California Air Resources Board

SAN FRANCISCO - The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and California Air Resources Board are reminding consumers that in April and May approximately 10.7 million California households will see a credit averaging $27 on their electricity bills thanks to the State’s Cap-and-Trade Program to fight climate change. This is the third time consumers will receive the Climate Credit, as they also received it in April and October 2014, resulting in an overall total credit to date of $736 million to California households in 2014. A forecasted $577 million will be credited to households in 2015.

Said CPUC President Michael Picker, "The state and its consumers are working together to fight climate change. The Climate Credit returns money to consumers, and it is my hope that consumers will use the money to invest in simple tools that will help lower their electricity bills.”

Households and small businesses do not need to do anything to get the credit. Households receive the Climate Credit on their October or November and April or May bills each year, regardless of energy consumption or bill amount. Approximately one million small businesses receive the Climate Credit every month as a credit related to the amount of electricity used. Those customers include commercial, industrial, and agricultural customers, as well as nonprofits and schools that typically use less than 20 kilowatts of electricity each month.

“The California Climate Credit is all about putting money back into the pocketbooks and bank accounts of millions of California households and small businesses,” said Chairman of the California Air Resources Board Mary D. Nichols. “This is an opportunity for them to use it to save water, energy, and money – and fight climate change, too.”

The Climate Credit is one of many beneficial programs developed as a result of landmark legislation called the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Assembly Bill 32), which puts California at the forefront of efforts to battle climate change by requiring that greenhouse gas emissions be reduced to 1990 levels by 2020. Customers of the state’s investor-owned utilities receive the Climate Credit that is designed to help California fight climate change and clean the air. The credit comes from payments by power plants and industries that, under California’s climate program, purchase permits when they put carbon pollution into the air. The credit is calculated according to rules established by the CPUC.

Consumers can find more information about the Climate Credit by visiting the Energy Upgrade California website (www.EnergyUpgradeCA.org/climate-credit), which also provides ways to take action to save energy (like installing efficient LEDs, smart multi-plug-strips, or a smart thermostat), conserve natural resources, and make informed energy management choices at home and at work. Energy Upgrade California is the State’s initiative to educate residents and small business consumers about energy management.

The dollar amount being returned per utility to approximately 10.7 million households total in April/May is as follows:

• Pacific Gas and Electric Company: $24.76
• Southern California Edison: $29
• San Diego Gas & Electric: $36.24
• Pacific Power: $141.03
• Liberty Utilities: $35.01

For more information on the CPUC, please visit www.cpuc.ca.gov.

For more information on the ARB, please visit www.arb.ca.gov.