Savings Alert: Central Coast Energy Bill Credits Happening Now

This month, Climate Credits are rolling out - returning the average family $75 a month on their utility bills. For households across the Central Coast, that means real savings and real relief - and comes as California Democrats are delivering more energy savings and holding power guzzlers and data centers accountable to pay their share.

It's the season for savings on your energy bills, thanks to the work of California Democrats at the state Capitol.

This year, California lawmakers delivered new ways to put money back in the pockets of Central Coast homeowners and ratepayers. These important solutions prevent rising energy costs from being shifted onto working families, and make sure profits go back to families and business owners, not major corporations.

This includes new protections to make sure Central Coast families aren't footing the bill for large energy users like data centers and the costs they create. New laws also increase transparency around how utility rates and profits are determined and require utilities to pass any savings on to customers.

Together, these measures strengthen protections for Central Coast ratepayers while helping make sure California's energy system remains affordable, reliable and ready for the future.

Saving Money on Energy Bills Now

During the latest two-year legislative session, Speaker Robert Rivas and Assembly Democrats made stabilizing energy costs a central part of their work - delivering new protections for ratepayers, holding utility companies accountable and making sure California's clean energy investments translate into real savings for families.

Now, that work is delivering money directly to Californians' pockets - and you'll see those savings on your latest bills.

Millions of households served by Pacific Gas & Electric and other major utilities are receiving an average of $75 in California Climate Credits this August and September - automatically saving a total of $886 million.

For Central Coast communities across Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito and southern Santa Clara counties, the credits provide direct relief during the months when electricity use and bills can rise.

The California Climate Credit is one of the most direct ways California is returning money to households.

The credits come from the state's Cap-and-Invest program and are being provided automatically to eligible residential customers of PG&E, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric. These credits are being delivered in August and September, when higher summer temperatures can drive up electricity use and monthly bills.

For a Central Coast family, that means an average of $75 in direct savings on their electricity bills this summer - without filling out an application or navigating a government program.

This relief builds on legislation advanced under Speaker Rivas' leadership last year that is expected to return approximately $3 billion annually in Climate Credits to California households, while also investing in wildfire prevention, clean transportation, affordable housing and other priorities.

Holding Utility Companies Accountable

Bigger rebates on electricity bills, less pollution, more reliable power, new jobs, billions of dollars in energy savings for California - this legislative session, Assembly Democrats have continued to focus on affordable and sustainable energy solutions.

AB 2589 by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, signed by Governor Newsom on September 27, requires investor-owned utilities to pass certain savings resulting from changes in federal tax law on to their customers. So when utility companies save money, Central Coast ratepayers can benefit from those savings too.

The Assembly also advanced AB 2463 by Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris, which increases transparency and accountability around how utility profits are determined, giving ratepayers a clearer view into how electricity and gas rates are set.

Together, these measures strengthen the Assembly's efforts to make sure utility customers are given greater protection and a greater share of the savings.

Making Sure Data Centers Pay

Speaker Rivas and the Assembly have taken landmark steps to prevent the rapid growth of large energy users from driving up costs for everyone else.

AB 2383, authored by Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur, was signed into law on September 21, requiring large energy-use facilities to bear the costs associated with the electricity and infrastructure needed to serve them, helping prevent those costs from being shifted onto consumers and families.

The legislation is especially important as the growing artificial intelligence industry demands more energy use for data centers and other big corporate energy users. Rather than asking families and small businesses to absorb these costs, the new law requires large energy users to pay their fair share.

Other legislation advancing California's energy affordability goals includes AB 2493, authored by Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris, which would help connect affordable housing, health facilities and other community projects to power faster - bringing new power online and reducing costs associated with lengthy delays.

Continuing to Stabilize Costs for Central Coast Communities

For Central Coast families, the combination of immediate bill relief and longer-term reforms is part of a broader effort to make energy cleaner, more affordable and reliable.

From Salinas and Watsonville to Hollister, Monterey and communities throughout the Central Coast, families are feeling the pressure of higher everyday costs.

The Assembly's energy affordability agenda is designed to meet that reality with tangible results: money returned directly to utility bills, stronger protections for ratepayers, greater accountability for utility companies and a more reliable energy system that can help control costs over the long term.