The Cool Down · San Jose, CA
Nearby: San Jose, CACalifornia homes blocks apart can face $180 or $410 electric bills for the same power use
Two comparable homes just blocks apart in Santa Clara and San Jose could come with strikingly different electricity bills, depending on which utility serves them. In a hypothetical comparison, local real estate agent Steve Mun (@Stevemungroup) put those monthly costs at $180 in Santa Clara versus $410 in San Jose. Here's what to know Most San Jose homes, meanwhile, receive electricity delivery through investor-owned PG&E. Mun explained in a YouTube video that Santa Clara operates its own municipal utility, Silicon Valley Power. Mun's example involved two families living in similar 1,500-square-foot houses, each with central air conditioning and an electric vehicle charging nightly. The $230 monthly difference would add up to $2,760 annually. The comparison was illustrative, rather than a documented account of two households' actual bills. PG&E's responsibilities include maintaining a much larger service territory, with areas vulnerable to wildfires.