“California Climate Credit” will start appearing on April utility bills for hi-desert residents

California’s Climate Credit will begin showing up on SCE and SoCalGas bills this spring. The California Public Utilities Commission says that SCE Customers will get a $56 dollar credit in April and October, and SoCalGas customers get a one time $86.60 credit in April.

The credits come from California’s Cap-and-Trade program, which requires power plants and other facilities that emit greenhouse gases to buy carbon pollution allowances from auctions managed by the California Air Resources Board – or CARB. Each year the State issues a limited number of greenhouse gas emission allowances in line with California’s goal of reducing its overall emissions to 40% below 1990 levels by 2030.

The Cap-and-Trade Program was born from the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006. The program by itself actually increases your utility bill and rates, and the California Public Utilities Commission says that the California Climate Credit is one of the ways it is offsetting the increases while keeping the incentive for customers to conserve energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

The credits are only distributed through your utility bills, so you have to be a customer to receive them. You can find a full schedule of the credits for Southern California customers below, and you can learn more about the Cap and Trade program at this link.

2025 Electric California Climate Credit Schedule

2025 Natural Gas California Climate Credit Schedule