---
title: Moved to SDCP or CEA? NEM 1.0 & 2.0 Solar Billing Explained | My Solar Lady
description: "NEM 1.0 & 2.0 solar owners moved to SDCP or CEA: why your credits split, why SDG&E true-up bills appear, how to switch to annual billing, and how a battery helps."
image: https://mysolarlady.com/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/electric%20bill%20analysis%20in%20california.jpeg
---

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 Oct 3, 2026, 9:56:57 AM

# Moved to SDCP or CEA? What NEM 1.0 & 2.0 Solar Owners Need to Know

![Picture of Laura Poirier](https://mysolarlady.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Images/laura-poirier-solar-broker-author.jpg?width=50&name=laura-poirier-solar-broker-author.jpg) [Laura Poirier](https://mysolarlady.com/my-solar-lady-blog/author/laura-poirier)

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If you went solar before April 15, 2023 (NEM 1.0 or 2.0) and live in a city served by San Diego Community Power (SDCP) or Clean Energy Alliance (CEA), you were probably moved off SDG&E's power automatically. Most solar owners didn't notice until their bills changed: power charges started showing up every month, and some got a large SDG&E true-up bill for the first time.

The short version: you still have NEM 1.0 or 2.0, your solar still earns credits, and SDCP customers can ask for annual billing. Here's what changed and what to do about it.

## What changed: one bill, two companies, two credit balances

You still get one bill from SDG&E, but it now has two parts. SDG&E still delivers your power and bills delivery. SDCP or CEA now supplies the power itself (generation).

| Your city | Who supplies your power |
| --- | --- |
| San Diego, Chula Vista, Encinitas, Imperial Beach, La Mesa, National City, unincorporated San Diego County | San Diego Community Power (SDCP) |
| Carlsbad, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Escondido, San Marcos, Oceanside, Vista | Clean Energy Alliance (CEA) |
| Coronado, El Cajon, Lemon Grove, Poway, Santee | Still SDG&E (Coronado plans to join SDCP no earlier than January 2028) |

The change that matters most for solar: **your credits were split in two.** On SDG&E alone, every kWh you exported earned one combined credit that could pay any energy charge. Now each export earns two separate credits:

- **A delivery credit from SDG&E.** It pays SDG&E delivery charges only. SDG&E still carries it forward month to month and settles it once a year at your true-up, the same as before.
- **A power (generation) credit from SDCP or CEA.** It pays their power charges only.

After the move, your solar earns two credits that can't pay each other

| **On SDG&E alone** One credit balance. Pays delivery *and* power charges. Settled once a year. | **On SDCP: delivery credit** From SDG&E. Pays SDG&E delivery only. Rolls over, settles yearly. | **On SDCP: power credit** From SDCP. Pays SDCP power charges only. Monthly, or yearly if you ask. |
| --- | --- | --- |

Billed every month either way, and no solar credit can pay these: non-bypassable charges, SDG&E's base charge (about $24/month) and the PCIA.

The two credits can't pay each other, so extra SDCP credits can't go toward your SDG&E delivery bill. Moving didn't change your NEM 1.0 or 2.0 status, and solar customers were moved at their regular true-up date.

### Why your delivery credits come up short

Your exports still earn the same delivery credit as before. The difference is that summer solar used to help pay winter delivery charges, and now it can't. Here's one kWh exported on a summer evening, paying for one kWh used on a winter evening (EV-TOU-5 on-peak, SDG&E rates effective August 2026):

| Part of the credit | Summer export earns | Winter use costs | Result |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Delivery | 29.7¢ | 31.8¢ | 2.1¢ short |
| Generation (SDG&E alone) | 48.4¢ | 20.6¢ | 27.8¢ extra |
| **One pot on SDG&E alone** | **78.1¢** | **52.4¢** | **25.7¢ extra: covers everything** |

On SDG&E alone, the generation surplus quietly covers the delivery shortfall. On SDCP, the delivery side is still 2.1¢ short, and the generation surplus stays with SDCP, where it can't help. Multiply that by a year of winter evenings and you get an SDG&E true-up bill.

## Why power charges now show up every month

SDCP and CEA both settle generation monthly by default. Each month, the credits you've built up are applied first, and you pay whatever they don't cover. Credits carry forward. The catch is timing: if your true-up year starts in fall or winter, your low-solar months come before your credits build up, so you pay power charges in November through February that SDG&E would have held until true-up.

**This only affects the power side.** SDG&E's delivery credits still roll over and settle once a year at your true-up, whether SDCP bills you monthly or annually.

**SDCP refunds those charges at true-up**, up to the value of the credits you have left. Over a full year, monthly and annual billing usually come out close; for most SDCP customers, monthly billing is about cash flow more than cost.

**CEA works differently.** CEA's NEM page says net charges are billed each month, credits roll forward, and credits left at true-up are zeroed out. It doesn't describe a refund of charges paid during the year or an annual billing option, so CEA customers should ask CEA about both.

## Why some solar owners get a big SDG&E true-up bill

The surprise bills usually come from SDG&E, for delivery. On SDG&E alone, your generation credits quietly helped pay delivery charges. Now delivery has to be covered by delivery credits alone.

When you export matters as much as how much. On EV-TOU-5, SDG&E's EV plan, a kWh exported between 10am and 2pm on a weekday falls in the cheapest "super off-peak" period and earns about 2.6¢ of delivery credit. A kWh you use in the evening costs about 31.8¢ of delivery.

On EV-TOU-5, midday solar exports earn the least delivery credit

SDG&E delivery by hour, rates effective August 1, 2026

|  | 12am | 6am | 12pm | 6pm |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Weekdays |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Weekends |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

**Super off-peak** (midnight–6am and weekdays 10am–2pm; weekends until 2pm): an exported kWh earns 2.6¢ of delivery credit; a kWh you use costs 4.7¢.

**On- and off-peak** (including 4–9pm on-peak): an exported kWh earns 29.7¢ of delivery credit; a kWh you use costs 31.8¢.

So a home can export more than it uses and still owe SDG&E for delivery at true-up. Plans with the same delivery rate all day, like TOU-DR1, are much less affected. Switching to annual billing with SDCP doesn't change this, because it only changes when the power side settles.

**A battery does.** It keeps your midday solar for the evening, so each kWh you'd have exported for 2.6¢ of delivery credit instead avoids 31.8¢ of evening delivery.

## The best fix: a battery

- **Keeps your solar for the evening.** On EV-TOU-5, a kWh exported at midday earns about 7¢ of combined credit on SDCP; a kWh bought between 4 and 9pm in summer costs about 76¢.
- **Shrinks your SDG&E delivery true-up.** Every evening kWh your battery covers is delivery you don't buy.
- **Backup power** when the grid goes down.

**SDCP battery rebate: up to $10,000.** If your home is in SDCP's area (San Diego, Chula Vista, Encinitas, Imperial Beach, La Mesa, National City or unincorporated San Diego County), you may qualify for a rebate of up to $10,000 plus a yearly payment through SDCP's Solar Battery Savings Program: $250 per kWh of battery if you already have solar, or $350 per kWh when you add solar and a battery together (higher for CARE and FERA customers). We can help you see what your home qualifies for. Read more in [our guide to the Solar Battery Savings Program](https://mysolarlady.com/my-solar-lady-blog/whats-the-solar-battery-savings-program-in-san-diego).

## Not ready for a battery? Which option fits you

Which option fits you: three questions

| 1 | **Adding a battery through SDCP's battery program?** **Yes:** stay with SDCP. The rebate and yearly payment require it. **No:** go to question 2. |
| --- | --- |
| 2 | **Does your solar cover your use in at least one month of the year?** **No:** monthly billing is fine; switching providers makes little difference. **Yes:** ask SDCP for annual billing at your next true-up, before SDCP bills you. |
| 3 | **Still getting a large SDG&E true-up bill?** **Yes:** add a battery for your evening use, or compare going back to SDG&E. **No:** you're all set. |

1. **You always use more than you produce:** switching providers usually makes little difference. Most people in this group can stay put on monthly billing. If you export a lot during the day, we can run your numbers to be sure.
2. **Your solar covers your usage in at least one month of the year:** ask SDCP for annual billing at your next true-up, so summer credits cover winter power charges before you pay them.
3. **Still getting a large SDG&E true-up bill:** a battery is the most direct fix. The other option is returning to SDG&E for your power, which puts your credits back into one balance. We'll run your numbers for both; returning means giving up SDCP's lower rates and its battery program.
4. **CEA customers:** ask CEA whether annual billing is available to you.

## How to switch to annual billing with SDCP

A simple rule: if your solar covers your usage in at least one month of the year, ask for annual billing. If you always use more than you produce, monthly billing is usually easier, because annual billing puts a year of power charges on one bill. Either way, your yearly total comes out about the same.

You qualify if:

1. Your solar was interconnected **before April 15, 2023**.
2. You request it **at your true-up, before SDCP bills you** for the new year. Your true-up month is on your SDG&E bill's NEM summary.
3. You're fine staying on annual billing for **at least 12 months**.

**To switch:** fill out SDCP's [Annual True-Up Notification form](https://sdcommunitypower.org/annual-true-up-application/), or call SDCP at (888) 382-0169. If you missed this year's window, set a reminder a few weeks before your next true-up date.

Weighing a move between SDG&E and SDCP, or comparing plans? See [NEM 1.0 & 2.0 Solar on SDG&E: Should You Move to SDCP?](https://mysolarlady.com/my-solar-lady-blog/nem-2.0-solar-billing-sdge-vs.-sdcp-on-ev-tou-5)

**Not sure which group you're in?** [Schedule a free consultation](https://meetings.hubspot.com/laura-poirier/laura-consultation-) and we'll go through your SDG&E and SDCP or CEA bills with you.

---

*Rates and rules as of October 2026 and subject to change. Sources: [SDCP Net Energy Metering](https://sdcommunitypower.org/net-energy-metering/), [CEA Net Energy Metering](https://thecleanenergyalliance.org/net-energy-metering/), [SDG&E CCA FAQ](https://www.sdge.com/customer-choice/community-choice-aggregation/cca-faq), [SDG&E total electric rates](https://www.sdge.com/total-electric-rates).*

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