Community Choice is coming to electric customers of San Diego County but what is Community Choice and what does it mean for you as a customer?
Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) is a locally run not-for-profit organization that was enabled by the California Legislature in 2002 AB117. The first CCA in San Diego County began operation in June 2018 and Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) continues to grow.
Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) does not generate electricity. Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) enables communities to pool ( i.e. aggregate) their electric load and purchase clean energy on the open market at competitive rates as well as develop local programs that benefit the community. The existing Investor-Owned Utility (IOU) continues to deliver power and maintain the grid.
The goals and benefits of Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) are:
- Accountability, transparency, local control and consumer choice
- Assist communities with reaching their climate and economic goals
- Promote transition to a cleaner energy supply
- Reinvest revenues in the community instead of distributing to shareholders
- Allow communities to develop renewable energy projects
- Act as a tool for establishing local energy resources and programs
Since Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) works with local Investor Owned Utilities (IOU), customers are billed through their local Investor Owned Utility (IOU). Utility Customers are automatically enrolled in the Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) per State Mandate but can opt out of the program by contacting your local CCA. Terms and conditions may apply to opting out of Community Choice Aggregation (CCA).
You still call your local Investor Owned Utility such as SDGE, SolCal Edison, or PG&E, if you have questions about your account or issues with your utility service such as downed power lines or power outages.
There are some programs offered through the Investor Owned Utilities (IOUs) that are impacted by the switch to Community Choice Aggregation (CCA).
For SDGE customers, the following programs are not offered to Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) participants:
- EcoChoice
- EcoShare
- Reduce Your Use Rewards (ended for all SDGE customers on 2-31-2018)
- Direct Access
SDGE customers enrolled in any of these programs who choose to stay enrolled in Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) will be removed from the above listed SDGE programs.
Makello’s Ethical Energy Savings Report is the result of a detailed trade-off study of discount utility rates, Community Choice Aggregation options, grants, rebates, tax credits, and equipment options, to determine the fastest payback and highest return on investment, to meet your home, business and vehicle energy needs.
SDGE customers receiving California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE), Family Electric Rate Assistance Program (FERA), and Medical Baseline discount within their San Diego Gas & Electric (SDGE) energy delivery charges will continue to receive the discount after switching to Community Choice Aggregation (CCA).
SDGE Customers on Net Energy Metering (NEM) rates will still have Net Energy Metering (NEM) if offered through the Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) provider. If you are grandfathered on a NEM pricing, you will see no change in your grandfathered rates if NEM is offered through your CCA.
Please check with your local Investor Owner Utility to find out if your program enrollment or billing will be impacted by the switch to Community Choice Aggregation (CCA).
The first CCA in San Diego County was the Solana Energy Alliance which began operation in June 2018 and merged with Clean Energy Alliance in May 2021.
The Clean Energy Alliance CCA is currently servicing Solana Beach, Carlsbad, San Marcos, Escondido, and Del Mar. Service began in May 2021 for customers in Solana Beach, Carlsbad, and Del Mar. Service roll out began in December 2021 for Escondido and San Marcos. Please visit the Clean energy Alliance for more information regarding rates and other information for this CCA. https://thecleanenergyalliance.org/ The Clean Energy Alliance currently has all the information in pdf documents and does not have an online comparison tool.
The Clean Energy Alliance offers rates based on 50% clean energy production, 75% clean energy production or 100% clean energy production as well as Net Energy Metering (NEM) for customers with renewable energy production systems.
The Net Energy Metering (NEM) program from Clean Energy Alliance is similar to the current program offered by SDGE. The energy usage and excess production are tracked and at the end of the 12 month relevant period, the account is trued up. If there is a net charge due, the customer will be billed. If the customer had a net excess generation, they are eligible to receive Net Surplus Compensation which is set as of February 2022 at $0.06 per kilowatt-hour for Net Excess Generation.
SDGE customers enrolled in Net Energy Metering (NEM) will automatically be enrolled in the Clean Energy Alliance Net Energy Metering (NEM) Rate. Customers who install a solar, wind or other self-generation system after switching to services provided by Clean Energy Alliance can sign up for Net Energy Metering (NEM) with SDGE and be automatically enrolled in the Clean Energy Alliance Personal Impact Net Energy Metering (NEM) rate.
The largest CCA in San Diego County is San Diego Community Power. This organization covers the majority of the County. The organization is initially offering two rates tiers, PowerOn and Power100 as well as Net Energy Metering (NEM).
The City of Encinitas has opted for automatic enrollment of residents in Power100 rate and Imperial Beach, La Mesa, Chula Vista, and San Diego will be enrolled in the standard PowerOn rate. The Net Energy Metering (NEM) program is similar to the current SDGE program except San Diego Community Power bills monthly instead of issuing a potentially large bill at the annual true up. If you prefer to true up annually, you may contact San Diego Community Power and sign up for that option.
San Diego Community Power has an incentive for customers that have energy generation systems producing an excess of electricity as measured in annual net kilowatt-hours at the end of their 12 month relevant period. Those customers will be compensated at the Net Surplus Compensation rate which is based on SDGE’s True Up Monthly rate plus a $0.0075/kWh adder. More information on SDGEs excess generation compensation may be found here https://www.sdge.com/residential/savings-center/solar-power-renewable-energy/net-energy-metering/billing-information/excess-generation
San Diego Community Power has a tool to help customers in their service territory estimate their bill with the different rates. The button for the Bill Comparison Calculator for residential and commercial rates is located at the bottom of the page. Please click this link to access the tool. https://sdcommunitypower.org/your-choice/compare-service-plans/
Since the service territory is so large with such a large number of customers, San Diego Community Power service has been rolled out in steps. The dates are as listed in the chart below.
San Diego Community Power Service Territory Eligibility Dates
| Location | Residential Eligibility Date | Commercial Eligibility Date | Municipal Eligibility Date |
| Unincorporated Areas of San Diego County | 2023 | 2023 | 2023 |
| City of San Diego | May 2022 | June 2021 | May 2021 |
| Chula Vista | May 2022 | June 2021 | May 2021 |
| Encinitas | April 2022 | June 2021 | May 2021 |
| Imperial Beach | February 2022 | June 2021 | May 2021 |
| La Mesa | March 2022 | June 2021 | May 2021 |
| National City | 2023 | 2023 | 2023 |
For those who prefer a picture, here is a map showing the Cities with residential roll out in 2022 for San Diego Community Power and the dates noted in the legend.
Here is a map showing the communities that are scheduled to be eligible for service from San Diego Community Power some time in 2023. Stay tuned for more information on service roll out as it becomes available.
Makello is an authorized distributor for Green Energy EPC CA Lic #978836
Reference:
https://cal-cca.org/powered/https://
www.sdge.com/customer-choice/community-choice-aggregation/active-ccas
https://thecleanenergyalliance.org/
https://bill-compare.communityenergysolutions.com/ui-https://sdcommunitypower.org/v2/home/4/1/1