Solana Beach homeowners who previously opted out of Clean Energy Alliance can ask to return, but the timing depends on when they left. Before coordinating a CEA Solar Plus proposal with a return to CEA, confirm the account's eligible return date and the program's enrollment requirements separately.
CEA's current FAQ identifies Solana Beach as a member city. CEA supplies generation service, while SDG&E delivers electricity, bills customers and handles grid outages. Check your statement to establish your present generation provider; an SDG&E bill alone does not mean you opted out. Sources were checked October 11, 2026.
Confirm your return date first
CEA's return instructions distinguish two situations:
- Customers who opted out before service began or within the first 60 days may return at any time.
- Customers who opted out after their first 60 days of CEA service must remain away for one year under SDG&E's restriction.
CEA directs return requests to customer service at 833-232-3110 or askcea@thecleanenergyalliance.org. Ask staff to verify your account history, eligibility and effective service date. Eligibility to request a return should not be treated as confirmation that the switch has already occurred.
For example, a homeowner who has been away for only eight months after opting out well beyond the initial 60-day window should not build a proposal around an immediate return. Have CEA establish the date before the installer finalizes assumptions.
Coordinate the proposal without combining the approvals
CEA advertises Solar Plus as a solar-and-battery offering with no upfront costs or credit check. Its page provides certified-partner enrollment routes and separate contacts for program proposals. That makes it a useful option to investigate while planning your return, but a service change does not itself approve your roof, equipment design or contract.
Ask the program team:
- Must my CEA return be effective before applying, signing or installation?
- Can the property assessment proceed while I wait?
- Which generation service and program tariff does the proposal assume?
- What happens to the quoted schedule or terms if enrollment takes longer?
Request answers tied to your address and account. Do not assume a Solana Beach location alone establishes program acceptance. This article does not identify West Coast Alternatives as a CEA certified partner or imply CEA endorsement.
Keep payment and backup decisions explicit
A qualifying no-upfront solar-plus-battery arrangement can preserve cash while adding useful generation and storage. The CPUC solar guide explains that a PPA provider owns the solar equipment and sells its electricity to the customer. Ongoing payments and remaining utility charges still matter.
Review the starting rate, any escalator, contract length, battery ownership and separate fees, maintenance, replacement and home-sale terms. Ask for a comparison using the actual generation provider expected when the system operates. Our CEA Solar Plus and PPA comparison provides broader questions for reviewing both options.
Returning to CEA does not install backup equipment. Specify supported circuits, power limits, usable battery energy and reserve settings in the project proposal. As PG&E's general battery guidance explains, available charge, connected loads and solar conditions affect duration. Recharging during an outage requires suitable sunlight and compatible equipment; continuous power is not guaranteed.
Bring your current bill, CEA's return-date confirmation and backup priorities to West Coast Alternatives' homeowner journey. Direct CEA account changes and Solar Plus eligibility questions to the official contacts above so the equipment plan and service timeline can be coordinated.