Clean Energy Alliance Rate Selection Guide
Clean Energy Alliance (CEA) is a Community Choice Aggregator (CCA) serving roughly 209,000 electric customers across seven North County San Diego cities. CEA procures clean power and sets generation rates, while San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) handles delivery, metering, billing, and all data access — so CEA customers use SDG&E's My Energy Center portal, Green Button, and Share My Data infrastructure.
Clean Energy Alliance Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| CEA Clean Impact (generation) | commercial | TOU generation $/kWh; $0.02657/kWh non-residential rate-relief credit through 12/31/2026 | Default — clean power at/below SDG&E generation cost |
| CEA Clean Impact Plus | commercial | Generation $/kWh at modest premium | Businesses wanting higher clean content |
| CEA Green Impact | commercial | Generation $/kWh premium for 100% renewable | 100% renewable / sustainability goals |
| SDG&E AL-TOU (delivery) | commercial | Basic service fee + TOU energy & demand (SDG&E) | Delivery portion for C&I ≥ 20 kW |
Market Overview
CEA is a CCA: it procures power and sets generation rates for auto-enrolled customers in its seven member cities, while SDG&E provides regulated delivery, metering, and billing. Generation choice is limited to CEA (default Clean Impact, with Clean Impact Plus and Green Impact opt-up tiers) versus SDG&E bundled service. There is no unregulated competitive retail supplier choice in the SDG&E territory.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Clean Energy Alliance Data Access Guide →
Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) Options
Default CCA serving CEA's seven North County cities; offers Clean Impact (default, ~75%+ clean), Clean Impact Plus, and 100% renewable Green Impact. CEA sets generation rates with a goal of matching or beating SDG&E; a $0.02657/kWh non-residential rate-relief credit applies through Dec. 31, 2026.
Current Rate Schedules
For CEA commercial customers, the bill combines SDG&E delivery charges (under the applicable SDG&E commercial schedule, e.g., AL-TOU for ≥20 kW or TOU/Small Commercial below that) with CEA's generation charge for the chosen product. CEA's Board sets generation rates annually with a goal of matching or beating SDG&E; the current adopted commercial rate schedule is effective February 1, 2026, and a non-residential rate-relief credit of $0.02657 per kWh applies through December 31, 2026. Delivery rates are set by SDG&E/CPUC and adjusted periodically (e.g., effective 2/1 and 10/1). Read current per-unit generation rates from CEA's adopted commercial schedule and delivery rates from SDG&E's tariff.
Effective: February 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEA Clean Impact (generation, default) | commercial | Default generation product for auto-enrolled CEA commercial customers. | Generation $/kWh by time-of-use period, set annually by the CEA Board to match/beat SDG&E. A non-residential rate-relief credit of $0.02657/kWh applies through Dec. 31, 2026. See CEA adopted commercial schedule (eff. 02/01/2026). | — |
| CEA Clean Impact Plus (generation opt-up) | commercial | Opt-up product with a higher clean-energy content than Clean Impact. | Generation $/kWh at a modest premium to Clean Impact; per-unit rates in CEA's adopted commercial schedule. | — |
| CEA Green Impact (100% renewable opt-up) | commercial | Opt-up product providing 100% renewable generation. | Generation $/kWh at a premium for 100% renewable supply; per-unit rates in CEA's adopted commercial schedule. | — |
| SDG&E Schedule AL-TOU (delivery) | commercial | SDG&E delivery schedule for commercial/industrial customers with monthly maximum demand ≥ 20 kW. | Basic service fee + time-of-use energy and demand charges set by SDG&E/CPUC; this is the delivery portion of a CEA customer's combined bill. See SDG&E tariff. | — |
| SDG&E Small Commercial TOU (delivery) | commercial | SDG&E delivery schedule for smaller commercial customers below the 20 kW AL-TOU threshold. | Basic service fee + TOU energy charges set by SDG&E/CPUC; delivery portion of the combined bill. See SDG&E commercial rate summary. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Mid-size commercial (≥ 20 kW demand)
Stay on the default CEA Clean Impact product and manage TOU/demand on the SDG&E AL-TOU delivery schedule.
Clean Impact captures the 2026 $0.02657/kWh non-residential rate-relief credit; AL-TOU demand charges make peak and TOU management the top cost lever.
- Pull SDG&E 15-minute interval data via Green Button to find demand peaks
- Shift load into expanded super-off-peak hours
- Use the Joint Rate Comparison to confirm CEA vs SDG&E generation cost
Sustainability-driven business / ESG goals
Opt up to Green Impact for 100% renewable generation while keeping SDG&E delivery.
Green Impact provides verifiable 100% renewable generation for Scope 2 reporting at a modest premium, with no contract lock-in.
- Model the Green Impact premium against your clean-energy targets
- Use Green Button data for emissions/usage reporting
- Combine with on-site solar via Solar Plus Business to offset the premium
Small commercial (< 20 kW)
Take CEA Clean Impact generation on an SDG&E small-commercial TOU delivery schedule and focus on TOU shifting.
Below 20 kW, demand charges are limited, so TOU energy management and capturing the CEA rate-relief credit drive savings.
- Shift operations away from on-peak windows
- Confirm the lowest-cost SDG&E small-commercial schedule
- Verify CEA generation rate via the adopted commercial schedule
Consultant / portfolio data access
Use SDG&E Green Button Connect or UtilityAPI to programmatically pull CEA customers' interval and billing data.
All CEA data flows through SDG&E; Green Button Connect (OAuth) or UtilityAPI provides authorized, automated multi-account access without custom metering integration.
- Register as an SDG&E Green Button developer or onboard via UtilityAPI
- Have customers authorize via My Energy Center (revocable anytime)
- Use Privacy GreenLight for aggregated research data
Historical Rate Trends
CEA sets generation rates annually (with periodic updates) targeting parity with or savings versus SDG&E. SDG&E delivery rates are adjusted by the CPUC, commonly effective Feb 1 and Oct 1. CEA most recently adopted updated commercial rates effective Feb 1, 2026, and approved rate-relief credits in early 2026.
February 1, 2026
CEA adopted updated commercial generation rates effective February 1, 2026.
N/A (see adopted schedule)January 29, 2026
CEA Board approved rate-relief credits, including a $0.02657/kWh non-residential credit effective through Dec. 31, 2026, to maintain parity with SDG&E for the Clean Impact product.
-$0.02657/kWh (non-res credit)Overall trend: Rising underlying costs (procurement and SDG&E delivery) prompted CEA to adopt rate-relief credits in 2026 to maintain parity with SDG&E.
Next expected change: Annual CEA Board rate setting plus periodic SDG&E/CPUC delivery adjustments (typically Feb 1 / Oct 1); rate-relief credit currently runs through Dec. 31, 2026.
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because CEA customers pay SDG&E delivery (with TOU and demand charges) plus a CEA generation rate, the biggest C&I savings come from managing time-of-use consumption and demand peaks on the SDG&E side, then choosing the most cost-effective CEA product and capturing the rate-relief credit.
Time-of-use load shifting
For: All CEA commercial customers on TOU schedules
Shift discretionary load out of SDG&E on-peak periods (and into expanded super-off-peak windows) to cut TOU energy charges on the delivery portion of the bill.
Demand (kW) peak management
For: C&I ≥ 20 kW on AL-TOU
Use SDG&E 15-minute interval data (via Green Button) to identify and clip demand peaks that drive AL-TOU demand charges.
CEA product & rate-relief optimization
For: All CEA commercial customers
Select the CEA product that minimizes generation cost (default Clean Impact captures the $0.02657/kWh non-residential credit) and compare against SDG&E generation using the Joint Rate Comparison.
Solar-plus-storage (Solar Plus Business)
For: North County businesses with suitable sites
Pair on-site solar and storage (via CEA's Solar Plus Business program) to shave demand peaks and reduce both delivery and generation charges.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Clean Energy Alliance interval data →
Deregulated Market Shopping
CEA's territory is not a fully deregulated retail market. Under California's CCA framework, the only generation 'shopping' choice is between CEA (auto-enrolled default) and SDG&E bundled generation, plus CEA's product tiers. SDG&E always provides regulated delivery, and customers cannot select an independent competitive retail supplier.
How to Compare Clean Energy Alliance Suppliers
- 01Compare CEA vs SDG&E generation rates using the annual Joint Rate Comparison and CEA's Bill Comparison Calculator
- 02Choose a CEA product (Clean Impact default, Clean Impact Plus, or Green Impact) or opt out to SDG&E
- 03Make changes online at thecleanenergyalliance.org or by calling (833) 232-3110
Contract Terms for Clean Energy Alliance Supply Agreements
- No fixed-term contracts or early-termination fees — customers can opt out or change products at any time
- Generation rates are set annually by the CEA Board
- Single combined SDG&E bill regardless of choice
Common Pitfalls When Shopping Clean Energy Alliance Rates
- Opting out to SDG&E may forgo CEA's rate-relief credit and cleaner default product
- Delivery charges are identical regardless of generation choice — only the generation line changes
- Rate-relief credits and product rates have effective dates; verify current values before modeling savings
Frequently Asked Questions
How do CEA commercial customers access their interval data?▾
Through SDG&E, the metering utility. Business customers get 15-minute interval data via Green Button Download My Data in My Energy Center (up to 13 months, ESPI XML), via Green Button Connect My Data for automated OAuth sharing to approved apps, or via UtilityAPI for full-history CSV/JSON. CEA does not operate its own meters or data API — all data flows through SDG&E.
How is a CEA bill structured for a business?▾
CEA customers get a single combined SDG&E bill. SDG&E delivery (distribution, transmission, and most fixed charges) is billed under the SDG&E rate schedule (e.g., AL-TOU for ≥20 kW), while CEA's generation charge replaces SDG&E's generation line. The CEA generation rate depends on the chosen product — Clean Impact (default), Clean Impact Plus, or Green Impact.
Is CEA more expensive than SDG&E for commercial customers?▾
CEA sets its generation rates with the goal of matching or beating SDG&E. For 2026, CEA approved rate-relief credits that include a non-residential credit of $0.02657 per kWh (verified, in effect through Dec. 31, 2026) to achieve rate parity with SDG&E for the Clean Impact product. The annual Joint Rate Comparison (currently effective for 4/1/26 rates) shows the side-by-side comparison; confirm current generation rates in CEA's adopted commercial rate schedule.
How does a consultant or aggregator get authorized for CEA data?▾
Because data lives with SDG&E, third parties register as SDG&E Green Button Connect developers (OAuth 2.0; ~2-4 week approval) or use UtilityAPI, which handles SDG&E authorization. For aggregated/anonymized research data, eligible organizations use SDG&E's Privacy GreenLight program. Individual customers authorize via My Energy Center and can revoke access anytime.
Can a business opt out of CEA and stay with SDG&E?▾
Yes. As a CCA, CEA auto-enrolls eligible customers in its default Clean Impact product, but any customer can opt out to SDG&E bundled generation, or opt up to Clean Impact Plus or 100% renewable Green Impact. The only generation choice is CEA versus SDG&E (plus CEA's product tiers) — there is no unregulated competitive retail supplier in this territory.
Does CEA support EDI for automated billing and meter data?▾
Yes, through SDG&E. SDG&E supports ANSI X12 EDI including 810 (invoice), 820 (remittance), 814 (DASR/account maintenance), and 867 (meter data), with v3030/v4010 implementation guides. Large C&I customers and registered partners execute a Trading Partner Agreement with SDG&E and connect via VAN or direct SFTP.
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