California solar utility guide
SDG&E solar billing and net metering
The Solar Billing Plan values imported and exported electricity by time. SDG&E states that residential Solar Billing Plan customers use a time-of-use structure and receive credits for surplus exports.
Service territory: San Diego County and southern Orange County | Policy source checked 2026-10-07
Author profile: Marcus Vance. Verify the linked tariff before relying on a savings estimate.
Relevant document effective 2026-08-01. Expiration has not been established for this account; confirm the current source document.
What has actually been checked?
Review attempt: 2026-10-12. Status: partial.
Document-level review confirms six bundled TOU-ELEC energy prices and the standard daily base-services component in the official table effective August 1, 2026. Exact components are displayed separately.
Not verified: CCA/direct-access generation, PCIA vintage, discounts, taxes, export compensation and time-period eligibility are not fully imported. Verified import components are not a complete account tariff or export schedule.
Source-checked billing details
TOU-ELEC and EV-TOU table edition in the source index; verify the selected schedule. Policy source checked 2026-10-07; next review due 2026-11-06. This is not a numeric account-tariff import.
Eligibility: Check TOU-ELEC or eligible EV plan, CARE/FERA status, generation provider and legacy versus Solar Billing Plan.
Schedule: The source index separates current and historical schedules. Super-off-peak, off-peak and peak definitions must follow the actual plan, not a shared nationwide window.
- The TOU source index lists August 1, 2026-current rate tables.
- Delivery, generation and base-service charges must be checked separately.
Worked billing example and limitations
Illustrative battery test: 2 kW over a 15-minute interval can deliver at most 0.5 kWh, even if the battery contains 10 kWh. Use the account rate at that timestamp to value the discharge.
Current planning model
Solar Billing Plan with time-of-use pricing
Do not convert this label into a single permanent cents-per-kWh assumption. Open the official source below and verify the tariff that applies to the account and interconnection date.
Document-verified TOU-ELEC rate components
Bundled TOU-ELEC, standard base services charge, excluding CARE/FERA/DRAH adjustments. Effective 2026-08-01; source checked 2026-10-12; next review 2026-11-11.
| Period | Summer | Winter |
|---|---|---|
| On-peak | 0.72589 | 0.50584 |
| Off-peak | 0.38885 | 0.37679 |
| Super off-peak | 0.34450 | 0.33646 |
Standard base services component: $0.79343/day. Illustrative 30-day summer example with 100 kWh in each period: $145.92 energy + $23.80 base = $169.73 before other account items. Period energy is entered, not inferred from timestamps.
Not an account-wide bill forecast. CCA/direct-access generation, PCIA vintage, discounts, taxes, export compensation and the applicable time-period calendar require separate verification. Do not apply these bundled totals to CCA service or treat them as export credits.
Read the official effective rate tableAdvertisement
What to verify before using a savings calculator
- CHECK 1
Confirm legacy NEM status versus the Solar Billing Plan.
- CHECK 2
Use the current residential time-of-use tariff rather than a flat retail rate.
- CHECK 3
Model hourly export credits and evening household consumption.
- CHECK 4
Compare solar-only and solar-plus-storage scenarios using the same load assumptions.
Turn SDG&E billing rules into a better solar estimate
Start with your last 12 months of kWh usage, then compare the quote's production against that load. Next, separate energy used in the home from energy exported to San Diego Gas and Electric. Export value should follow the account's tariff, service date, and rate schedule, not a generic retail-rate assumption.
Verify against the primary source
Utility rules change. Wattcrunch records the review date and links to the source rather than presenting this page as a substitute for the tariff.
Open SDG&E Solar Billing PlanAdvertisement