Recently, a San Jose local vented their fury at what they perceived as a ‘hidden’ clean energy bill. Here, they showed their monthly statement which came to a total of $307.67. However, it was the bulk of the bill that caused their anger. In short, it shows that $12.68 was spent on electricity, whilst $11.76 was spent on gas. The remaining $283.23 was spent on ‘San Jose clean energy electric generation charges’. In a panicked state, they wrote, “What is this extra charge? I searched online and they are a 3rd party? How do I get rid of this?”

Well, sadly you can’t get rid of this (unless you were to somehow go off grid). However, there is an explanation which some people may not be aware of.

In short, this is charge has replaced the previous PG&E generation charges and covers the cost of buying clean electricity. In other words, it may look like a new charge, it isn’t. Before, delivery and generation were bundled together into one charge. However, they are separated. In fairness, this may cause confusion for somehow who isn’t well-versed when it comes to handling their energy bills.

Unfortunately, paying bills are a part of life and in this case, the person complaining wasn’t really being hard done by. One particular local did chime in though and had this to say, “Yeah my SJCE bill was sometimes $700/mo, my neighbors said the same stuff and we all were being told our usage was higher than average, and we were being charged at $0.75 kWh. My bill for power went down by more than 50% moving to Campbell and makes up for the more expensive rent.”

So, it could be that San Jose energy bills are more expensive than other parts of California. Nonetheless, it’s a harsh reality of life that bills exist and need to be paid. If nothing else, this serves as a timely reminder to always keep an eye on your bills and try to figure out where they come from before making an emotional reaction.