BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — As some communities across Kern are heading into sweater weather, what does this mean for your energy bills?
Gabriela Ornelas with Southern California Edison says it's less about the temperature and more about customers' energy use.
“The off months are when customers may be able to use less energy. So they may be able to save on their bill during the fall and the spring months,” said Ornelas.
As for PG&E, Jeff Smith says it’s more of a response to these temperature changes.
“Once temperatures are in the 90s, you have times of day that drop into the mid-60s to low-70s when you’re able to take more advantage of that,” said Smith. “So that can really have a pretty good impact on your energy bill just because you don’t need to run your air conditioner quite as much.”
Smith adds that there aren’t any expected rate increases this year or in 2026 from PG&E.
In fact, on September 1, PG&E reported a 2.1% decrease in electric rates, dropping monthly bills by an estimated $5 for the typical residential customer.
“The impact of that rate decrease will actually be greater here in the Central Valley than for customers that might live in a cooler type of climate,” said Smith.
PG&E also announced that residential electric customers will automatically receive a $58.23 credit during their October billing cycle.
In the meantime, there are steps you can take right now to start saving.
“We do encourage conservation in their homes and that could be as simple as turning the lights off, using a fan versus an air conditioner, limiting the times that you open and close your refrigerator door,” said Ornelas.
Smith suggests, “... opening their windows early in the morning or late in the evening and letting that cool air in and naturally bring down the temperature in your home.”
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