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San Diego Gas & Electric residential customers will get a break on their energy bill, thanks to the California Climate Credit program administered by the California Public Utilities Commission as part of the state’s effort to fight climate change.

In April, residential electric customers will see a $78.22 credit on their statement. Those customers with natural gas will also receive a $58.98 credit on the same statement. Billing cycles vary for customers, so not everyone will see the bill credit at the same time in April.

This October, SDG&E residential customers who have electric service will see a second credit applied to their billing statement. The three credit instalments total over $200 in bill credits in 2024.

“We appreciate working collaboratively with the California Public Utilities Commission to distribute the Climate Credit and offer some financial relief to our customers,” said.

SDG&E Vice President of Customer Services Dana Golan. “Anyone struggling to pay their bill is encouraged to reach out to us. We’re here to help connect them with financial assistance programs.”

The California Climate Credit is part of the Golden State’s efforts to fight climate change. This credit comes from the state’s Cap-and-Trade Program, which requires power plants, fuel providers, and large industrial facilities that emit greenhouse gases to buy carbon pollution allowances.

The credits are typically distributed twice a year, and they represent customers’ share of the benefits from the state’s Cap-and-Trade program and provide consumers with an increased opportunity to invest in energy-saving products during the transition to a low-carbon future.

In 2023, the CPUC temporarily authorized SDG&E to distribute the gas and electric Climate Credits in February, March and October. Beginning in 2024, the gas and electric California Climate Credits will revert to the original April and October distribution.

Changing the distribution months does not change the total value of the climate credits you receive in a year.

There is no action required to receive the credit. All gas and electricity customers, including community choice aggregation customers and master-metered customers, will automatically receive the credit in their upcoming billing cycles.

SDG&E will also alert customers to the climate credit via email. SDG&E does not set the commodity price for natural gas. Instead, natural gas commodity prices are determined by national and regional markets. SDG&E buys natural gas in those markets on behalf of residential and small business customers, and the cost of buying that gas is billed to those customers with no markup, meaning SDG&E does not profit from the movement of gas commodity prices.

Under the federally funded Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), about $10 million is available to help San Diego Gas & Electric customers who are past due on their bill payments. Individuals and families who qualify for LIHEAP can potentially receive assistance ranging from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars depending on their income, household size and past-due balance.

Assistance Programs

Customers who are struggling to pay their SDG&E bill are encouraged to visit sdge.com/assistance to explore all of the resources available to them – bill discounts, debt relief payment arrangements and no-cost energy efficiency upgrades that can help lower their bill long-term.

You can have a more predictable energy bill simply by signing up for our Level Pay Plan. It automatically evens out the monthly highs and lows so your energy bills are more consistent.

About SDG&E:

SDG&E is an innovative energy delivery company that provides increasingly cleaner, safe and reliable energy to better the lives of the people it serves in San Diego and southern Orange counties. The company is committed to creating a sustainable future by increasing energy delivered from low or zero-carbon sources; accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles; and investing in innovative technologies to ensure the reliable operation of the region’s infrastructure for generations to come. SDG&E is a subsidiary of Sempra (NYSE: SRE). For more information, visit SDGEnews.com.