| MCE’s NEM Program | PG&E’s NEM Program | |
|---|---|---|
|
NEM credit accrual |
Credits accrue at retail rates and are applied toward your monthly bills during the year; any remaining retail credits are zeroed out at cash-out. |
Credits accrue at retail rates and are applied toward your true-up bill annually; any remaining retail credits are zeroed out at the true-up. |
|
Annual surplus generation |
Paid out at the NSC rate plus $0.02 per kWh (up to $5,000) at MCE’s annual cash-out each spring. |
Paid out at the NSC rate at true-up. |
|
Billing |
Occurs monthly; retail credits for excess generation are applied toward your balance as they accumulate. |
Occurs annually (except for minimum delivery charges); all retail credits are applied toward any outstanding balance at true-up. |
|
Renewable energy service from the grid |
60% or 100% renewable energy service when you use energy from the grid. |
23% renewable energy service when you use energy from the grid. |
Your meter tracks the electricity imported from the grid, along with solar production exported, for each monthly billing cycle. If the cost of your net exports exceeds your net usage costs for that month, you receive a credit at full retail value, which will be applied to future usage costs within the same 12-month cycle (April through March).
Each spring, at the end of the annual cash-out cycle, if you’ve produced more electricity than you’ve used, you’ll be eligible for a payment based on your surplus electricity at the wholesale compensation rate plus $0.02 per kWh. Eligible balances for active accounts over $200 will automatically be issued checks to the mailing address they have on record (subject to a maximum of $5,000 per service agreement). Eligible balances of $200 or less will appear as a bill credit on a subsequent PG&E bill.
Complete Understanding Your Rooftop Solar Bill Flyer (pdf)
Click on the item number for detailed information.
If you have questions about your MCE generation charges, contact us at info@mceCleanEnergy.org or (888) 632-3674, Mon-Fri 9 a.m – 5 p.m.
For questions about PG&E delivery charges, call PG&E at (866) 743-0335.
Solar customers whose applications were filed after April 14, 2023, will receive service through MCE’s Solar Billing Plan. Additionally, customers who have had their solar system’s 20-year NEM1 legacy period expire will also be transitioned to SBP.
For more information on getting a solar system started, visit pge.com
As a NEM customer, you’ll be credited for production of electricity at your applicable retail rates each month. Excess generation credits will be carried forward on your MCE billing statement and automatically applied to future generation charges (within the annual period). MCE charges NEM customers for electricity usage on a monthly basis after applying any accrued generation credits; this differs from PG&E’s true-up process in which charges or credits are reconciled annually.
Following your April billing cycle, MCE will conduct the annual cash-out. At that time, your retail credits will be reset to $0 and MCE will determine if you’re eligible for a cash-out payment. If you produce more electricity than you consume within the annual period, you’ll be automatically compensated for your surplus generation at the Net Surplus Compensation rate plus $0.02 per kWh. Cash-out payments of $200 or less will be applied as a bill credit, while payments over $200 will be automatically sent in the form of a check. Cash-outs are subject to an annual $5,000 cap per service agreement.
No. You are not being double-billed. The monthly MCE charges reflect the electricity generation costs associated with energy consumed from the grid. Your PG&E true-up reflects electricity delivery costs for services like line maintenance, transmission, and distribution. If you were not an MCE customer, BOTH electricity generation and electricity delivery charges would have been billed at true-up, resulting in a large lump sum due.
Your MCE cash-out is separate from your PG&E true-up. MCE compensates you annually based on your net surplus generation at the end of your 12-month cash-out cycle ending in April — regardless of your true-up date. Please also note that your PG&E true-up reflects charges/credits associated with electric delivery — not the energy itself — and you are compensated only for the value of your exported energy. PG&E will not compensate you for excess electricity delivery credits.
If you are an existing solar customer in a new MCE service area, your account will be enrolled with MCE service to correspond with your PG&E true-up date unless you choose to opt out and remain a PG&E bundled customer.
When you switch to MCE, your NEM billing will be completed this way:
For further information about how MCE administers credits and charges for the generation portion of your bill, please contact our customer care team at (888) 632-3674, 9 am–5 pm, Monday–Friday.
MCE provides a higher compensation rate for excess energy produced each year. If you generate more electricity than you use, MCE cashes out your net generation at a significantly higher rate compared with PG&E — the NSC rate plus $0.02/kWh (almost 50% more).
In addition to the cash-out program benefits, MCE provides lower rates for net generation charges, while offering more renewable energy to your home. If you produce less electricity than you use, you can ensure that you will save a little money and your electricity usage is sourced from 60% or 100% renewable resources.
Many of MCE’s NEM customers utilize MCE’s Deep Green 100% renewable energy option for their remaining electricity usage so that all of their electricity is generated from renewable sources. Solar customers enrolled in MCE’s Deep Green service will also receive an additional $0.01/kWh in NEM credits for excess energy produced.
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