San Diego Community Power customers should identify their service plan before comparing a solar-plus-battery PPA. PowerOn, Power100 and PowerBase are different generation service options; the proposal should use the option you actually have, or clearly identify a change you intend to make.
This matters for an SDCP household in communities such as Chula Vista, Encinitas or La Mesa. A useful solar comparison starts with your account, rather than assuming every San Diego County home receives the same service. The steps below use Community Power information checked October 4, 2026.
Find the service option on your statement
Open the Community Choice Aggregation generation section of your SDG&E bill. Community Power's bill guide explains these clues:
- PowerBase appears after the CCA rate and vintage year.
- Power100 has a separate premium line item.
- If neither appears, Community Power says you are likely on its standard PowerOn service; confirm if the statement is unclear.
Record the complete CCA rate, vintage year and service option. Keep the SDG&E delivery rate alongside them. These labels give your designer a better starting point than a single monthly dollar amount.
Separate your service option from your usage schedule
Community Power's service-options page describes PowerOn as its standard service, Power100 as its premium renewable option and PowerBase as its lowest-cost option. It also explains that Encinitas selected Power100 for automatic enrollment, while several other member communities selected PowerOn. Your current bill remains the account-specific check because customers can choose a different option.
A service option and a time-of-use schedule describe different aspects of the account. Ask the proposal to name both. Comparing a current Power100 bill with a future PowerBase estimate, for example, combines a service change with the effects of solar and storage. That may be a choice you want, but each contribution should be visible.
Request two clearly labeled comparisons
Assume, for illustration, an existing SDCP customer is considering a qualifying no-upfront solar-plus-battery PPA and also considering a generation service change. Ask for:
- A comparison keeping the same SDCP service option before and after solar.
- A second comparison applying the proposed service change, with its effective date and current rates identified.
Use the same household usage, solar production, battery equipment and PPA terms in both versions. Ask the preparer to identify whether NEM or the Solar Billing Plan applies, and use the corresponding generation and delivery credit rules. Neither comparison should count a service-plan change as electricity produced by the panels.
Our SDCP, SDG&E and PPA billing guide explains how the separate payment streams fit together.
Connect the comparison to a useful battery plan
Community Power's Solar & Storage 101 guide includes PPAs among solar financing choices. A suitable PPA can help an eligible homeowner access solar without purchasing the system upfront, while the provider owns it and receives ongoing electricity payments, as the CPUC consumer guide explains.
Ask how battery operation changes grid purchases and what charge remains available for outages. Backup duration depends on available energy and supported loads; solar recharge depends on conditions. Community Power supplies generation service, while SDG&E continues delivery, billing and outage response.
Bring the complete bill and proposed contract to your West Coast Alternatives consultation journey. Review the PPA rate, escalator, term, battery charges, maintenance and transfer provisions alongside remaining utility costs. No upfront purchase does not mean free electricity or guaranteed savings. WCA's consultation is independent of Community Power; enrollment does not establish eligibility for a particular PPA.