For an SDG&E homeowner comparing solar-plus-battery PPAs, a proposed installation date is useful only when you know what it represents and what happens if it changes. Ask the provider to explain the schedule assumptions, communication process and any effect on the quoted terms before signing.
A qualifying no-upfront PPA can make solar and storage accessible without an upfront equipment purchase. A clear project schedule helps you plan for that benefit without treating an estimated date as guaranteed backup availability.
Define the date in the proposal
The CPUC solar guide, checked October 18, 2026, recommends asking when installation will start and finish, how long utility authorization may take afterward, and what circumstances allow release from the agreement. Those are separate questions to discuss with the provider.
Ask whether a date describes crew arrival, completed installation, inspection or authorized operation. SDG&E’s solar guidance distinguishes city or county permitting and inspection from SDG&E’s Permission to Operate. A contractor’s work calendar does not itself grant utility authorization.
Our SDG&E PTO guide covers that approval process. Here, the focus is how the proposal handles a schedule change.
Ask how changed dates affect the offer
Our suggested questions for the provider are:
- Is the proposed date an estimate or a commitment defined in the agreement?
- Which unfinished tasks could change it, and who handles each task?
- Who sends a revised schedule, and how will the reason be documented?
- Does a later date change the quoted rate, equipment selection or no-upfront terms?
- How are any proposed scope or price changes presented for review?
- Which contract provisions address an extended delay or a project that cannot proceed?
Request the relevant sections rather than assuming that every PPA uses the same rules. A changed date alone does not establish a particular refund, termination right or payment adjustment. Likewise, a verbal assurance that the offer remains unchanged is less useful than a written explanation tied to the agreement.
Compare the original and revised plan
Suppose a hypothetical project was expected to start in November but the provider proposes December instead. This example assumes no particular cause or duration of delay.
Ask for a short update identifying the outstanding task, responsible company, revised target and next update date. Then compare the proposed equipment and financial terms with the version you originally reviewed. If a substitution or additional charge is proposed, ask for its details before treating it as part of the agreed project.
Keep the dated proposal, signed documents and schedule updates together. Our provider-and-installer guide helps distinguish the companies involved when the PPA owner and installation contractor differ.
Keep your interim outage plan usable
Until the system is authorized and its backup operation confirmed, retain a separate plan for essential needs. Do not arrange a household’s outage preparation around an unconfirmed installation date.
After activation, backup still has limits. PG&E’s general battery guidance explains that supported circuits, stored energy, household demand and solar availability affect operation. Those equipment considerations also apply to an SDG&E-connected home. Ordinary grid-tied solar alone generally does not provide outage power; outage recharging needs compatible equipment and suitable sunlight.
Review the complete PPA
The CPUC guide explains that a PPA provider owns the solar system and sells its generated electricity to the homeowner. Confirm the starting rate, any escalator, term, battery ownership and fees, maintenance, transfer provisions and remaining utility charges. Ask which contractual milestone starts payments, including any separate battery charge.
Verify property eligibility and the actual no-upfront offer. No upfront equipment purchase does not mean free electricity or guaranteed savings.
Bring your proposed schedule and agreement to a West Coast Alternatives consultation. Clear dates, responsibilities and written updates can make a suitable solar-plus-battery project easier to plan.