Electric Rates

Healdsburg electric rates are set to cover electric generation, transmission, and distribution costs as well as system and equipment maintenance, staff wages, and overhead costs.

  1. Current Rates
  2. Past Rates
  3. Rate Eligibility

Healdsburg Electric rates increase in November 2023. Healdsburg Electric carefully analyzed rates to determine necessary rate changes in order to continue reliable operations and electricity service. This is the first increase in five years. 

For the average household, the new rates are expected to average an annual increase of approximately $10 per month, and approximately $5 per month for multi-family apartments.

Why are the rates increasing?

  • Energy costs to the City have increased 26% over the last year and are forecasted to remain at this higher cost.
  • Transmission costs have increased 43% over the last six years and will continue to increase.
  • The rate increase will support large undergrounding projects along major thoroughfares to beautify Healdsburg and improve safety:
    • Seismic Retrofitting (liquefaction) at the Badger Substation
    • Undergrounding along Grove Street between Dry Creek Road and Grant Street
    • Undergrounding portions of Healdsburg Avenue between Parkland Farms and south of the Community Center
  • Other vital improvement projects are being deferred, but not neglected, in order to lessen the increases.
  • This rate change is not related to electrification or climate actions. The City continues to prepare for these activities and will analyze necessary rate impacts in the next rate study for 2027.

To learn more, please review the Staff Report (PDF).

Electric Rate Comparison

In general, Healdsburg Electric rates are over 40% lower than other local utilities.

This results in community-wide savings of nearly $11 million each year. Residents using 500 kWh per month are charged approximately $100 per month. Under PG&E's rates that bill would be approximately $175 per month.

The charts below compare the electricity cost for three typical customer types from three local utilities: Healdsburg Electric, PG&E, and Sonoma Clean Power (SCP).

The data is based on the SCP and PG&E Joint Comparison for rates as of June 2023.

Healdsburg Electric

Healdsburg Electric is a publicly owned utility (POU), which means that it is subject to local public control and regulation by the City’s governing body – the Healdsburg City Council.

PG&E

Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) is an investor-owned utility (IOU), which means it is a private company with shareholders and investors. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) oversees IOUs.  Click here to view current PG&E electric rates.

Sonoma Clean Power

Sonoma Clean Power is a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) electricity provider. CCA is a program available within IOU service territories that allows qualifying governmental entities to purchase electricity for their residents and businesses. The IOU is then responsible for delivering the electricity. Sonoma Clean Power is responsible for electricity generation, and PG&E is responsible for its transmission and distribution.  Click here to view current Sonoma Clean Power electric rates.

Bill Discounts & Ways to Save

Healdsburg Electric offers two bill discount programs:

To avoid increased utility bills, families could reduce energy usage by 1 or 2 kwh per day. Finding four old incandescent lightbulbs and replacing them with LEDs, could save 1 kWh per day.

Green Rate

The Healdsburg Green Rate is available to all residential and commercial customers for a small additional cost per kilowatt hour. Under the Green Rate, the City will procure, on the customer’s behalf, renewable energy to match the customer’s monthly energy consumption.

Green Rate for City Accounts

The City has moved its municipal electric accounts to the Healdsburg Green Rate, which uses 100% renewable energy. City facilities such as City Hall, the Wastewater Treatment Facility and the Community Center, and operations like traffic lights, electric vehicle (EV) chargers and pathway lighting are powered by renewable energy. By moving the City’s electric accounts to the Healdsburg Green Rate, the City has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by over 1,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MT C02e). For comparison, the average home emits 6.7 metric tons of C02e every year from electricity, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The Geysers are the world’s largest geothermal field. Super-heated steam generated from the Geysers, which spans about 45 square miles in the Mayacamas Mountains, is converted to electricity. To find our more about Healdsburg Electric power sources, view the Power Content Label.