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January 2026
Happy New Year! This month brings important updates about your electricity bill, including lower generation rates from Ava and changes to PG&E's delivery charges. We're also sharing winter energy-saving tips and inviting you to help shape Ava's community impact.
Read on to learn about what's changing on your bill, how to save energy this winter, and opportunities to get involved with your community energy provider.
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 You’ll see several changes to your electricity bill over the coming months. Here’s what you need to know:
January 2026: Lower generation rates, higher delivery rates
To begin the year, Ava lowered rates for the service we provide (electricity generation) by 21% for Bright Choice customers and 15% for Renewable 100 customers.
At the same time, PG&E increased its transmission and distribution rates, and is planning additional rate changes in March and September 2026. Ava's rate decrease helps offset these increases.
March 2026: PG&E is implementing the Base Services Charge
Starting in March, PG&E will be restructuring the transmission and distribution portion of the bill to include a separate line item for infrastructure and maintenance, known as the Base Services Charge. This will be a fixed monthly fee regardless of how much electricity you use.
According to PG&E, this is not a new fee—these costs were already included in PG&E's delivery charges. However, the new structure may increase or decrease your monthly bill depending on how much electricity you use. Higher usage customers may pay less overall, but lower usage customers may pay slightly more.
Read more about these changes and what they mean for your bill:
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What about Ava’s discount to PG&E?
When our generation rates decreased, we also adjusted how our rates compare to PG&E’s rates. Bright Choice is now 0.5% below PG&E's generation rates, while Renewable 100 costs 1¾ cents per kWh more than PG&E.
Even with this change, Bright Choice customers are still saving money, and Renewable 100 customers are still getting 100% renewable, carbon-free energy. Across the board, our current generation rates are 2-3 cents per kWh cheaper than they were last year.
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When temperatures go down, energy usage often goes up. Here are some tips for staying warm efficiently:
Set your thermostat to the right temperature.
Keep your thermostat at 68 degrees Fahrenheit (or even lower when you’re sleeping or away from home!)
Let the sun warm your home.
Open curtains on south-facing windows during the day to let in sunlight, and close them at dusk to trap heat inside. (Thermal or insulated curtains can cut heat loss even more.)
Know your rate plan and peak hours.
Most Ava customers are on PG&E's E-TOU-C rate plan, where electricity costs more from 4pm – 9pm every day. Try to use major appliances like dishwashers, washing machines, and dryers outside these peak hours. If you’re not sure which rate plan you’re on, check your PG&E account to compare plans.
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Looking for rebates or assistance with home energy upgrades?
Use our Incentive Finder to search for programs available to you:
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As your local, not-for-profit electricity provider, Ava is accountable to community members like you. Here are three ways you can help shape our work in 2026:
Help shape Ava’s next round of grants
Join us for a Grants Ideation Public Community Workshop on Wednesday, January 29, from 5:30pm – 7:30pm in Oakland! (Remote participation available via Zoom.)
This interactive workshop is your chance to share ideas about future grant opportunities focused on clean energy, sustainability, and community resilience. We'll provide light refreshments while you connect with community members, nonprofits, and local partners to help generate ideas for impactful projects.
RSVP here →
Learn about the Community Resilience Hubs Initiative
Ava has partnered with Emerald Cities Collaborative (ECC) and Local Clean Energy Alliance (LCEA) to develop our Community Resilience Hubs Initiative. This program will offer technical assistance and installation incentives for qualifying community-serving resilience hubs installing solar and battery storage systems.
Join ECC and LCEA for a Community Engagement Workshop on Wednesday, January 29 at 10am for an update on the Initiative and a chance to share your input.
Register for the webinar →
Apply to join Ava's Community Advisory Committee
We’re looking for local residents and business owners who want to help shape the future of clean energy in our service area! The CAC advises our Board of Directors on programs and initiatives, represents community perspectives, and helps us understand what matters most to the people we serve.
Applications are open through 12pm (noon) on February 20.
Learn more and apply →
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Finance, Administrative and Procurement Subcommittee
Wednesday, January 28, 3:30 pm
Executive Committee
Wednesday, February 4, 3:00 pm
Community Advisory Committee
Tuesday, February 17, 6:00 pm
Board of Directors
Wednesday, February 18, 6:00 pm
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