This shows only what you would pay the utility. Owning solar has its own cost, so the real question is how the two compare for your home. That is what the free review answers.
This calculator runs on your phone. We do not see your number unless you send the form below.
Fine print: An illustration using your number, not a forecast, quote, or promise of savings. The 4%, 6% and 10% rates are examples we chose, not predictions. For reference, PG&E's average residential rate rose 101% from 2015 to 2025, which compounds to about 7.2% a year (our own calculation). Your actual bill depends on how much power you use.
Tap any line to see the official source and the fine print.
How old is PG&E's grid?68 years average. 108 years oldest.
In a 2017 internal presentation, PG&E estimated that its roughly 50,000 high-voltage transmission towers averaged 68 years old, with the oldest at 108 years (built before 1910).
Fine print: This is a 2017 estimate, and PG&E has done inspection and replacement work since then. The estimate left out about 7,000 towers whose construction date could not be determined. The figures became public through Wall Street Journal reporting in 2019.
The Public Advocates Office, the independent consumer advocate at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), reports that PG&E's average residential electric rate is up 101% since January 2015.
Fine print: This is the average rate per kilowatt hour for residential customers not on the CARE discount, and it leaves out the California Climate Credit. It is a rate, not a total bill. What a household pays also depends on how much power it uses.
PG&E's five-year plan calls for about $73 billion of investment in its system from 2026 to 2030. PG&E projects that the value of the equipment it earns a return on (called the rate base) grows from about $69 billion in 2025 to $106 billion by 2030.
Fine print: About $20 billion of the $73 billion is transmission spending overseen by federal regulators (FERC), not the CPUC. PG&E's slides treat $2.9 billion of securitized capital under SB 254 separately, so read the slide footnotes. The plan is a forecast, and PG&E reaffirmed the $73 billion figure in July 2026.
What about burying power lines?1,077 miles planned, 2026 to 2028
PG&E's 2026 to 2028 Wildfire Mitigation Plan calls for putting 1,077 miles of power lines underground over those three years.
Fine print: This is a target, not completed work. California's Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety approved PG&E's base plan on February 5, 2026. Approving the plan is separate from approving what customers pay for it, which the CPUC reviews in rate cases.
What does the wildfire plan cost?$18.9 billion estimated
PG&E's filing estimated the three-year cost of its 2026 to 2028 Wildfire Mitigation Plan at about $18.875 billion, which rounds to $18.9 billion.
Fine print: This is PG&E's own estimate from its April 2025 filing. The CPUC reviews whether costs are reasonable later, in each utility's General Rate Case.
In California, the CPUC decides how much money a utility may collect from its customers. That amount covers operating costs and gives the utility an opportunity to earn a return on approved investments. Rates are then set to collect it.
Fine print: Operating expenses are generally passed through dollar for dollar with no profit. Capital investments are recovered over time with a return on top. Regulators review what a utility proposes, and not every dollar requested is approved.
Why does the power sometimes shut off?Safety shutoffs can mean outages
Safety settings on power lines shut power off quickly when a fault is detected, such as a branch touching a line. PG&E officials have described this as within one tenth of a second.
Planned safety shutoffs turn power off ahead of high fire conditions, usually when the wind is strong. PG&E calls these Public Safety Power Shutoffs.
Fine print: The one-tenth-of-a-second figure comes from 2022 news coverage quoting PG&E officials. PG&E's current page says "quickly." PG&E reports a 65% reduction in ignitions on lines with these settings in 2024, measured under elevated fire conditions against the 2018 to 2020 average. Outages from the safety settings are separate from planned shutoffs. PG&E says it does not charge customers for time the power is out.
What does California law require?100% clean electricity by 2045
SB 100 (2018) set a goal of 60% renewable electricity by 2030 and 100% clean electricity by 2045. SB 1020 (2022) added interim targets of 90% by 2035 and 95% by 2040.
Fine print: These targets apply to electricity sales statewide, not only PG&E. "Clean" means a mix of renewable and zero-carbon resources.
The page you were handed. Each line above matches a panel on it.
What you can do about it
You cannot control what regulators approve. You can control how much of your power you buy from the utility.
Keep buying from PG&E
Nothing to install or sign. Your cost follows whatever rates regulators approve, which is what the sources above describe.
Use less, pick the best plan
Efficiency upgrades and the right PG&E rate plan can trim a bill. Worth doing with or without solar. See PG&E rate plans.
Make your own power
Rooftop solar produces electricity at your home for years, so you buy less from the utility. A battery can keep key circuits running in an outage. It is an investment, and results depend on your usage, roof, rate plan, and how the system is paid for.
How the free review works
Send us your bill.A photo of a recent PG&E bill is enough.
We read it with you.We look at your usage, your rate plan, and your roof.
You see the math side by side.Staying with PG&E versus owning your power, using numbers from your own bill.
You decide.If solar is not a good fit for your home, we will tell you.
Good to know: Solar is not right for every home. Roof condition, shade, and your usage all matter, and savings are not guaranteed. Any proposal comes in writing, and you can take time to review it.
Questions people ask
Is MADE. part of PG&E?
No. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by Pacific Gas and Electric Company. We cite PG&E's own documents so you can check what they say.
Do I have to buy anything?
No. The bill review is free and there is no obligation. If solar is not a good fit for your home, we will tell you.
What do you need from me?
A recent PG&E bill. A phone photo is enough. That is all we need for the first conversation.
Will solar stop my bill from going up?
Solar can reduce how much power you buy from the utility, so rate changes affect you less. You would still be a PG&E customer, and results vary with your usage, roof, and rate plan. We will show you the numbers for your home instead of promising an outcome.
How do I know the person at my door is with MADE.?
A MADE. representative should wear a MADE. badge with a photo and name. If you are unsure, ask us below before you share anything. You never need to share your PG&E online password with anyone.
What do you do with my information?
We use it only to contact you about your request. We do not sell it. Read the privacy notice.
Get your free bill review
It takes about a minute to fill out. We will go through your bill with you.
