PG&E's 2027 rate case: what it could mean for your bill

About $10 a month. That is roughly how much a typical PG&E gas and electric bill would rise in 2027 if state regulators approved the company's request exactly as filed. The request is still under review, and a recent procedural step affects when any increase would start counting.

What a general rate case is. Every four years, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) reviews how much money PG&E needs to run its electric and gas systems safely and reliably, and whether the costs and investments it proposes are reasonable. This is the general rate case, or GRC. It covers distribution lines, gas pipelines and storage, and PG&E's own power plants.

What PG&E asked for. In May 2025, PG&E requested $16.6 billion for 2027, an increase of $1.24 billion, or 8 percent, over 2026. It also proposed increases of 6.1 percent a year for 2028, 2029 and 2030. The CPUC's fact sheet estimates that, as filed, a typical non-CARE customer using 500 kWh of electricity and 31 therms of gas would see a combined bill go from $298.79 in 2025 to $309.43 in 2027, an increase of $10.64, or 3.6 percent. A comparable CARE bill would go from $182.23 to $188.89. PG&E estimates further average increases of about 3.3 percent a year from 2028 to 2030.

The timing question. A final decision on the amount was tentatively scheduled for May 2027. A proposed decision mailed August 4, 2026 would make whatever amount the CPUC eventually approves effective January 1, 2027, with the difference tracked in memorandum accounts and collected or refunded later with interest. The proposed decision says this does not commit the CPUC to approving PG&E's requested amount. It was eligible for a vote at the CPUC's October 8, 2026 meeting at the earliest.

What it means for you. If the final amount is higher than current rates, a later catch-up charge could cover the months since January. If it is lower, the difference would flow back. Either way, the approved figure may differ from PG&E's request.

A next step for today: you can read the case or add a public comment at any time through the docket card for A.25-05-009 at apps.cpuc.ca.gov/c/A2505009, or mail the CPUC Public Advisor's Office at 505 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco, CA 94102.