Your PG&E Bill Went Up and Nothing Changed. Here's What to Check.

By Miguel, Elite Pressure Wash Services · Bakersfield, CA

You got solar so your PG&E bill would go down. Then a bill shows up that's higher than it should be, and you can't figure out why.

Nothing changed. Same house. Same habits. So what happened?

There are a few possible answers. Some are on PG&E's side. Some are in your house. And one is on your roof.

6 reasons your bill could be higher

1. Rates went up. PG&E raises rates from time to time. Every kWh you buy from them costs more than it used to, even if you use the same amount.
2. You used more power. A hot stretch running the AC harder, a new pool pump, a second fridge in the garage, or an electric car will all show up fast.
3. It's a true-up month. If you're on a yearly true-up, one bill can look much bigger than the monthly statements before it. Check whether this is your true-up bill.
4. Your plan or billing changed. Look for a change in rate plan or a notice from PG&E in the last few statements.
5. Something in your system stopped working. If an inverter or part of your system went down, your monitoring app should flag it. Check for alerts.
6. Your panels are dirty. This is the one nobody thinks of. Dirt doesn't trigger an alert, so the app stays green while your panels quietly produce less. Every kWh they don't make is one you buy from PG&E instead.

How to tell if it's the panels

Open your monitoring app and compare a clear, sunny day this month to a clear day in the same month last year. If your production is down and nothing else changed, like new shade from a tree, dirty panels are the first thing to look at.

Then look at the panels themselves. From an upstairs window or across the street, dusty panels look dull, hazy, or tan instead of dark and glossy. Bird droppings show up as white spots.

Why it hits harder in Bakersfield

Our panels get dirty faster than most. We go months without real rain, dust blows in off the fields and construction, and summer is exactly when you need your panels producing the most for the AC. Dirty panels in July mean buying more power at the time of year you use the most.

The bottom line

A higher bill doesn't always mean the panels are the problem. But if the rates, your usage, and your system all check out, look up. Five minutes in your app will tell you if your panels are pulling their weight.