California’s electric rates are changing.

New California State legislation, Assembly Bill 205, mandates the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to change the structure of electric bills for investor-owned utility customers.

As a result, the CPUC requires Liberty to adopt a Base Services Charge (BSC) rate structure where residential customers pay a monthly fixed charge based on their income beginning in 2026.

What does this mean for Liberty customers?

The BSC is not a new charge, and it is not an increase to customer bills.

The purpose of the BSC is to shift the costs that don’t change with a customer’s demand – such as wildfire mitigation – to a fixed service charge, which results in a more equitable allocation of fixed costs across all customers. This shift will reduce the volumetric rate that customers pay for their electricity usage. The shift from volumetric rates to the monthly fixed charge will result in little to no impact to an average customer’s bill.

With the reduced volumetric rates, the new BSC rate structure aims to make it more affordable for customers to transition to clean, all-electric vehicles and homes.

Customers who qualify for the CARE or CARE Plus programs will have a lower monthly BSC in addition to a reduced volumetric rate, resulting in a lower bill.

How does this change benefit Liberty customers?

When system maintenance, wildfire mitigation, reliability upgrades, and regulated programs are all charged to customers through volumetric rates, high-usage households end up paying a disproportionate share of the physical infrastructure costs, while low-usage homes may not contribute proportionally to the upkeep of the system they rely on for grid connectivity.

The shift from volumetric rates to a fixed charge will create a more equitable allocation of fixed costs across all customers.

How can I learn more about the CARE/CARE Plus programs?

Customers who qualify for the CARE or CARE Plus programs are encouraged to apply now in order to qualify for the reduced BSC; otherwise, they will be charged the standard fixed rate of $31.70.

Please click the button below to visit Liberty’s CARE page and view income limitations and instructions for applying.

CARE Program

Customers who are already enrolled in the CARE program will automatically receive the lower fixed charge on their bills when the Base Services Charge takes effect in September 2026. Customers who fall under the CARE Plus income guidelines will receive an even further reduced fixed charge on their bills.

How will this impact my bill?

Click each dropdown below to view a sample bill impact for an average residential customer.