If your April energy bill seems unusually low and you’re wondering if it’s an error, it’s not.
When you open your April bill, you will notice a line item called the California Climate Credit. If you have both electric and gas service, you will see a combined credit of $65.26 on your statement.
The credit is automatically applied to your bill. All residential households, including those who are community choice aggregation customers, receive the credit from SDG&E. Small business customers also receive the credit but amounts vary because it is calculated based on their monthly consumption.
Below is the breakdown of the bill credit amounts. Electric-only customers will receive only the electric bill credit; likewise, natural gas-only customers will receive only the gas credit.
- $31.32 = 2019 electric credit
- $33.94 = 2019 & 2018 natural gas credit
What is the California Climate Credit?
The California Climate Credit is part of California's efforts to fight climate change. Given out twice year (in April and October), this credit is from a state program that requires industries that emit greenhouse gases to buy carbon pollution permits. The credit represents utility customers’ share of the payments from the state program.
The Climate Credit is one of many programs resulting from the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, aimed at cutting pollution and advancing clean energy and transportation. For energy-saving ideas to green your life and keep California golden, visit EnergyUpgradeCA.org/the-movement/.
Where Would You See the Climate Credit on Your Bill?
If you have both electric and gas service, you will see two separate line items for the California Climate Credit – listed under the respective sections of your bill outlining your electricity and natural gas usage.
Check out this sample bill to see how the climate credit will be reflected on your statement.
What is the Difference Between the Climate Credit and the EV Climate Credit?
Don’t confuse the California Climate Credit with the Electric Vehicle (EV) Climate Credit, as they are two different programs. As noted above, the California Climate Credit (given out twice a year) is automatically applied to customers’ bills.
The EV Climate Credit is for those who drive plug-in electric vehicles. The credit is given out on an annual basis. EV drivers who live in the region served by SDG&E (San Diego County and South Orange County) must apply for the EV Climate Credit each year. The deadline to apply is May 31.
More Information
Still have questions? Visit https://www.sdge.com/ca-climatecredit, our web page dedicated to explaining the California Climate Credit. For additional information about the EV Climate Credit, visit sdge.com/evcc.