Utility Territory Guides

Step-by-step guides for accessing your utility account, finding your bills, downloading Green Button data, and reading your bill in plain English.

PG&E
SMUD
SCE

PG&E (Pacific Gas & Electric)

How to Access Your PG&E Account Online

  1. 1Go to pge.com and click "Sign In" in the top right
  2. 2If you don't have an account, click "Register" and enter your account number (found on your bill)
  3. 3Verify your identity with the last 4 digits of your SSN and your zip code
  4. 4Create a username and password — save these somewhere safe
  5. 5Once logged in, your dashboard shows your current bill, usage history, and rate plan

How to Find & Download Your Bills

  1. 1Log in to pge.com and click "Your Account" → "Your Bill"
  2. 2You'll see your most recent bill summary on the main page
  3. 3Click "View Bill" to see the full PDF version — download it for your records
  4. 4For past bills, click "Bill & Payment History" to view up to 24 months of statements
  5. 5Each bill shows your usage period, total kWh used, charges breakdown, and any solar export credits

How to Access Green Button Data

  1. 1Log in to pge.com and navigate to "Your Account" → "Your Energy Use"
  2. 2Click on "Green Button" or "Download My Data"
  3. 3Select the date range you want (up to 13 months of data)
  4. 4Choose "Export Usage" in CSV or XML format
  5. 5This gives you 15-minute interval data showing exactly when you used energy and when your solar exported
  6. 6Green Button data is essential for accurate solar analysis and True-Up predictions

How to Read Your PG&E Bill in Plain English

Electric Delivery Charges

The fee PG&E charges to deliver electricity to your home through their power lines. You pay this even with solar.

Electric Generation Charges

The cost of the actual electricity you consumed from PG&E (not from your solar panels). With solar, this should be small or zero.

NEM (Net Energy Metering) Charges

Tracks the balance between what your solar exports to the grid vs. what you import. Credits are applied here.

True-Up Statement

Your annual settlement. PG&E totals up 12 months of solar credits vs. grid usage. If you produced more than you used, you may get a small credit. If you used more, you owe the difference.

TOU (Time-of-Use) Rates

Electricity costs more during "peak" hours (4pm-9pm) and less during "off-peak" hours. This is why charging your EV overnight saves money.

Baseline Allowance

The amount of electricity PG&E considers "normal" for your area and climate. Usage above this costs more per kWh.

PCIA (Power Charge Indifference Adjustment)

A fee charged to customers who leave PG&E generation (like CCA customers) to cover long-term energy contracts PG&E already committed to.

NBC (Non-Bypassable Charges)

Charges you must pay regardless of solar or CCA status — includes public purpose programs, nuclear decommissioning, and competition transition charges.

SMUD (Sacramento Municipal Utility District)

How to Access Your SMUD Account

  1. 1Go to smud.org and click "My Account" in the top right
  2. 2Register with your account number from your bill and verify your identity
  3. 3Your dashboard shows your current bill, usage graphs, and rate plan details

How to Find Your Bills & Usage Data

  1. 1Log in and go to "Billing & Payment" to see current and past bills
  2. 2Click "Usage" to see daily and hourly energy consumption charts
  3. 3SMUD provides download options for your usage history in CSV format

Reading Your SMUD Bill

System Infrastructure Fixed Charge

A flat monthly fee to maintain the electrical grid and infrastructure. This stays the same regardless of usage.

Electricity Usage Charges

What you pay based on how many kWh you consumed. SMUD uses tiered pricing where usage above certain thresholds costs more.

Solar/Generation Credits

Credits for excess solar energy your panels sent to the grid. SMUD's net metering program credits you at a rate that may differ from retail price.

SCE (Southern California Edison)

How to Access Your SCE Account

  1. 1Go to sce.com and click "Sign In" → "My Account"
  2. 2Register using your SCE account number and service address
  3. 3Your dashboard shows billing, usage history, and rate plan information

How to Find Your Bills & Green Button Data

  1. 1Log in and navigate to "My Account" → "Billing & Payment" for bill history
  2. 2For detailed usage data, go to "My Account" → "My Green Button Data"
  3. 3Download interval data in CSV or XML format for solar performance analysis

Reading Your SCE Bill

Delivery Charges

Fees for SCE to transport electricity to your home. These include transmission, distribution, and public purpose charges.

Generation Charges

The cost of the electricity itself. With solar, this portion should be significantly reduced.

NEM True-Up

Similar to PG&E — your annual solar energy balance settlement. SCE tracks monthly credits and debits, then settles annually.

Need Help Understanding Your Bill?

Our AI Solar Advisor can analyze your bill and explain everything in plain English. Or ask in the community — we're here to help.

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