Electric disconnections in California, 2024
California ranks 40th of 51, 1st being the highest rate. The California total is 473,544 disconnections on about 13,985,134 accounts, 6.0 per 100 below the U.S. rate of 9.4. It also counts 3,592,374 final-notice events. Events, not homes: an account cut off twice counts twice.
California month by month
California: October peaked at 67,405 disconnections, January bottomed at 24,281. Per 100 California accounts the monthly rate ran from 0.17 (January) to 0.48 (October). California averaged 0.20 a month in December to February and 0.26 in June to August: summer ran 1.3 times winter.
California disconnections per month, 2024
- 24.3kJan
- 28.8kFeb
- 34.8kMar
- 46.5kApr
- 38.5kMay
- 33.6kJun
- 28.9kJul
- 48.3kAug
- 51.3kSep
- 67.4kOct
- 41.0kNov
- 30.1kDec
| Month | California final notices | California disconnections | California reconnections | California accounts | California per 100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 259,087 | 24,281 | 20,440 | 13,940,225 | 0.17 |
| February | 249,170 | 28,803 | 23,211 | 13,940,964 | 0.21 |
| March | 269,206 | 34,811 | 28,357 | 13,955,606 | 0.25 |
| April | 263,152 | 46,541 | 39,462 | 13,967,903 | 0.33 |
| May | 238,977 | 38,464 | 32,869 | 13,980,032 | 0.28 |
| June | 196,835 | 33,603 | 27,844 | 13,975,401 | 0.24 |
| July | 268,542 | 28,948 | 24,045 | 14,001,909 | 0.21 |
| August | 310,840 | 48,257 | 37,990 | 14,007,269 | 0.34 |
| September | 355,019 | 51,334 | 41,351 | 14,009,621 | 0.37 |
| October | 429,445 | 67,405 | 57,009 | 14,012,590 | 0.48 |
| November | 366,841 | 41,021 | 35,467 | 14,009,974 | 0.29 |
| December | 385,260 | 30,076 | 26,322 | 14,020,116 | 0.21 |
| Year | 3,592,374 | 473,544 | 394,367 | 13,985,134 (mean) | 3.39 (yearly) |
Scale California to your town
Statewide rate for California: 3.39 per 100. A single utility can sit far from it.
California utilities that reported
California: 27 utilities reported. They sum to 464,418 of the 473,544 disconnections in the state total; Pacific Gas & Electric Co. alone reported 191,055 (40%).
20 California utilities have 5,000+ accounts and twelve months of data. Their rates run from 0.4 (City Of Palo Alto - (CA)) to 47.8 (City Of Moreno Valley - (CA)) per 100.
| California utility | Disconnections | Avg accounts | Per 100 | Final notices | Reconnections | Months |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Gas & Electric Co. | 191,055 | 4,750,916 | 4.0 | 1,022,257 | 153,290 | 12 of 12 |
| Southern California Edison Co | 88,061 | 4,624,551 | 1.9 | 815,094 | 64,116 | 12 of 12 |
| Sacramento Municipal Utility District | 70,815 | 592,557 | 12.0 | 440,594 | 68,912 | 12 of 12 |
| San Diego Gas & Electric Co | 36,881 | 1,360,226 | 2.7 | 163,632 | 30,209 | 12 of 12 |
| Imperial Irrigation District | 14,965 | 142,108 | 10.5 | 374,124 | 13,461 | 12 of 12 |
| City Of Riverside - (CA) | 12,799 | 100,871 | 12.7 | 120,289 | 11,017 | 12 of 12 |
| Modesto Irrigation District | 8,983 | 107,012 | 8.4 | 115,273 | 8,319 | 12 of 12 |
| City Of Roseville - (CA) | 7,495 | 55,338 | 13.5 | 50,511 | 7,223 | 12 of 12 |
| City Of Anaheim - (CA) | 7,046 | 108,212 | 6.5 | 100,727 | 6,511 | 12 of 12 |
| Turlock Irrigation District | 5,812 | 76,383 | 7.6 | 92,167 | 5,369 | 12 of 12 |
California against its neighbours
California sits in the Pacific division. Its 4 division peers average 3.4 per 100; the highest is Oregon at 4.5 and the lowest Alaska at 2.5. California is 0.0 below the division average.
| California borders | Rank of 51 | Per 100 | Gap to California | Times California | Final notices per 100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 9th | 14.1 | +10.7 | 4.17x | 71.2 |
| Oregon | 30th | 4.5 | +1.2 | 1.34x | 42.3 |
| Arizona | 36th | 3.6 | +0.2 | 1.05x | 20.7 |
Closest in the ranking to California: Minnesota 3.4, Maryland 3.4, Vermont 3.2, Iowa 3.2.
How firm the California number is
California response rate: 98.6% weighted by size, 87.5% by count. Utilities reported 464,418; EIA's adjustment is +9,126 (+1.9% of 473,544). Largest monthly relative standard error, California: 4.4%. EIA flags no California month. Flag codes and method.
Shutoff rule read for California
| California rule | What the text says |
|---|---|
| Cold weather | No season or temperature ban in Pub. Util. Code §§ 779.1, 779.2 or 777.1 (read in full). The only weather rule we read is in PG&E's own tariff, Electric Rule 11 section B (sheet effective 1 April 2021, Resolution M-4849): residential service is not disconnected when temperatures above 100 degrees or below 32 degrees are forecast by PG&E on a 72-hour look-ahead. |
| Hot weather | Same PG&E tariff rule (above 100 degrees, 72-hour look-ahead). Not confirmed in the rule text for Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric or other utilities; the CPUC decision behind the tariff (the Clearinghouse cites D.20-06-003) was not read. |
| Protected customers | Customers 65 or older and dependent adults can request a third-party notification service on the corporation's form with the third party's written consent; it does not delay termination ((c)). |
| Notice before disconnection | At least 19 days from the mailing of the bill to pay; termination notice mailed not earlier than 19 days after the bill and at least 10 days before proposed termination, with the 10 days starting five days after mailing ((a)); phone or personal contact attempt at least 24 hours before, else notice by mail or in person at least 48 hours before ((b)). |
| Payment plans | Notice must describe the procedure to request amortization of the unpaid charges ((d)(5)); breach of an amortization agreement needs 48 hours' notice ((f)). |
| Complaints | Customers whose complaint got an adverse result may appeal to the commission ((e)); notice must include the commission's phone number (number itself not in text). |
Read: Cal. Public Utilities Code § 779.1, checked 2026-10-02. Statute: every electrical, gas, heat or water corporation, residential customers (§ 779.1). Weather rule: confirmed only for PG&E (its tariff); other utilities not confirmed. Municipal utilities and co-ops: not addressed in the text read.
Not legal advice; check your California notice.
Help in California
California LIHEAP eligibility as listed: Heating, Cooling, Crisis, & Weatherization: 60% State Median Income.
California benefits as listed: Heating: $94 minimum, $1,500 maximum, Cooling: $283 minimum, $932 maximum Crisis: $1,500 maximum.
Programs named for California: California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE); Liberty Utilities; Medical Baseline Allowance; CARE.
What this means for you in California
- California had 3,592,374 final notices and 473,544 disconnections: 13 disconnections per 100 notices. A notice is not a disconnection.
- California reconnections ran at 83 per 100 disconnections. The data give no time to restore.
- Cold-weather rule in California, as we read it: No season or temperature ban in Pub. Util. Code §§ 779.1, 779.2 or 777.1 (read in full). The only weather rule we read is in PG&E's own tariff, Electric Rule 11 section B (sheet effective 1 April 2021, Resolution M-4849) ... October was the busiest California month by count.
- To contest a California notice: Customers whose complaint got an adverse result may appeal to the commission ((e)); notice must include the commission's phone number (number itself not in text).
- Cannot pay in full? Ask your California utility for a payment plan, then the LIHEAP office above.
More
Sources
Form EIA-112, Residential Utility Disconnection Survey, calendar year 2024, EIA release page (released 2026-04-14, file retrieved 2026-10-07). Utility file: electric utility-level workbook; report: 2024 Residential Utility Disconnections Report. Monthly CSV
Questions
How many electric disconnections were there in California in 2024?
473,544 in California, of which utilities reported 464,418. That is 3.4 per 100 accounts, 40th of 51.
Does 3.4 per 100 mean 3% of California homes lost service?
No. The 473,544 California disconnections are events; a home cut off twice counts twice. EIA gives no count of distinct California homes.
Which month had the most disconnections in California?
October, with 67,405. January had 24,281.
How many California utilities have a yearly rate?
23 of 27. The rest left a month blank or share a name with another row.