New minimum $10/month "Delivery Charge" for SCE customers.

[OftheSeven]

I received my November bill today and the TOU + $10 min charge has me confused. I've read through FFE's explanation and it makes sense, sorta. Wanted to get clarification for my situation.

I installed solar May 2015 and switched from tiered to TOU-A in August. I have a BEV and a PHEV that I only charge during super off-peak and not always to full as I use free charging at other sites.
This is the first month I have to pay. It's only $2.06 but it's also the month with my greatest "tracked energy" credit generation. I understand the tracked charges/credits are for the year and reset to zero.

Could I "use" more electricity to lower my yearly credit and help eliminate my monthly minimum charge?

[FFE]

Could I "use" more electricity to lower my yearly credit and help eliminate my monthly minimum charge?

This question seems absurd. However, the answer might be yes. If you use more energy, your amount due for the bill would be less. But as others have posted, you might have to pay some of it back at your annual true up. I have yet to see any evidence that this has or will happened to anyone or even a first hand post from an SCE customer. Also, the CA climate credit might pay for some of this. Maybe someone else can chime in about wether or not the CA climate credit can.

My example for my last bill (same dates as yours): I managed to use 522 kWh super off peak. This allowed me to "pay" more than the minimum $10 in delivery charges. The amount of my new charges on my bill is less than $1.10. My energy charge for the month was about -$9. So I managed to avoid paying the minimum due and still end up with a net credit. We also have a BEV and a PHEV. You might pay less in your monthly bill if you charged more at home or intentionally used more energy.

[sensij]

The CA Climate credit is real money, and can be used to pay any real charges (including the minimum bill). When the minimum was lower, it was conceivable that the climate credit would get paid to you as a check, but with the higher minimums, they will exceed the credit.

You can use more energy to lower the monthly amount due, but it won't really affect the annual reconciliation. A good way to think about it (thanks thejq) is that the minimum is like minutes on a cell phone plan... you are charged $120 a year, and you get 667 kWh of energy (assuming an average cost of 0.18 / kWh). Use less energy, too bad (there is no rollover). Use more, and your bill increases to cover it. Whether the minimums are assessed and paid monthly or annually, it will all wash out in the end.

[OftheSeven]

This question seems absurd. However, the answer might be yes. If you use more energy, your amount due for the bill would be less. But as others have posted, you might have to pay some of it back at your annual true up. I have yet to see any evidence that this has or will happened to anyone or even a first hand post from an SCE customer. Also, the CA climate credit might pay for some of this. Maybe someone else can chime in about wether or not the CA climate credit can.

My example for my last bill (same dates as yours): I managed to use 522 kWh super off peak. This allowed me to "pay" more than the minimum $10 in delivery charges. The amount of my new charges on my bill is less than $1.10. My energy charge for the month was about -$9. So I managed to avoid paying the minimum due and still end up with a net credit. We also have a BEV and a PHEV. You might pay less in your monthly bill if you charged more at home or intentionally used more energy.

From your example it sounds like there is a sweet spot in there somewhere to use more than the $10 min delivery charge and still have a monthly credit towards the annual tracked charges. Going to try to charge my cars to full more often this billing period and see how it pans out.

[cebury]

From your example it sounds like there is a sweet spot in there somewhere to use more than the $10 min delivery charge and still have a monthly credit towards the annual tracked charges.

I don't believe this is the correct conclusion. If the net bill due for that month is still negative, it was from previous credits. If you "use more than the $10 min delivery charge" for the month, you are not increasing your "credit to the annual track charges." The ideal situation is to use whatever amount of energy, in whatever peak category, to incur a $120 annual true up bill (not counting climate credit adjustments).

What is making this confusing is how the $10/month charge is being tracked/displayed on your bill.

[FFE]

I don't believe this is the correct conclusion. If the net bill due for that month is still negative, it was from previous credits.

What is making this confusing is how the $10/month charge is being tracked/displayed on your bill.

My net charge for my tracked charge for the month was about -$9. My net tracked changed from approximately -$20 to -$29. When I calculate everything using what SCE has published, I come up with the same numbers.

SCE does not "track" the minimum due on our bills. It is convoluted how it is calculated. But most people should be able to calculate it.

There is a sweet spot for minimizing how much you pay them each month while still getting a credit in your tracked charges on TOU-A. The way our household uses electricity and the PV system I speced makes this automatic for us. However, in 10 months I might get a bill for the difference. I'd rather keep doing what I am doing and see what happens since we don't have to change anything.

[silversaver]

I just ended my relevant period, I have not see any minimum charges. $1.18 is my last bill. Yes, I did received CA Climate Credit of $58.

Am I oversizing my system because I had negative credit? Not really. I'm a net user. My bill for 2016 will not be the same as 2015 and I don't like to live on the edge. My 7.1kW DC system with estimate annual output of 11,395kWh (SAM), my actual output from 12/14/2014 to 12/13/2015 were 11,728kWh. I have consumed 3,852kWh from SCE for free because of TOU-D-A. My solar has been up and running for 2 yrs and all I can say is "yes"

Dec 2015.jpg
2015.jpg
2015 CA Climate Credit.jpg

[sensij]

I just ended my relevant period, I have not see any minimum charges. $1.18 is my last bill. Yes, I did received CA Climate Credit of $58.

Very nice.

Would you be able to list how much you paid out of pocket each month during the relevant period? How did you receive the climate credit, as a check?

[silversaver]

Very nice.

Would you be able to list how much you paid out of pocket each month during the relevant period? How did you receive the climate credit, as a check?

I think the answere were in 1st and last attachment. I choose not to receive the check and leaving the money in my account for credit.

My monthly charges were $1.18

My account has a credit balance of -$93.62 (real money not solar credit)

Post #28 has my last month bill
2015 SCE.jpg

[sensij]

I think the answere were in 1st and last attachment. I choose not to receive the check and leaving the money in my account for credit.

My monthly charges were $1.18

My account has a credit balance of -$93.62 (real money not solar credit)

OK, so you made no payments over the course of the 12 months?

-93.62 is more than this year's climate credit. The credit for SCE customers was $29 x 2 = $58. So, if that is real money, where did the rest of the credit come from... had you started the year already with last year's credit on your account? What was the starting balance?

[silversaver]

OK, so you made no payments over the course of the 12 months?

-93.62 is more than this year's climate credit. The credit for SCE customers was $29 x 2 = $58. So, if that is real money, where did the rest of the credit come from... had you started the year already with last year's credit on your account? What was the starting balance?

Yes, I haven't paying SCE for while. That's 2 yrs of CA Climate Credit + some credit from 1st year over generation (approx 900kWh). I choose not getting a check when I launch my solar back in 2013.

[sensij]

Yes, I haven't paying SCE for while. That's 2 yrs of CA Climate Credit + some credit from 1st year over generation (approx 900kWh). I choose not getting a check when I launch my solar back in 2013.

Ok, to properly calculate what you paid *this* year, you would need to look at the ending balance on last year's statement, and look at the change in balance over the course of the year relative to known credits.

[silversaver]

Ok, to properly calculate what you paid *this* year, you would need to look at the ending balance on last year's statement, and look at the change in balance over the course of the year relative to known credits.

Looks like you are having issue trusting what people telling or you just don't trust other.

I'm not the micro mnagement type, you can do your own math.

2015 billing.jpg 2014 SCE.jpg

[MikeInRialto]

To help offset the $10 fee with SCE, you can elect to choose the summer program that allows Edison to turn off your AC for 15 min of every 30 min... you won't go more than 15 min without air conditioning IF sce turns it off. That's worth $100 even if they never turn it off. In two years they haven't turned mine off

[cebury]

Looks like you are having issue trusting what people telling or you just don't trust other.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n297725[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]n297726[/ATTACH]

I don't speak for sensij but I'd rather do the math myself. We really do appreciate you sharing your actual statements!