Time of Use for NEM 2.0 (NEM-ST) customers on SDGE

[Kaya]

Hello everyone,

I have a question about ToU rates on SDGE NEM2.0 customers who are on DR-SES plan. I am sorry if this was discussed and explained before.

If the system generates more power than used at the end of true-up period, being on Tiered plan or ToU does not matter, except you have to pay non-by-passable charges. Is that statement correct?


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Can you review the examples below and see if my understanding is correct?

Example 1)
Annual Household consumption: 6000kWhr
Annual Solar Generation: 6000kWhr

True up cost = Non Bypassable Charges($10?) * 12 = $120 total cost.

Example 2)
Annual HouseHold Consumption: 5400kWhr
Annual Solar Generation: 6000 KWhr

Overgeneration: SDGE pays 2 cents(?) for extra generation = 600kWh * 0.02 = $120
True-up Cost = 0

Example 3)
Annual Household Consumption = 7000kWhr
Annual Solar Generation: 6000kWhr

Excess consumption is during semi-peak hours summer evenings 6-10pm on DR-SES costs $0.25 per kWhr
Total bill at true up is 1000 * $0.25 (excess usage) + NBC ($120) = $370.

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And last question I have is can I assume $10 NBC on average per month?

Thanks for your help!

[J.P.M.]

Not correct on the 1st question. If all your examples are on T.O.U., generally not correct. Things are more complicated than that and SDG & E is not making it easy to understand.

[sensij]

It is possible, under TOU, to still have a bill even if what you consume matches what you've produced. If all of your consumption is at peak rates, for example, and your generation is primarily at semi-peak (or whatever the tariff calls it), you could need to pay the difference since what you consumed costs more than the credit you get for what you generated. This is entirely separate from the true-up or NBC calculations.

At *true-up*, you will get paid the wholesale rate if you were a net generator. This is true regardless of whether you are on a tiered plan or TOU. This calculation is totally separate from what happens on the monthly bill.

The interaction of NBC's and the monthly minimum bill ($10 / mo) is not well defined. At this time, it *appears* that NBC charges will be less than $10 / mo for common usage scenarios, and that the amount owed for NBC's will count towards the minimum bill. However, it is still possible that these calculations will be refined.

[CharlieEscCA]

I believe it's $10 minimum a month plus NBC charges.

[sabersix]

Example 2: 600 Kwh * $0.02 = $12 not $120. Thus over production is not advised.

[oldguy]

Per another thread (dealing with SCE billing) I've discovered the SCE NEM2 "how to interpret your bill". In particular, I'm on my 3rd month post-PTO and I've carried energy credits in the first two months so I'm only dealing with minimum charges. Here's a copy/paste from a CPUC ruling (I've got the link of the full document at the other post):

2. A minimum bill for residential customers on the non-generation portion of their monthly electric bill in lieu of a fixed charge is adopted. (has footnote 24)
Here's footnote 24: The minimum bill for California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) customers is $5; the minimum for non-CARE customers is $10.

Note the "non-generation". So any way I slice/dice (on SCE) the bill works out to DWR bond charge + (#bill days) x 0.329 -- "franchise fee" ($0.08 and $0.11 on my first two bills) + state tax (if any, and only apparently if you're a net importer...and $0.02 on my 2nd bill).

The DWR bond charge, which was the result of the "Ca energy crisis of 2001" is in the "delivery charges" (vs. generation charges) and yet the other NBCs do fit in the "non-generation" * and thus count towards your minimum charges. Note that these total (for SCE) to $5.54 for 387 kWh...so roughly double that kWh will take out your entire minimum charge. I think my system is big enough (and we use just a little more than our baseline of ~400 kWh) that I won't have any energy charges through the year and thus just dealing with minimum charges.

I would expect the SDGE calculation should be similar in nature...that is the three non-DWR bond NBCs count towards your minimum charge.

* edited-I'm now back to thinking SCE is billing incorrectly...though I at least know to the penny how they are calculating. My wife dredged up a bill from when I was on TOU (from last year). In particular, at least the Public Purpose Programs Charge (PPPC NBC) is delineated over on the side as one of the "Your delivery charges include" $9.96 public purpose programs charge...and thus part of the delivery aka "non-generation" charge. Thus another one of the NBCs that should count towards ones minimum charges in any given month (and again, assuming an "energy charge" credit (which happens to be a negative number).

[sensij]

I would expect the SDGE calculation should be similar in nature...that is the three non-DWR bond NBCs count towards your minimum charge.

SDG&E is different, but yes, it looks like some portion of the NBC's count towards the minimum bill. The calculation is broken down in one of these NEM threads.