Californians for
Fair Electricity Rates
CalFER 
 

Many Californians now have meters that measure usage for every 15-minute interval.  Check your utility web site and your account to see your 15-minute usage.

 

The California Legislature may decide that low-income customers be provided electricity subscriptions at a lower price. 

 

All classes of customers would have the same opportunity to save by automatically shifting usage based on 15-minute prices.

. 

Electricity Subscriptions

 

An electricity subscription is a simple transaction between a buyer and a seller for electricity to be delivered during an interval of time at a location on the electric grid.  An electricity customer is typically a buyer but can also be a seller.

As a customer :

  • You are offered a subscription at a discount for the same amounts of electricity you used last year for a cost-based price per kWh.
  • You decide what percentage of last year’s usage you want to subscribe to.
  • If you use less than you subscribed in a 15-minute interval you get a rebate for the difference based on the current cost-based price for electricity for the 15-minute interval.
  • If you use more than you subscribed in a 15-minute interval you pay for the difference based on the current cost-based price for electricity for the 15-minute interval. 
  • You can see on your private web page how you are doing versus your subscription.
  • At any time you can increase or decrease your subscribed amount based on the current cost-based price for subscriptions.

  • With this plan you win in at least three ways:
    1. You pay lower prices for the subscribed electricity, because your supplier saves money knowing how much you are subscribing.
    2.  When you shift usage from times when the 15-minute price is high to times when the 15-minute price is low, you get bill credits to reduce your overall bill. New smart thermostats and appliances will help you do this.
    3. You help the planet as you shift your usage to when the wind and solar are plentiful from when the wind and solar are scarce.

 

  • Or you can stay on your current price plan. The choice is yours.