3-year Graph of PG&E Residential Rates

The graph below shows how electricity rates have changed for each of the 5 tiers in PG&E's normal residential rate plan, which is called the E-1 rate. After holding fairly constant throughout 2007 and early 2008, the top 3 tiers rose rather dramatically starting on October 1, 2008. On 9/30/08, the day before the rates jumped, you could have bought a kWh of "Tier 5" electricity for $.359. Today, less than six months later, the price is $.441. That's 23% higher, and during most of that period the cost of oil and natural gas have been trending strongly downwards! I wish this kind of information was being more widely reported.