SCE forcing me off TOU-D-A

[jasonvr]

@janonvr Jason....So no...do not have the return envelope. Yes, I'm NEM 2.0 and went TOU-D-A with PTO.

If you are a NEM 1.0 customer, you will transition to your new TOU rate five years from your Permission to Operate (PTO) date, beginning in fall 2021 and not to exceed 2022. This applies to residential and small business customers who received permission to operate before July 1, 2017. If you are an NEM 1.0 customer, you will still be moved to a TOU rate plan unless you want to choose to switch to another rate plan.


What plan are you currently on? If TOU I think as a NEM 1.0 you can fall back to tiered (wish I could...because these late afternoon peaks just kill ROI). When I copied/pasted those paragraphs I wasn't focusing on NEM 1.0. Now that I've reread a couple of times it seems very confusing to me. I wouldn't do anything via mail without a) calling to tell them what your plan is and if you need to mail them something send registered receipt. I felt like I was in a cornfield maze today on the phone. I'm 80% confident that there's an internal memo at SCE on how to rope-a-dope customers like me on the phone. I was polite on the phone but internally livid on the way I was treated today.

BTW, do you know how to start a thread? I think SCE is acting shamefully on this issue and I'd like others that might just glance at this site to catch wind of this.

I am NEM1.0 and Tiered looks like the right choice for me. So congrats SCE - I'll go from caring when I use my electricity to not caring at all. I currently only run my pool pump and dishwasher at night to use super off peak. Now I'll run them whenever I want, including peak periods

Now I'll try to figure if adding a few more panels, up to my NEM1.0 limit, will make financial sense

[oldguy]

jasonvr So Jason...note that SCE from my understanding has made it an Opt out to keep from transitioning in Dec of this year. But their opt out process has no way to verify (on your online account, etc) that you actually opted out (or in, or whatever!). I encourage you to read the new thread I started today to make sure that you do indeed get what you think you want. I share your feelings about SCE as I spent 2-3 hours on the phone yesterday just trying to get something (anything!) in writing indicating that a) they had my transition date wrong and b) that they would acknowledge my correct transition date in writing. In theory I will get a letter via US mail in the next week or so to that effect but will be "manning the phone lines" again if I don't! So frustrating!!

[silversaver]

I guess the letter from SCE bring me back here again. I start my solar in late 2013 currently under TOD-D-A. My solar production will cover about 80% of my usage. I am not sure if I should going to tier plan since I just found out about this on email today. I just cannot find the information I am looking for. Lets says in March my solar is produce 300kWh than my usage, how does SCE credit me that amount? I understand TOU-D-A clearly, but now I am facing new information about all these new TOU and tier plan. I guess I need to spend more time doing my search... Froom past usage, I am banking in March-June Summer and winter is when I consume my bank credit.

If anyone has idea, please share.

[oldguy]

silversaver jasonvr I'm NEM 2.0 (missed 1.0 by just a few months) so don't have the ability to go back to tiered. Jason in post #31 seems to be in about the same situation as you. Maybe he could comment on why he thinks the tiered is better than one of the new TOUs.

[jasonvr]

It is highly dependent on your situation. They provided estimates in the letter and it showed tiered being the cheapest for me. However, I also have 4 years of usage and generation data in 15 minute intervals in spreadsheets. I took last years spreadsheet and set the rates per the TOU 4-9, TOU 5-8, TOU Prime, and Tiered and looked at what was cheapest. Tiered Domestic proved to be $200 less than the next cheapest plan, but it's still hundreds more than I'm paying right now

BTW - SCEs estimate for tiered domestic was less than $30 off from my estimate.

Also, I called SCE today to inquire about changing to Domestic Tiered, but only as late as possible (i.e. stay on TOD-D-A as long as possible). They claim to have set my transition date as December 28. I have the agents name and employee ID. I'll probably call back at some point to independently verify that it seems to have been done correctly.

[oldguy]

Thx Jason. I just realized that nobody from NEM 2.0 should have received the transition letter yet! I think July 2017 (maybe +/- a month or two) was the last of the NEM 1.0 PTOs...thus the start of NEM 2.0. I was Sept 2017. I sure hope I get that letter soon indicating their mistake. I also hope you (Jason) are successful with transitioning back to tiered.

BTW, I haven't looked a spreadsheet like you have. For some reason the comparison tool has me about $300 more than on my current actuals on my current TOU-A (as in my baseline). But ya' about $700 more per year for the three available (I'm eligible for Prime). Would you be willing to share your excel file? Not sure if this website allows for posting files like that.

[silversaver]

It is highly dependent on your situation. They provided estimates in the letter and it showed tiered being the cheapest for me. However, I also have 4 years of usage and generation data in 15 minute intervals in spreadsheets. I took last years spreadsheet and set the rates per the TOU 4-9, TOU 5-8, TOU Prime, and Tiered and looked at what was cheapest. Tiered Domestic proved to be $200 less than the next cheapest plan, but it's still hundreds more than I'm paying right now

BTW - SCEs estimate for tiered domestic was less than $30 off from my estimate.

Also, I called SCE today to inquire about changing to Domestic Tiered, but only as late as possible (i.e. stay on TOD-D-A as long as possible). They claim to have set my transition date as December 28. I have the agents name and employee ID. I'll probably call back at some point to independently verify that it seems to have been done correctly.

Hi,

I am wondering what percentage your solar system cover you annual usage? My solar cover about 80% of my usage.

Thanks

[bcroe]

. Hi, I am wondering what percentage your solar
system cover you annual usage? My solar cover about 80% of my usage. Thanks

The design here in 2013, was to cover 100% of my heating (we see -20F sometimes), air
conditioning (we see 90F), and electricity needs. That has worked, lately for 2 buildings
and usually with a 7% surplus going back to the grid. Bruce Roe

[silversaver]

The design here in 2013, was to cover 100% of my heating (we see -20F sometimes), air
conditioning (we see 90F), and electricity needs. That has worked, lately for 2 buildings
and usually with a 7% surplus going back to the grid. Bruce Roe

Hi Bruce,

Are you in CA with TOU-D-A? No snow here haha

I'm trying to find a quick answer with this new TOU plan from SCE which doesn't make too much sense for solar owner..... Not sure how this tier system work toward credit. I am still in the middle of reading...

[Mike90250]

> new TOU plan from SCE which doesn't make too much sense for solar owner.

Because large utilities now hate residential solar and are shifting the rules to de-incentivize it's usage. Look what happened in AU this last summer, days ( two months) went by with no daytime residential sales because of all the solar.

https://reneweconomy.com.au/rooftop-solar-sends-victorian-power-prices-to-zero-every-day-for-two-months/

excerpt :
One cent a megawatt hour. That was the average price of wholesale power for most of the daytime hours in the state of Victoria in August and September.

Record amounts of renewable energy generation on Australia’s main grid, and an abundance of rooftop solar, sent the average spot electricity price in Victoria down to around zero for six-hours of each day in August and September, a new report has revealed.

The latest quarterly data from the Australian Energy Market Operator details a three-month period from July 01 to September 30 that started with volatile high prices, but ended with record levels of negative prices, a situation that arises when supply outstrips demand.

[silversaver]

Mike,

Thank you for the update. I understand the tier system might be a better plan for me other than the new TOU plans, but I am wondering how does SCE calculates the the bill at end of 12 months? Since each month were different sometime my Summer usage is like 1030kWh net after solar. That is the part I do not get it.....

Does anyone knows this tier system?

Thanks

Update: I think I'll go with tier plan regardless since I still can and new TOU just buy high and sell low which just not making sense at all.

[oldguy]

NEM 1.0 folks should have the answer to your question silversaver.

I'm NEM 2.0 (and therefore no going back to tiered) and am curious, given how I am will be forced next year to one of the newer SCE TOU plans, into which plan works best in that I can (and have been) easily shifting most of my power consumption. Obviously on TOU-D-A it was advantageous to offload as much consumption (washer/dryer/dishwasher/pool pump) as possible to 10 pm - 8 am. Now I will need to completely rethink my 4+ years of being on TOU-D-A. I do have my panels facing about 15 degrees west of due south so I can collect some during the early evening (4-9 pm or 5-8 pm) but I think I will like a 3 hour "avoidance" over 5 hour avoidance times.

I have 10 AC panels (rated 3.1 kW total) generating on average about 18 kWh per day from June 1 through Oct 1.

I live at the base of the PV peninsula in SoCal and my highest consumption days comes from AC window units during the 1-2 week heat blast we tend to get sometime in Sept or Oct (but didn't get this year!!). I'm wondering if I should just focus using as much consumption when my solar is producing well (which is most days). Maybe just setting those ACs to 60 degrees until the peak rates kick in and then shut down until peak rate ends. That's one thought. The new rate structures certainly make it more difficult to figure out how to minimize the electric bill while maintaining some degree of quality of life for want of better words.

After I post I will try to look for posts that discuss "best way to use the newer SCE TOU available rates" but if anyone knows exactly where posted please feel free to advise!

Also, agree that the SCE calculations are bogus (stated elsewhere on this site) because they'll just run your as-was data for a year through the new TOUs but without any consideration of potential load shifting (ie behavioral changes).

Yes, I also agree with above post...that utilities hate us...but I guess if shoe were on the other foot I could see why. It only dawned on me after getting the SCE transition letter a couple of months ago and cogitating on it. As I stated elsewhere, had I not had the 5 years on TOU-D-A I probably would not have gone solar as what I think is/was a 5-6 year payback may have gone to as much as 15 years. I haven't paid much attention to seeing how many installs/year in Ca there have been but I have to think going down rapidly.

[silversaver]

I have been reading about the new Tier plan, but I cannot find any information about generated credit. With my 7kW system, I am feeding back to grid from April to June. With the new Tier plan, am I just giving up on the power feeding back to grid? I am so glad I have replaced my old 5 tons unit with a new 16 SEER unit, very quiet and energy saving.

If anyone has answer on the generation credit, please let me know. I need to make the plan change before the 15th

Thanks!!!

[Ampster]

If you are referring to SCE, tiered rates have been around a long time compared to Time of Use rates. Only some users can opt for the remaining tiered rates that are offered.
To answer your question about the True Up credit, that is part of the NEM version. It is the same for all rate plan. The only exception is if you are on a CCA.

[silversaver]

If you are referring to SCE, tiered rates have been around a long time compared to Time of Use rates. Only some users can opt for the remaining tiered rates that are offered.
To answer your question about the True Up credit, that is part of the NEM version. It is the same for all rate plan. The only exception is if you are on a CCA.

I am on NEM 1.0 and I do understand how tier works. Been on TOU-D-A for many years everything seems need a refreshment. The Tier Plan has baseline, 101%-400% as Tier 2 and over 400% as High Usage. My concern is more on hitting the Tier 2 and high usage. In general with my 7kW system during March to June, I might only bank 200-450kWh each month, but during rest of the year I might withdraw from 100kWh to 1000kWh after solar. The question is: how does SCE calculate the balance on account?

It seems reasonable to have 1kWh generate vs 1kWh consumed, but your generation will base on on Tier 1 and little of Tier 2. BUT your consumption usage might be base on Tier 2 or High Usage rate. That is the "part" I do not understand since there is no information about it.

I do believe it will be base on "balance" instead of net usage per kWh as many of you thinks. The 2020 usage is crazy high for us and we have replace new AC unit this year that seems to lower the usage quiet a bit + this year weren't as hot as last year.

12 months usage.png