An SCE homeowner comparing a solar-plus-battery PPA may hear that solar export prices are “locked in.” That can provide useful planning certainty, but it needs a precise meaning: the utility's export-price schedule and your private PPA payment terms are different parts of the proposal.
A qualifying no-upfront PPA can provide access to solar without an upfront equipment purchase. A clear forecast shows both the provider's ongoing charges and how electricity sent to SCE is credited. Official guidance below was checked September 24, 2026.
What does SCE lock in?
SCE's Solar Billing Plan FAQ says customers who enroll before January 1, 2028 have fixed Energy Export Credit prices for their first nine years of operation. These credits apply to electricity exported to the grid.
Fixed does not mean one price for every exported kilowatt-hour. SCE explains that the schedule distinguishes hours, months, and weekdays versus weekends and holidays. Your credited amount therefore depends on when and how much energy reaches the grid.
Ask SCE and the installer to confirm your applicable enrollment and operating dates. A proposal date or verbal assurance is not a substitute for the account's confirmed treatment. Existing NEM customers should have their own arrangement reviewed separately.
Match the forecast to the correct vintage
SCE's export-pricing guide identifies NBT26 for customers who applied in 2026 and NBT00 for customers without fixed prices. Have the preparer identify the schedule used in your model and verify it against your application record.
SCE's pricing file extends over 20 years, but the utility expressly cautions that all 20 years are not guaranteed. For the listed locked-in vintages, prices may change after the nine-year period. If a community choice aggregator supplies generation, SCE directs customers to that provider for its export pricing.
Our recommendation is to label later-year export assumptions explicitly and request an alternative forecast with lower export value. That helps you see whether the proposal fits your budget across more than one possible outcome.
Keep the PPA rate in a separate column
The CPUC consumer guide explains that the PPA provider owns the solar system and sells its generated electricity to the homeowner. The provider's rate, escalator and term come from that agreement. SCE's export-price lock-in does not establish those contract terms.
For illustration only, assume a PPA bills 600 kWh of production at $0.18 per kWh: the payment is $108. If only 150 kWh reaches the grid, utility export credits are calculated for those exports using the applicable schedule. You cannot multiply all 600 kWh by an export price to estimate the credit.
Those figures are hypothetical, not an offer or savings estimate. Our production and exports guide explains where household use and battery charging fit.
Model the battery around household needs
Request a forecast that accounts for charging losses, evening household use, exports and energy reserved for outages. Keeping a price schedule fixed does not guarantee battery performance or a particular bill reduction.
PG&E's general battery guidance explains that stored charge and connected demand limit backup duration. Confirm supported circuits and power limits; solar recharge needs usable sunlight and compatible equipment.
Bring the export schedule and complete proposal to West Coast Alternatives' homeowner journey. Review zero-upfront qualification, installation charges, battery inclusion and ownership, maintenance, replacement coverage and home-sale provisions. Include ongoing PPA payments and remaining utility charges. No upfront purchase does not mean free electricity or guaranteed savings.