Why such a long wait for the PTO from SDGE and how to change it?

[nmikmik]

I just had my ground mount system installed,
received the following working in the email from SDGE:

"This e-mail is to inform you that your City/County inspection has been received and is being processed by San Diego Gas & Electric's Net Energy Metering Department.The next step is for SDG&E to inspect your solar system. We will conduct your inspection within the next two weeks.
Please note: customers do not need to be present for our field inspection. We will be inspecting your electric meter only.
As a reminder, your solar system cannot operate until you receive notification from SDG&E (please refer to 3.2 of the Interconnection Agreement below)."

a. why they need two weeks to inspect the freaking meter?
b. is it going to be productive to sit on their tail and ask them every day why it's not inspected yet?

Thanks!

[J.P.M.]

I just had my ground mount system installed,
received the following working in the email from SDGE:

"This e-mail is to inform you that your City/County inspection has been received and is being processed by San Diego Gas & Electric's Net Energy Metering Department.The next step is for SDG&E to inspect your solar system. We will conduct your inspection within the next two weeks.
Please note: customers do not need to be present for our field inspection. We will be inspecting your electric meter only.
As a reminder, your solar system cannot operate until you receive notification from SDG&E (please refer to 3.2 of the Interconnection Agreement below)."

a. why they need two weeks to inspect the freaking meter?
b. is it going to be productive to sit on their tail and ask them every day why it's not inspected yet?

Thanks!

possible answers:

a.) Scheduling. You are not their only customer. Note, the time table is "within the next two weeks."
b.) If you're professional about it, you may see them sooner than 2 weeks. My experience from seeing how rude people in similar situations seem to not get much productive response makes me think the POCO prefers a bit of respect. Since they seem to be holding most of the face cards, and there's little you can do about it, I'd suggest a friendly call or two will produce the desired effect more than flaming, but suit yourself.

[compchat]

possible answers:

a.) Scheduling. You are not their only customer. Note, the time table is "within the next two weeks."
b.) If you're professional about it, you may see them sooner than 2 weeks. My experience from seeing how rude people in similar situations seem to not get much productive response makes me think the POCO prefers a bit of respect. Since they seem to be holding most of the face cards, and there's little you can do about it, I'd suggest a friendly call or two will produce the desired effect more than flaming, but suit yourself.

You have to remember that this is a 3 to 4 month process. It's very frustating to someone being ripped off by SDG$E at a rate o4 40 cents/KW. It's expensive too. That wait could cost the owner around $400 easily. I agree that SDG$E should priortize these visits especially to just examine the meter ?

[SunEagle]

You have to remember that this is a 3 to 4 month process. It's very frustating to someone being ripped off by SDG$E at a rate o4 40 cents/KW. It's expensive too. That wait could cost the owner around $400 easily. I agree that SDG$E should priortize these visits especially to just examine the meter ?

And that is the type of attitude that makes POCO's much less agreeable to working with a co-generator.

IMO you are angry at the wrong people and might learn a little how being civil will get you farther then argumentative.

[nmikmik]

And that is the type of attitude that makes POCO's much less agreeable to working with a co-generator.

IMO you are angry at the wrong people and might learn a little how being civil will get you farther then argumentative.

I always prefer the honey rather than vinegar approach in my communications.

It just gets a little under my skin that utility knew about my system coming online for at least 2-3 month and no I signed my paperwork end of May. The city inspector did his part and there's pretty much nothing left there for the SDGE to do.
Maybe I don't really understand the process, but when they say inspect the meter, to me it sounds like "ok we looked at your meter, it's there, fine go ahead and start producing clean energy"
What incentive does the SDGE has to speed up the process? They are loosing money on this "transaction", they may as well scheduled it "within a month", no?

[ButchDeal]

I always prefer the honey rather than vinegar approach in my communications.

It just gets a little under my skin that utility knew about my system coming online for at least 2-3 month and no I signed my paperwork end of May. The city inspector did his part and there's pretty nothing there for the SDGE to do.n
Maybe I don't really understand the process, but when they say inspect the meter, to me it sounds like "ok we looked at your meter, it's there, fine go ahead and start producing clean energy"
What incentive does the SDGE has to speed up the process? They are loosing money on this "transaction", they may as well scheduled it "within a month", no?

They will check the meter AND your system. Generally they perform an antislsnding test as part of the inspection and verify that all labels and reared disconnects are in place.

[nmikmik]

thanks,

would be interesting to find out if they see the problem i found in the installation.
The city inspector obviously missed it and I said nothing so far to the installer.

[solarz]

I just wonder if Power company really sends someone to your home to do the inspection if you already have Smart Meter?
I was told they did all test remotely and just turn on NEM program from the Smart Meter. For my home, power company can only see the smart meter if they visit us. if they want to do any inspection related to the solar system or even electric system, they must ask us to open the door. I did not see it happens.

[Willaby]

And that is the type of attitude that makes POCO's much less agreeable to working with a co-generator.

IMO you are angry at the wrong people and might learn a little how being civil will get you farther then argumentative.

Which "wrong people"? Agree with being civil, but there is no better POCO to get angry with and rant about than SDG&E. I see you're in Florida, we pay twice what you pay. Much of this is due to California politics, but the CPUC is very aligned with SDG&E. Solar and EV rates increase 4-5 times a year here, some rates are up over 60% in less than two years. Low rate TOU periods are short, only 5 or 6 hours. I could go on and on, but know SDG&E is Sempra (SRE) which was born from Enron in 1998, revenues up 20% in the last five years, but profits have doubled, along with the stock price and the dividend payment. NO other private (publicly traded) utility like it, none. Please, we'll even take any other California utility than SDG&E. Notice that SDG&E is the only California utility about to hit the NEM 5% cap?

To the original poster, SDG&E may not even do a site visit. They just rubber stamped mine due to the installer and small size of my system. It was turned on in two days. Hope yours goes as well.

[nmikmik]

I just wonder if Power company really sends someone to your home to do the inspection if you already have Smart Meter?
I was told they did all test remotely and just turn on NEM program from the Smart Meter. For my home, power company can only see the smart meter if they visit us. if they want to do any inspection related to the solar system or even electric system, they must ask us to open the door. I did not see it happens.

I gave up trying to find logic in this kind of things long ago, so if they have to come and inspect my system after the city inspector already gave a go ahead, fine with me. If they do it remotely, works for me as well, I do have the smart meter. Same situation for me, they can't get inside the gate without us opening it, unless they can figure out how to maneuver it...

[nmikmik]

Which "wrong people"? Agree with being civil, but there is no better POCO to get angry with and rant about than SDG&E. I see you're in Florida, we pay twice what you pay. Much of this is due to California politics, but the CPUC is very aligned with SDG&E. Solar and EV rates increase 4-5 times a year here, some rates are up over 60% in less than two years. Low rate TOU periods are short, only 5 or 6 hours. I could go on and on, but know SDG&E is Sempra (SRE) which was born from Enron in 1998, revenues up 20% in the last five years, but profits have doubled, along with the stock price and the dividend payment. NO other private (publicly traded) utility like it, none. Please, we'll even take any other California utility than SDG&E. Notice that SDG&E is the only California utility about to hit the NEM 5% cap?

To the original poster, SDG&E may not even do a site visit. They just rubber stamped mine due to the installer and small size of my system. It was turned on in two days. Hope yours goes as well.

Thanks, that would be nice and I completely agree with your above statements. SDGE has been and continues to be a complete ripoff
BTW, I usually don't get angry at any people, maybe my wording was a little off to give the impression that I was angry with anyone?...
In any case, I felt that I invested a lot of money in my system and wanted to be able to turn it on as soon as possible without bureaucratic jumping through hoops, but this would conflict with my previous statement of knowing not to look for logic

[J.P.M.]

You have to remember that this is a 3 to 4 month process. It's very frustating to someone being ripped off by SDG$E at a rate o4 40 cents/KW. It's expensive too. That wait could cost the owner around $400 easily. I agree that SDG$E should priortize these visits especially to just examine the meter ?

Mine took about 8 weeks, contract signing to PTO. As for the ~ $0.40/kW for summertime tier 3 stuff, customers can always exercise control over usage either by conservation or shifting to a T.O.U. tariff.

I try to be proactive and minimize contact with organizations I feel are ripping me off.

[compchat]

San Onofre

What happened with San Onfore nuclear plant. It had two working generators serving 80 thousand people. The electric companies accepted faulty generators which lead to taking them off line (Mitsubishi). They were suppose to work for 20 years. Why hasn't anyone sued Mitsubishi? The response by the owners of San Onofre is to close it down and remove it at tax payers expense. So the taxpayer built it, maintained it, paid for faulty japanese generators and are now required to pay for decomissioning and removal of the plant.

Yes we are angry with SDG&E (and other power companies) If not for their incompetence the cost of electricity would be less than the third tier 40 cents/KW. My electric bill was 800 dollars for the month of July. Highest bill I've ever received which caused me to seek alternative sources, e.g. solar. I hope everyone that owns a home or a business does the same thing.

Oh, and I doubt that the 40 cents will be the highest rate for long.

[Willaby]

Mine took about 8 weeks, contract signing to PTO. As for the ~ $0.40/kW for summertime tier 3 stuff, customers can always exercise control over usage either by conservation or shifting to a T.O.U. tariff.

I try to be proactive and minimize contact with organizations I feel are ripping me off.

You're preaching "101" stuff with conservation and TOU may or may not be a solution for everyone. Most or all considering or already having solar have figured this out. If you look at kwh usage per capita, San Diego is the lowest in California and California is among the lowest of all states. Usage has risen 1-3% annual for the country as a whole but only 2% in California for the past entire decade (credit Sensij for this stat). Simply put: say I'm driving an Accord and get 25 mpg, but gas goes to $4 and I feel I'm getting ripped off, so I buy a Civic to get 40 mpg, this doesn't change my opinion I'm getting ripped off for any gas I buy.

Minimizing contact? I'm sure SDG&E and the CPUC appreciated that!

[compchat]

Mine took about 8 weeks, contract signing to PTO. As for the ~ $0.40/kW for summertime tier 3 stuff, customers can always exercise control over usage either by conservation or shifting to a T.O.U. tariff.

I try to be proactive and minimize contact with organizations I feel are ripping me off.

So I am suppose to swelter in the summer heat because the electric companies are grossly overcharging us ? What kind of control would you suggest. I just bought power strips which turn off tv, vcr etc. when they are not in use. Refrigerators, air conditioners, pool pumps can only be turned down so far. Even a computer requires electricity for the computer, router, speakers, amplifiers, modem, peripherals.

I'm having an 11 KW system installed consisting of 41 panels and two sunny boy inverters. This should give me on sunny summer days about 90 % of the electricity I need. BTW each inverter allows me to draw off 1500 watts of power during a grid or simulated grid failure.

But let's not kid ourselves, the cost of energy has no where to go but up. Hiliary Clinton has a goal of 500,000 new solar home installs during her first term in office. Nice goal, but not enough to get me to vote for her