San Diego Community Power customers comparing solar-plus-battery PPAs should verify whether the Solar Billing Plan’s Equity Adder applies to their account—and what the proposal assumes if CARE or FERA enrollment lapses. An export-credit assumption can affect the comparison even when the panels, battery and PPA price stay the same.
What changes when enrollment lapses?
SDCP’s Solar Billing Plan page, checked November 11, 2026, lists an Equity Adder of $0.11 per exported kWh for eligible new residential SBP customers enrolled in CARE or FERA. Its Standard Adder is $0.0075 per exported kWh. The page says unenrollment or a lapse in either assistance program results in the Standard Adder. Neither adder is available to NEM customers transitioning to SBP.
For illustration, assume 200 eligible exported kWh: the adder component alone would be $22 at $0.11 or $1.50 at $0.0075—a $20.50 difference. This is not total export compensation, a whole-bill calculation or a savings forecast. Do not add both adders together.
Ask SDCP to confirm your account’s eligibility and the effective billing treatment if your enrollment changes. Avoid assuming an old proposal proves your current status.
Keep an account check with your proposal
Our suggested review questions are:
- Does SDCP identify the account as a new SBP customer eligible for an adder?
- Does the estimate use the assistance-program enrollment currently recorded on the account?
- Which export quantity and adder does the comparison assume?
- Who will update the comparison if that assumption changes?
Keep a dated bill and any enrollment correspondence with the proposal. If the statement and proposal disagree, ask the provider to explain the difference and have SDCP confirm the account treatment. Do not rely on a salesperson’s general statement that a household “qualifies for assistance” as confirmation of an active enrollment record.
For a useful comparison, request two versions using the same household consumption, solar production, battery design and PPA terms. Have the preparer change only the disputed adder assumption and label the result. That makes its effect easier to understand without mixing it with an equipment redesign or a different contract price.
Separate generation, delivery and PPA payments
SDCP’s service overview identifies its member cities and unincorporated San Diego County service area. Not every county address receives SDCP generation. SDG&E continues electricity delivery, utility billing and grid-outage response.
SDCP’s bill guide explains the generation and delivery portions of the combined statement. A PPA payment is another cost to include. Our SDCP, SDG&E and PPA bill guide helps organize those separate payment streams.
A qualifying no-upfront PPA can help an eligible homeowner access solar and storage without buying the system upfront. The CPUC solar guide explains provider ownership and ongoing payments. Review rate, escalator, term, battery fees, maintenance, replacement and transfer provisions, along with remaining utility costs. No upfront purchase does not mean free electricity or guaranteed savings.
Treat battery participation and backup as separate checks
An export adder does not establish eligibility for SDCP’s Solar Battery Savings program. That program has its own account, equipment, application and operating requirements. Verify project approval and current availability before counting a battery incentive in the proposal.
For outage preparation, confirm supported circuits and realistic runtime. General battery guidance from PG&E explains how available energy, household demand and solar charging affect coverage; it is not an SDCP eligibility source. Ordinary grid-tied solar alone generally does not supply outage power. Compatible backup equipment is required, with finite energy and power limits and weather-dependent solar recharge.
Bring your bill and proposal to West Coast Alternatives for a home-specific discussion of equipment and payment assumptions. WCA is not affiliated with or endorsed by SDCP.