Your PG&E rate plan might be the most expensive line item you're not paying attention to. Most Bay Area homeowners accept whatever plan PG&E assigned them at signup — which is usually E-TOU-C, the default time-of-use schedule. But that's often not the cheapest option for how you actually use electricity.
We've analyzed thousands of PG&E bills at BrightBill. The single most common finding: the customer is on the wrong rate plan, and switching would save them $200–600 per year without changing how much energy they use.
This guide explains the four main residential rate plans, compares them side by side, and shows you how to find out which one is right for your home.
Why Your Rate Plan Matters More Than Your Usage
Most people focus on how much electricity they use. But PG&E charges you differently depending on when you use it. That's the core of time-of-use (TOU) pricing: peak hours cost 2–3x more than off-peak hours.
The rate plan you're on determines:
- Which hours count as "peak" (expensive) vs. "off-peak" (cheap)
- How much you pay per kWh at each tier
- Whether you get a special discount for EV charging overnight
- How your solar credits are calculated if you have panels
Two families with identical monthly usage can have wildly different bills depending on when they run appliances — and which plan they're on.
The 4 Main PG&E Residential Rate Plans
E-TOU-C: The Default Plan (Most Common)
Who's on it: PG&E automatically places most new residential customers on E-TOU-C.
Peak hours: 4 PM – 9 PM, every day including weekends
2026 typical rates:
| Time | Rate (per kWh) |
|---|---|
| Off-peak (9 PM – 4 PM) | ~$0.34 |
| Peak (4 PM – 9 PM) | ~$0.51 |
Best for: Households that already shift usage away from the 4–9 PM window — or people who don't want to think about when they run the dishwasher.
Downside: The peak/off-peak price gap is real but moderate. If you have heavy evening usage (air conditioning, cooking, EV charging), this plan penalizes you. And it's not optimized for EV owners at all.
E-TOU-D: Higher Discount, More Discipline Required
Who should consider it: Households that can shift most usage to overnight (9 PM – 3 PM the next day).
Peak hours: 5 PM – 8 PM, Monday–Friday only (shorter window than E-TOU-C)
2026 typical rates:
| Time | Rate (per kWh) |
|---|---|
| Super off-peak (12 AM – 3 PM) | ~$0.28 |
| Off-peak (3 PM – 5 PM, 8 PM – 12 AM) | ~$0.38 |
| Peak (5 PM – 8 PM weekdays) | ~$0.55 |
Best for: Work-from-home households, retirees, or anyone with flexible schedules who can avoid the narrow 5–8 PM peak window.
The math: If you have a 1,500 sq ft home using 600 kWh/month, shifting just 30% of your usage from peak to super off-peak hours on E-TOU-D can save $25–40/month vs. E-TOU-C.
E-TOU-C vs. E-TOU-D: Side-by-Side Bill Example
Here's what a typical Bay Area home (650 kWh/month) pays on each plan:
| Usage Pattern | E-TOU-C Bill | E-TOU-D Bill | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy evening user (40% peak) | $278 | $302 | E-TOU-C wins by $24 |
| Balanced user (25% peak) | $246 | $241 | Near tie |
| Off-peak shifter (15% peak) | $229 | $201 | E-TOU-D wins by $28 |
The key question: Can you get your peak-hour usage below 20% of monthly total? If yes, E-TOU-D is almost certainly cheaper. If you're running the AC and cooking dinner between 5–8 PM every night, stick with E-TOU-C.
EV-2A: The Hidden Gem for Electric Vehicle Owners
If you own an EV and don't know about EV-2A, you're leaving real money on the table.
Who's eligible: Any PG&E customer with an electric vehicle.
Peak hours: 3 PM – 12 AM, everyday
2026 typical rates:
| Time | Rate (per kWh) |
|---|---|
| Super off-peak (12 AM – 3 PM) | ~$0.19 |
| Off-peak (3 PM – 4 PM, midnight) | ~$0.38 |
| Peak (4 PM – 9 PM) | ~$0.57 |
| Weekend off-peak | ~$0.28 |
Why EV-2A is different: The super off-peak rate (midnight to 3 PM) is dramatically cheaper — about half what you pay on E-TOU-C. If you charge your EV overnight on a timer, you're paying around $0.19/kWh instead of $0.34.
The savings: A typical EV (Chevy Bolt, Tesla Model 3) uses 300–400 kWh/month for charging. At the EV-2A overnight rate vs. E-TOU-C off-peak, that's a savings of $45–60/month just on charging — or $540–720/year.
Most EV owners don't know about EV-2A. PG&E doesn't automatically switch you when you buy an EV. You have to opt in. If you have an EV and you're on E-TOU-C or E-TOU-D, switching to EV-2A and charging overnight is likely the single biggest electricity savings available to you.
Important: EV-2A has higher peak rates than other plans. If you can't reliably charge during off-peak hours (e.g., you need to charge in the afternoon regularly), EV-2A may not be the best fit.
E-6: The Legacy Solar Plan (Grandfathered)
E-6 is a legacy net-metering plan no longer available to new customers. If you're on it, you're likely grandfathered in from before PG&E's major rate restructuring.
Who's still on it: Homeowners with solar panels installed before ~2013 who chose E-6 and haven't switched.
The trade-off: E-6 offered a tiered system with high export credit rates that made sense under the old net metering rules. With NEM 3.0 now in effect, the credit rates for solar export have changed significantly.
Should you stay on E-6? It depends on your specific install and usage pattern. If you have a pre-2013 solar system with a grandfathered E-6 rate, don't switch without running the numbers first. Some customers are better off staying; others have already moved to E-TOU-C or E-TOU-D with NEM 3.0 credits.
For NEM 2 vs. NEM 3 analysis specifically, see our guide: NEM 3 vs NEM 2 — What Solar Owners Need to Know.
How to Check Which Plan You're On (Step-by-Step)
You can find your current rate plan in your PG&E online account:
- Go to pge.com and log in
- Click My Account → My Energy Use
- Scroll to the Rate Plan section — it shows your current plan and the date you enrolled
- To compare plans, click Rate Plan Comparison Tool (also under My Energy Use)
- PG&E will model your last 12 months of usage against all eligible plans and show estimated annual bills
What you're looking for: PG&E's comparison tool shows you the estimated annual cost for each available plan based on your actual usage history. The cheapest estimated plan is your best candidate — though keep in mind it assumes your usage patterns stay the same.
One caveat: The PG&E comparison tool doesn't account for behavioral changes. If you plan to shift laundry and dishwasher to overnight, your actual savings on E-TOU-D will be higher than the tool shows.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to switch PG&E rate plans?
Rate plan changes take effect on your next billing cycle. You can switch once per calendar year for free. Changes made mid-cycle apply to usage from the switch date forward.
Can I switch back if the new plan costs more?
Yes — you can change rate plans once per year at no charge. If you switch to E-TOU-D and your first bill is higher than expected, you can switch back to E-TOU-C. Keep in mind you'll need to wait until your next billing cycle to see the full impact.
Do I need new equipment to use EV-2A?
No. EV-2A is just a rate schedule change. You don't need a new meter or new hardware. The key is setting your EV's charging timer to start after midnight (or using your car's scheduled charging feature) to hit the super off-peak window.
Let BrightBill Find Your Optimal Plan
The PG&E comparison tool tells you the estimated cost on each plan based on your existing usage pattern. But it doesn't tell you what you'd save if you shifted behavior — running the dishwasher at 11 PM instead of 7 PM, charging your EV overnight, pre-cooling your house before 5 PM.
BrightBill analyzes your actual PG&E bill and models every rate plan against your specific usage profile — including behavioral scenarios. Upload your bill in under 3 minutes and we'll tell you exactly which plan saves you the most, and by how much.
Related articles:
- Why Your PG&E Bill Is So High
- PG&E Time-of-Use Rates Explained
- How to Read Your PG&E Bill
- How to Lower Your PG&E Bill
- PG&E Summer Rates 2026
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