Model your electric bill, solar system, battery and payback using current California utility data — with the assumptions, rates and official sources shown behind every result. No sign-up.
Bill rewind
Updated August 5, 2026 · based on EIA residential price data · by Cali Energy
How much have California electricity rates risen? A lot — the average residential price climbed from about 17.4¢/kWh in 2016 to about 32.8¢ in 2026 (year-to-date), roughly 89% in a decade — far above the ~30% rise in general consumer prices. The same electricity that costs you $200 today would have been about $106 at 2016 rates and about $134 at 2020 rates.
✓ Built on U.S. EIA average residential electricity prices for California. See the exact rates it uses ↓
What the same power cost at older California rates.
Uses CA residential average price: 17.39¢ (2016), ~22¢ (2020, approx.), 31.97¢ (2024) vs 32.83¢ (2026 YTD), per EIA. Assumes identical usage; a real bill also moved with your consumption, plan and fixed charges. Historical comparison, not a projection.
The rates and figures this calculator usestap to verify
The tool holds your usage fixed and re-prices it at past California rates, so you see rate inflation alone. Here are the exact average prices it uses (U.S. EIA).
| 2016 | 17.39¢ |
| 2020 | 22.00¢ |
| 2024 | 31.97¢ |
| 2026 (year-to-date) | 32.83¢ |
| Same power, past price | = current bill × (year rate ÷ current rate) |
| Rate increase | = current rate ÷ year rate − 1 |
Figures are U.S. EIA average residential prices for California, so they show the statewide trend rather than any one account. Your own rate depends on your utility and plan — open the linked EIA page for the source series. The inflation comparison uses U.S. BLS CPI-U (all items), 2016 vs 2026 year-to-date.
Example results you can reproduce
Holding a $200 monthly bill fixed and rewinding the price, the same electricity would have cost:
| $200 bill rewound to | Same power cost then | Rate increase since |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | $106 | +89% |
| 2020 | $134 | +49% |
| 2024 | $195 | +3% |
How this calculator works
It keeps your usage constant and scales your current bill by the ratio of the past year’s average California price to today’s. That isolates price change from usage change — the result is what the same electricity would have cost at old rates, and the percentage is how far the rate itself has climbed since that year.
How to read your result
This is a historical comparison at a fixed level of usage, not a forecast. It answers “how much of my bill is rate inflation versus how much power I use” — useful context when deciding whether to lock in solar. It does not predict future rates, though California’s prices have risen steadily and well above the national average.
What this shows — and what it doesn’t
It shows the statewide rate trend from federal averages, which is the fairest single yardstick. It doesn’t capture your exact plan, time-of-use pricing, or the fixed charges on your bill, so treat the dollar figures as illustrative of the trend rather than as your precise historical bill.
Common questions
Why is the rate sometimes shown as ~27¢ instead of ~33¢?
Different sources average differently — some blend in lower-usage or older data. This tool uses the U.S. EIA California residential average, which is near 33¢ for 2026.
Did rates really rise faster than inflation?
Yes — by a wide margin. California electricity rose about 89% from 2016, versus roughly 30% for overall U.S. consumer prices (BLS CPI-U, all items, 2016 vs 2026 year-to-date) over the same window, so it has taken a growing share of household budgets.
Does this mean my bill will keep going up?
The tool is a look back, not a forecast. But the long trend has been steadily upward, which is why solar — by fixing much of your cost up front — may reduce your exposure to future utility rate increases.
How does this affect whether solar is worth it?
Rising rates raise the value of the electricity solar offsets, shortening payback. Feed your bill into our payback and “is solar worth it” tools to see the effect.
Sources
- EIA — Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A (residential price by state)
- EIA — California Electricity Profile
- EIA — Electric Sales, Revenue, and Average Price
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Consumer Price Index
- EIA — Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.B (US residential average)
Estimates only, not a quote. Assumptions, rates, incentives and program rules can change — confirm current details with your utility, the program administrator or a licensed professional.
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