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California homes blocks apart can face $180 or $410 electric bills for the same power use

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Source: The Cool Down

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.

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