Your relationship with PG&E is going to change when you go solar. The biggest change is that you will receive an annual statement called a true-up bill. The bill summarizes your monthly electricity credits and charges into one invoice.
Many property owners need clarification on the true-up bill. We’ll explain the true-up cost, how it can be high, and what you can do to reduce or eliminate it.
What Is A PG&E True Up Bill?
True up solar bill are statements that PG&E sends to you at the end of each solar billing cycle. Most solar billing cycles last 12 months, so you will receive your first true-up statement after your first year as a customer.
A true-up energy statement from PG&E will include the following:
- What was the annual electricity consumption of your property?
- When electricity was used and credit.
- The retail electricity rate used by PG&E to calculate the value of your kWh credit.
- The amount you owe is calculated based on your Net Usage (or kWh) per year.
This is how it works: The true-up bill reconciles your cumulative and annual energy charges, credits, and any net generation compensation you may be entitled to in the billing cycle.
The true-up statement will reflect if you have an outstanding balance after your utility provider reconciles the credit.
Depending on your utility agreement, it can also reset any remaining credits to zero or roll them over into the next solar billing cycle.
Why Is My True-Up Bill So High?
There would be several possible causes if your most recent true-up were unexpectedly high.
1. Fixed Fees And Non-Bypassable Costs
To avoid surprises, your solar installer must include these costs in their initial feasibility analysis. These charges can sometimes be a surprise to homeowners after a year.
Customers will be charged fees by utility providers for maintaining an energy grid connection. These charges will appear on your monthly PG&E billing statement. These monthly charges will appear on your annual true-up statement.
Customers are responsible for paying non-bypassable charges per Kilowatt Hour (kWh). These costs range from 2 to 3 cents per kWh. These charges fund energy efficiency, low-income customer assistance, and nuclear destruction.
2. Increased Electricity Usage
Homeowners who have had solar installed recently may accidentally increase their electricity consumption. After installing solar, it is important to keep your energy usage habits the same.
Utility companies require homeowners that their solar PV system for at most the 12-months of previous electricity usage. A homeowner who is more cautious with electricity use after going solar may find a higher-than-expected bill.
How Can I Lower My True-Up Bill?
If necessary, you can reduce your true-up cost by retrofitting an existing solar system.
Two of the best options are
Solution 1: Add More Solar Panels To Your Existing System
If your true-up bill is higher than expected, you may not produce enough electricity to maximize your savings. To offset your utility grid usage, consult a solar energy consultant.
Solution 2: Add Batteries To Your Existing Solar PV System
While solar panels are an excellent way to generate power for your home and reduce carbon footprint, combined with batteries, create a system that can deliver power when it’s most useful, day or night.
This combination creates an efficient, dynamic system that significantly improves energy security and delivers power even during power outages.