Solar keeps future prices down

We were cash positive after one year from installing solar hot water and PV panels. However the rest of CA continues to face increased rates. Our electric rates have been fixed at 5.50 per month which is the cause of taxes to use the transmission lines. Our gas bill has averaged $15 per month mostly from December-February.

PGE wants to increase rates because of their increasing gas costs. Like fuel prices consumers are trapped by infrastructure. According to the article

"Electricity rates for all customers would rise by an average of 4.5 percent in October and an additional 2 percent in January. PG&E has different rates for different types of customers, and some would see a larger increase than others. The monthly electric bill for a typical home would rise a total of $1.30, to reach $73.43.

While it gets less public attention than oil, diesel and gasoline, natural gas has seen its own wild swings in price. The fuel now costs 63 percent more than it did a year ago, more than PG&E predicted."