SDG&E Rate Plans and Demand Response

[UkiwiS]

I've now had Solar for 5 years (NEM 1.0) and at the end of the month I'm going to be automatically moved to a TOU plan. I'm already on EVTOU2G but the peak time shift move to 4-9pm is going to mean a $1200 increase in my annual bill.

I was planning to move over the STANDARD DR as I believe that's the cheapest option for m, however this RULE 32 EXTERNAL EVENT MANAGEMENT (R32) is throwing a wrench in my plans.

Important notification regarding your participation in our Demand Response Program(s):

By enrolling in the Standard (DR) plan, you will be participating in conflicting programs and you will no longer be able to participate in the following Demand Response Program(s): RULE 32 EXTERNAL EVENT MANAGEMENT (R32).

By checking this box you acknowledge that SDG&E will review your enrollment form and contact you via email and/or phone to confirm your participation in the pricing plan and the corresponding Demand Response program.

I want to stay with OhmConnect as my DRP but it looks like this option won't be available to me and I might have to select another pricing plan.

Has anyone been through this change, selected Standard DR and been able to remain with OhmConnect?

TIA
KIWI

[Ampster]

No but at $1200 a year a Tesla Powerwall along with a SGIP subsidy could have a reasonable payback. There are some on this forum that have done that. Many more examples on teslamotorsclub.com. That is an independent forum not supported by Tesla but it does tend to attract Tesla Fanboys like myself.

[J.P.M.]

I'm on NEM 1.0 w/ SDG & E and never got off tiered rates, SCH DR.

I would have "automatically" been moved to DR-SES last year unless I actively elected to decline that move which which, because I am NEM 1.0, I'm allowed to do - that is, stay on tiered rates as long as I'm on NEM 1.0.

So, I did that and I'm still SCH DR without invoking rule 32 consequences or any demand rate. Maybe I'm allowed to do that because I didn't trust them and never got off tiered rates in the first place. Maybe when you got involved w/OhmConnect that somehow changed your protection to stay on tiered rates.

One other thing comes to mind. Are you aware that you may be on grandfathered rates and that those grandfathered rates (and equally importantly for this conversation, times) are good for 5 years from when you make the change ? Maybe somehow, you got caught up in the rate changeover confusion like lots of folks.

Or, you may be able to go back (or over) to SCH DR, but you may be required to use SDG & E as your provider and part company with OhmConnect.

I'd give SDG & E a buzz.

[UkiwiS]

Thanks for the advice. I figured it out by involving OhmConnect, They contacted SDG&E who confirmed that the website should not have been presenting the option it did and that it was a bug that they were not aware of. SDG&E then phoned me and told me I could stay with OhmConnect and that I could be moved over to the STANDARD-DR rates, but they needed to manually do it.

So, it was done, then and there with them on the phone.

@J.P.M. I was aware of the grandfathered rates and the peak time shift to 4-9pm. For the last year I've been calculating and estimating what my bills would be following this change....that's where the $1200 amount came from. Based on historical usage there's 6 months of the year when I consume more than I generate and it's only by a small amount.

[UkiwiS]

No but at $1200 a year a Tesla Powerwall along with a SGIP subsidy could have a reasonable payback. There are some on this forum that have done that. Many more examples on teslamotorsclub.com. That is an independent forum not supported by Tesla but it does tend to attract Tesla Fanboys like myself.

I have thought of this but I'm still able to make good money via the DRP and I'm not able to justify the expense. If I wasn't NEM 1.0 it may be a different story but the old tiered rates work well for me. My annual bill should be less than $100 which is more than offset by OhmConnect by a massive margin. The game changer would be if you could discharge to the grid....I'd be all over that!

[J.P.M.]

Thanks for the advice. I figured it out by involving OhmConnect, They contacted SDG&E who confirmed that the website should not have been presenting the option it did and that it was a bug that they were not aware of. SDG&E then phoned me and told me I could stay with OhmConnect and that I could be moved over to the STANDARD-DR rates, but they needed to manually do it.

So, it was done, then and there with them on the phone.

Yea, I saw that "bug" as they call it that they were not aware of some time ago. Funny how it seems to keep getting missed huh ? I wonder if it would keep getting missed if it worked against them . Just business I guess.

As a comment, and of a somewhat parochial in nature for SDG & E users with PV and still on tiered rates, at current rates the average value of a kWh of PV generated electricity for a mostly south facing array in no. county San Diego to offset a bill using sch. DR-SES (the common T.O.U. rate for users with PV systems) is approx. the same ( ~ $0.275/kWh) as the cost of a kWh of tier one electricity using SCH. DR. (~ $0.277/kWh). So, as long as such a user's net annual draw from SDG & E is less than that user's tier one allotment, they're most likely better off staying on tiered rates and also not screw around with time shifting or such crap, at least at this time.