I didn't believe the claim that electricity rates dropped by 4.3%. Even when I opened my SCE bill, it didn't feel like there was a significant reduction.

So, I read the rate advisory notices that SCE published for January, June, and October. To sum it up, while 4.3% is indeed the number SCE used, it's misleading if you rely on that figure for your bill.

Let's look at the source. The 4.3% figure appears in a press release from SCE dated August 26. It states that rates have dropped by an average of 4.3% compared to last December in 2026.

However, it doesn't specify whose average it is. The press release I read didn't mention that it only applied to residential customers.

There are separate figures for residential customers. According to the October notice, a typical customer using 500 kWh per month on the TOU-D-4-9PM plan is considered.

The January 1 notice shows a drop from $193.06 to $187.56, which is a 2.9% decrease. By June 1, it was $187.40, so that was only a 0.1% change, nearly the same.

The 4.3% does appear in the table. The CARE customer line in the January notice dropped from $117.46 to $112.40, which is a 4.3% decrease.

It could be a coincidence that the press release and the numbers match. However, it doesn't reflect the number of homes paying the standard rate.

Then, on October 1, the trend reversed. The rate increased from $185.85 to $188.64, which is a 1.5% rise. The average price also changed from 34.4 cents per kWh to 34.5 cents.

The reason is somewhat absurd. Although the total amount SCE collects has decreased, the GRC Phase 2 decision has increased the share that residential customers bear. Additionally, costs related to the Woolsey fire have been added.

The press release mentioned that further reductions are expected within the year. However, looking solely at residential rates, the latest notice I checked indicates an increase. Honestly, this part bothered me the most.

So, how much did rates actually drop? I calculated the difference between the pre-reduction rate of $193.06 from the January notice and the post-October rate of $188.64.

That's $4.42, which is a 2.3% decrease. The average price also dropped from 35.3 cents to 34.5 cents, showing the same 2.3% decrease. While there was a reduction, $4.42 a month is hardly enough to buy a latte.

Don't expect much from the Climate Credit anymore. This year, residential customers received $36 each in August and September, totaling $72.

There is a separate line in the notice for the reflected credit rate, which is exactly $6 less than the standard rate. It seems to be the value of $72 divided over 12 months. It doesn't mean that $6 will be deducted from your winter bill each month.

That's the rate discussion, but winter bills are actually more affected by time-of-use rates. According to the SCE rates page, the TOU-D-4-9PM winter period runs from October to May.

From 8 AM to 4 PM, it's Super Off-Peak at 32 cents per kWh. From 4 PM to 9 PM, it's Mid-Peak at 50 cents. From 9 PM to 8 AM, it's Off-Peak at 36 cents.

In winter, the weekday and weekend rates are the same. Since the applicable dates aren't listed on the page, be sure to check your bill's rate section alongside it.

Evening electricity is 18 cents more expensive per kWh than during the day, which is a 56% increase. The 1.5% fluctuations seem minor in comparison.

Let's calculate using a 1500W electric heater. It consumes 1.5 kWh per hour, so in the evening, it costs 75 cents, while during the day, it's 48 cents.

If you run it for 5 hours each evening for 30 days, that totals $112.50. This is before subtracting the baseline credit, but in a place like Torrance where winters aren't too harsh, that seems quite wasteful.

To review your bill, check the plan name, kWh usage from the same month last year, and usage by time of day. Just looking at the total amount won't help you distinguish whether the rates increased or if you used more.

You should also check the baseline credit. Within the allocation, there's a deduction of 9 cents per kWh, which for SCE's example of a 200 kWh allocation would be $18. The allocation varies by home location, so check your bill.

The Base Services Charge is 79 cents per day, which totals $23.70 for 30 days. No matter how much you conserve electricity, this charge remains the same.

The easiest way to save is to move your dryer and dishwasher usage to before 4 PM. If you're not home during the day, delay it until after 9 PM. It's 14 cents cheaper than in the evening.

If you have gas heating, you can't just rely on the numbers in this article. You need to check the heating costs separately on your SoCalGas bill.

If you're considering changing your plan, start with SCE's Rate Plan Comparison Tool. The best plan varies by household based on usage times, so I can't make a definitive statement.

If you meet the income criteria, the discounts can be much larger. According to the press release, CARE offers a 32.5% discount, and FERA offers an 18% discount, with nearly one-third of residential customers receiving them. You can check the criteria on the SCE website based on the number of household members.

CARE customers saw the October increase only rise from $111.06 to $111.25, which is just a 0.2% increase. That's quite different from the 1.5% for standard customers.

If you're feeling the immediate burden of rates, there are one-time assistance options or payment arrangements available through the Energy Assistance Fund. It's better to inquire ahead rather than wait until you're overdue.

I would forget about the 4.3% figure and pull out last year's bill. Then, I'd start reducing my evening heater usage. The time of 4 PM has a much bigger impact on my winter bill than the news of a rate decrease.