.

[mattja]

Originally Posted by WRM20

PG&E almost certainly has traders to hedge things. Do you think they would actually pass those hedging gains on to customers? No, they use the cash price paid to suppliers. PG&E has never had customers needs in mind.

And for the state's next trick...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3R4Qvhre3Bs

[colobound65]

Originally Posted by blameyourself

I can't say this is all that much of a shock and quite frankly it seems pretty tame to the type of bills I see in other parts of the country. Summers are hotter and winters are colder. I fully expect both sides of the coin to be higher and think one would have to be naive not to think that.

Winters are not colder. It’s warm in Ca in Dec now. When I was a kid Ca had semi cold winters where we actually wore a jacket during the day.

I know people in Idaho and Kansas where there’s freezing temps and their utility bills are half of what Ca residents pay.

[jmgg]

Originally Posted by Vision67

The more relevant number is the average monthly bill:

"PG&E bills have risen dramatically over the past 10 years. Average monthly residential bills for electric and gas service jumped from $154.52 in January 2016 to $241.03 in January 2023 — an increase of $86.51, according to data from PG&E obtained by the Chronicle."

We don't pay remotely close to that for a 1600 sq. ft. house WITH a full basement (essentially 3200 sq. ft. of area) where I live in South Dakota. We're a hell of a lot colder than California, especially in the winter. If we have a month that's mostly BELOW ZERO, our bill might come close to this for that month.

Talk about a scam going on there in California.

[blameyourself]

Originally Posted by colobound65

Winters are not colder. It’s warm in Ca in Dec now. When I was a kid Ca had semi cold winters where we actually wore a jacket during the day.

I know people in Idaho and Kansas where there’s freezing temps and their utility bills are half of what Ca residents pay.

Don't know anything about the last part of your statement but that's blatantly false if I were to compare to Texas (where I currently reside). People here pay significantly more than our current PG&E bill in Daly City. (It's not even close).

Some of my current clients had energy bills ranging from $400 to $500 a month this summer and heating bills were in the $200-$300 range.

This article seems to refute your claim (It's got Kansas at $396)

https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/n...s-17287464.php