Santa Barbara City explains electric bill increase

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Recently, Santa Barbara Clean Energy —  the city’s green energy community-choice aggregator —  shared an announcement from Southern California Edison, stating that Edison had raised its electricity rates. 

That rate increase coincided with the launch of Santa Barbara Clean Energy, thereby causing some confusion when customers reviewed their bills.

Santa Barbara Clean Energy charges are not additional charges to what customers previously paid Edison, instead they replace Edison generation charges that were already charged to customers.

According to the city, Edison’s rate increase is specifically related to the infrastructure needed to deliver power to homes and businesses and applies to all customers in Santa Barbara and the entire Edison service area. 

“The Santa Barbara Clean Energy charge shows up as a unique section on the bill,” City of Santa Barbara acting sustainability and resilience co-director Alelia Parenteau said. “It looks like an additional charge but it actually replaces a charge that Edison has historically billed to the customer directly.”

It’s based on the increasing costs of updating poles, wires, and other infrastructure to prevent wildfires and modernize their grid.

Santa Barbara Clean Energy provides customers with green energy, and Edison delivers electricity. This is shown on every electricity bill under procurement and delivery rates. 

Santa Barbara Clean Energy procurement rates are staying the same.

Santa Barbara Clean Energy’s mission is to offer customers green energy options with continued reliable electric service to achieve our community’s ambitious climate goals. 

This is particularly important because local electricity use accounts for over 20% of Santa Barbara’s greenhouse gas emissions.

SoCal Edison is slated for an additional rate increase in March.

For more information about the Santa Barbara Clean Energy program, you can click here.