SDG&E homeowners enrolled in Medical Baseline can explore solar and battery storage while keeping their utility benefit in the planning conversation. SDG&E explicitly says Medical Baseline can continue on its Solar Billing Plan.
A suitable solar-plus-battery PPA can add renewable generation and access to storage without an upfront equipment purchase where the offer and household qualify. The comparison should use your actual Medical Baseline treatment, ongoing PPA payments and remaining utility charges. Official guidance was checked September 19, 2026.
Confirm enrollment and the applicable rate plan
SDG&E's Medical Baseline guidance requires a qualifying medical condition or device and physician certification. The qualifying person must live at the service address, but does not have to be the person named on the bill. The account holder signs the application.
If already enrolled, ask SDG&E to confirm how the benefit will appear after the solar rate change. Medical Baseline approval and a private provider's qualification for a PPA are separate decisions.
SDG&E identifies EV-TOU-5 as the residential Solar Billing Plan rate. If a community choice aggregator supplies generation, include that provider's prices in the proposal too. Our Community Power and SDG&E billing guide explains those separate roles.
Apply the discount to the correct charges
SDG&E's 2026 Medical Baseline FAQ describes a 20% line-item discount for untiered plans, including EV-TOU-5. The calculation uses the eligible energy-use portion after applicable exemptions and charges are removed. It is not simply 20% off every amount on the statement.
For illustration only, if SDG&E identifies $100 as the eligible calculation base, 20% is $20. That arithmetic does not establish the total bill or predict the result for your account. Ask for a sample calculation using your enrollment, rate and generation provider.
Keep the private PPA invoice separate: a utility Medical Baseline discount should not be assumed to reduce the solar provider's contractual charges.
Include the Base Services Charge correctly
SDG&E's Base Services Charge guidance says Medical Baseline alone does not qualify for a reduced Base Services Charge because it is not an income-qualified program. Separate CARE or FERA enrollment may provide an applicable reduction.
Solar customers still pay this charge. For EV-TOU-5, it replaces the previous fixed monthly service fee; do not add both to a forecast. Use the current charge for your account rather than an older solar FAQ's fee figure.
Our recommendation is to compare a full year of utility-only costs with a full year of PPA payments plus remaining utility costs, retaining applicable assistance in each scenario. Ask the proposal to identify its assumptions about daytime use, battery charging and exports.
Give backup capability its own review
SDG&E cautions that Medical Baseline does not guarantee uninterrupted electricity. Keep utility contact details current and maintain an outage plan.
A battery can support selected essentials, but have the installer document circuits, power limits and expected duration. PG&E's general battery guidance explains that available charge and connected demand affect runtime. Solar recharge requires usable sunlight and compatible backup equipment.
For medical equipment, confirm backup compatibility and continuity needs with the device manufacturer and care team. A household battery does not replace an emergency plan.
Bring the benefit into a complete PPA comparison
The CPUC consumer guide explains that the provider owns the solar system and sells its generated electricity. Confirm eligibility for zero upfront payment, the rate, escalator, term, installation charges, maintenance and home-sale provisions. Specify battery ownership and replacement coverage.
No upfront purchase means neither free electricity nor guaranteed savings. Bring recent bills, enrollment information and your essential-load list to the West Coast Alternatives homeowner journey for a proposal grounded in your household's actual costs and priorities.