Clean Power Alliance of Southern California (CPA) Rate Selection Guide
Clean Power Alliance (CPA) is a not-for-profit Community Choice Aggregator serving 38 communities across Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. CPA procures the generation (supply) and offers Lean / Clean / 100% Green Power tiers, while Southern California Edison (SCE) provides delivery, metering, combined billing, and all interval-data systems — so customer usage data flows through SCE's Green Button and CISR processes.
Clean Power Alliance of Southern California (CPA) Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| TOU-GS-1-D (Lean) | commercial | Summer on-peak $0.09410/kWh + $15.60/kW demand (CPA gen, Feb 2026) | Cost-focused small commercial wanting below-SCE generation |
| TOU-GS-1-D (100% Green) | commercial | Summer on-peak $0.11674/kWh + $18.79/kW demand (CPA gen, Feb 2026) | Small commercial prioritizing 100% renewable (premium ~6%) |
| TOU-GS-2-D (Lean) | commercial | Summer on-peak $0.08888/kWh + $19.74/kW demand (CPA gen, Feb 2026) | Medium/large commercial minimizing generation cost |
| TOU-GS-2-D (100% Green) | commercial | Summer on-peak $0.11440/kWh + $24.47/kW demand (CPA gen, Feb 2026) | Medium/large commercial sustainability goals |
| TOU-8 (all tiers) | industrial | CPA generation demand + TOU energy (see rate schedule) | Largest industrial loads; choose tier by cost vs renewable goals |
Market Overview
CPA is a Joint Powers Authority CCA. Customers in member communities are automatically enrolled in a CPA generation product and may opt up, opt down, or opt out to SCE. CPA sets generation rates; SCE provides delivery, metering, and combined billing. Generation choice is competitive (CPA vs SCE), while delivery remains a regulated SCE monopoly.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Clean Power Alliance of Southern California (CPA) Data Access Guide →
Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) Options
40% clean energy generation product; typically a few percent below SCE's generation cost — the lowest-cost CPA tier.
50% clean energy generation product, roughly cost-comparable to SCE base generation; default tier in some communities.
100% renewable generation product at a premium (about 5-6% above SCE base for most communities); default tier in many CPA communities. CPA has been the #1 U.S. green power provider three years running.
Customers may opt out of CPA entirely and return to SCE bundled generation; SCE remains the delivery provider in all cases.
Current Rate Schedules
CPA sets only the generation (supply) rate; SCE delivery charges and PCIA are billed separately and are NOT included below. CPA offers three generation tiers — Lean (40% clean), Clean (50% clean), 100% Green (100% renewable) — mapped onto SCE's TOU commercial delivery schedules (TOU-GS-1 small, TOU-GS-2 medium/large, TOU-8 largest). Figures below are CPA's verified generation rates effective February 1, 2026 (2019-2020 vintage communities). Relative pricing: Lean ~2% below SCE base, Clean ~comparable, 100% Green ~6% above (5% premium through June 30, 2026 for some 2025-vintage communities).
Effective: February 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOU-GS-1-D (Small General Service, demand-metered) | commercial | Small commercial customers on SCE's TOU-GS-1 delivery schedule. CPA generation rates only. | Verified CPA generation, eff. Feb 1 2026 (2019-2020 vintage). Summer on-peak demand ($/kW): Lean $15.60 / Clean $16.40 / 100% Green $18.79. Summer on-peak energy ($/kWh): Lean $0.09410 / Clean $0.09976 / 100% Green $0.11674. Off-peak energy: ~$0.04892 / $0.05227 / $0.06232. Winter mid-peak demand $4.79-$5.77/kW. Excludes SCE delivery and PCIA. | — |
| TOU-GS-2-D (Medium/Large General Service, demand-metered) | commercial | Medium/large commercial customers on SCE's TOU-GS-2 delivery schedule. CPA generation rates only. | Verified CPA generation, eff. Feb 1 2026 (2019-2020 vintage). Summer on-peak demand ($/kW): Lean $19.74 / Clean $20.92 / 100% Green $24.47. Summer on-peak energy ($/kWh): Lean $0.08888 / Clean $0.09526 / 100% Green $0.11440. Off-peak energy ~$0.04477 / $0.04850 / $0.05970. Winter mid-peak demand $5.18-$6.43/kW. Excludes SCE delivery and PCIA. | — |
| TOU-GS-1-E (Small General Service, non-demand) | commercial | Small commercial customers without demand metering on SCE TOU-GS-1. CPA generation rates only. | Verified CPA generation, eff. Feb 1 2026 (2019-2020 vintage). Summer on-peak energy ($/kWh): Lean $0.39560 / Clean $0.41893 / 100% Green $0.48889; summer off-peak ~$0.06185 / $0.06628 / $0.07960. Energy-only (no demand charge). Excludes SCE delivery and PCIA. | — |
| TOU-GS-3-D (Large General Service) | commercial | Larger commercial customers on SCE's TOU-GS-3 delivery schedule. CPA generation rates only. | Structure: per-kW summer/winter generation demand charges plus TOU energy charges across the three CPA tiers (Lean / Clean / 100% Green), mirroring the TOU-GS-1/GS-2 pattern at a larger-load tier. Specific values are published per community vintage in the CPA non-residential rate schedule. Excludes SCE delivery and PCIA. | — |
| TOU-8 (Largest C&I / industrial) | industrial | Largest commercial and industrial customers on SCE's TOU-8 delivery schedule (secondary/primary/subtransmission voltages). CPA generation rates only. | Structure: CPA generation demand ($/kW) and TOU energy ($/kWh) charges across Lean / Clean / 100% Green tiers, with secondary/primary/subtransmission voltage variants matched to the SCE TOU-8 delivery schedule. Published per community vintage; figures qualitative here — see the CPA non-residential rate schedule. Excludes SCE delivery and PCIA. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Small commercial choosing a generation tier
Small commercial sites should pick the CPA tier matching their priorities and pair it with off-peak load shifting on TOU-GS-1.
Lean Power runs ~2% below SCE generation; off-peak energy (~$0.049/kWh on TOU-GS-1-D) is about half on-peak, so shifting load compounds savings.
- Use the CPA Bill Comparison Calculator
- Confirm your SCE delivery schedule (it stays the same across tiers)
- Shift discretionary load off-peak
Medium/large commercial with demand charges
Demand-metered medium/large sites on TOU-GS-2 should manage peak kW and shift load, then choose tier by cost-vs-renewable goals.
Summer on-peak generation demand runs $19.74/kW (Lean) to $24.47/kW (100% Green); shaving peaks cuts CPA and SCE demand charges together.
- Authorize SCE Green Button/EnergyManager for 15-min interval data
- Peak-shave with scheduling or storage
- Compare tiers in the SCE-CPA Joint Rate Comparison
Largest industrial loads (TOU-8)
Large industrial customers on TOU-8 should integrate SCE EnergyManager interval data, evaluate tier economics, and pursue demand response.
At TOU-8 scale, voltage level and demand management dominate; CPA tier choice plus Commercial Leaders incentives ($14/kW summer) materially affect total cost.
- Use SCE EnergyManager (>200 kW) for interval analytics
- Enroll in Power Response — Commercial Leaders
- Model PCIA impact when comparing CPA vs SCE
Sustainability-driven organization
Organizations with ESG/renewable goals should opt up to 100% Green Power and pursue Green Leader recognition.
100% Green provides fully renewable generation at roughly a 5-6% premium; CPA is the #1 U.S. green power provider, and Green Leader adds marketing value.
- Opt up via 888-585-3788 or the rate-options tool
- Apply for Green Leader recognition
- Use SCE Green Button data for emissions/ESG reporting
Historical Rate Trends
CPA generation rates are reset annually by the Board (typically effective each July) with periodic interim updates tied to SCE rate changes. CPA's value proposition has consistently kept Lean below SCE and positioned 100% Green at a modest premium.
February 1, 2026
CPA non-residential generation rates updated effective February 1, 2026, reflecting January-February CPA and SCE rate changes; bill-comparison tool refreshed accordingly.
Updated Feb 2026October 1, 2025
Rates for newly enrolled 2025-vintage communities (La Cañada Flintridge, Lynwood, Port Hueneme) took effect, with 100% Green at a 5% premium to SCE base through June 30, 2026.
+5% (100% Green vs SCE, transitional)Overall trend: Tier positioning stable: Lean ~2% below SCE, Clean ~comparable, 100% Green ~6% above (with transitional premiums for newly enrolled communities).
Next expected change: Next annual rate setting expected mid-2026; bill-comparison rates were refreshed February 1, 2026 to reflect January-February CPA and SCE changes.
Cost Optimization Strategies
CPA C&I customers optimize on two fronts: choosing the generation tier that fits their cost-vs-renewable goals, and managing demand/TOU usage to cut both CPA generation and SCE delivery charges. Interval data (via SCE Green Button) is the foundation for both.
Choose the right generation tier
For: All CPA C&I customers
Select Lean Power for lowest cost (~2% below SCE generation), Clean for a middle ground, or 100% Green for full renewables (~6% premium). Use the Bill Comparison Calculator and SCE-CPA Joint Rate Comparison.
Shift load off-peak (TOU)
For: Customers with shiftable load
CPA generation energy is heavily TOU — e.g., TOU-GS-1-D summer on-peak ~$0.094/kWh (Lean) vs off-peak ~$0.049/kWh. Shifting discretionary load off-peak cuts the CPA generation portion and the SCE delivery portion simultaneously.
Reduce peak demand (kW)
For: Demand-metered C&I (TOU-GS-1-D/GS-2/GS-3/TOU-8)
Demand-metered schedules carry per-kW generation demand charges ($15-24/kW summer on-peak depending on schedule/tier) on top of SCE demand charges. Peak-shaving via storage or scheduling cuts both.
Enroll in Power Response — Commercial Leaders
For: C&I customers able to curtail
Earn demand-response incentives (up to $14/kW in summer) for curtailing load during grid events.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Clean Power Alliance of Southern California (CPA) interval data →
Deregulated Market Shopping
Under the CCA model, CPA C&I customers exercise generation choice while SCE remains the delivery monopoly. Customers are auto-enrolled in their community's default CPA tier and can opt up to 100% Green Power, opt down to Lean Power, or opt out to SCE bundled service. Choosing the right tier is a tradeoff between cost (Lean is lowest, ~a few % below SCE generation) and renewable content (100% Green is a ~5-6% premium). Use the SCE-CPA Joint Rate Comparison and CPA's Bill Comparison Calculator to evaluate.
How to Compare Clean Power Alliance of Southern California (CPA) Suppliers
- 01Identify your SCE delivery rate schedule (e.g., TOU-GS-1, TOU-GS-2, TOU-8) — this stays the same across CPA tiers
- 02Compare CPA Lean / Clean / 100% Green generation rates against SCE generation using the Bill Comparison Calculator
- 03Decide the cost-vs-renewable tradeoff (Lean = cheapest; 100% Green = ~5-6% premium)
- 04Opt up, opt down, or opt out by calling 888-585-3788 or via the online rate-options tool
Contract Terms for Clean Power Alliance of Southern California (CPA) Supply Agreements
- No fixed-term contract — customers can change tier or opt out at any time
- Generation rates set annually by CPA's Board at public meetings; subject to change
- SCE delivery charges, PCIA (Power Charge Indifference Adjustment), and CCA-CRS apply regardless of tier
Common Pitfalls When Shopping Clean Power Alliance of Southern California (CPA) Rates
- The Power Charge Indifference Adjustment (PCIA) and CCA-CRS appear on the SCE side and affect total CCA economics — factor these in when comparing CPA vs SCE
- Newly enrolled communities (2025 vintage) may have transitional premium pricing (e.g., 100% Green at ~5% premium through June 30, 2026)
- CPA generation rates and SCE generation rates change on different schedules; comparisons updated periodically (rates in the calculator updated Feb 1, 2026)
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does interval/usage data come from for CPA customers?▾
From SCE, not CPA. CPA is a Community Choice Aggregator that procures generation only; SCE owns the meters and AMI. Commercial customers access 15-minute interval data through SCE Green Button (download or OAuth), SCE EnergyManager (>200 kW), or via CISR Form 14-796 — not through CPA.
What is the difference between CPA's Lean, Clean, and 100% Green commercial rates?▾
All three are generation (supply) products applied to the same SCE delivery rate schedule (e.g., TOU-GS-1, TOU-GS-2, TOU-8). Lean Power is ~40% clean and typically a few percent below SCE's generation cost; Clean Power is 50% clean and roughly comparable to SCE; 100% Green Power is fully renewable at a premium (about 5-6% above SCE base for most communities). Default tier varies by community.
How does a third party get authorized to access our data?▾
Two paths, both through SCE: (1) SCE Green Button Connect My Data (OAuth) for automated ongoing interval-data access — Nectar provides API access to this billing and interval data, see docs.nectarclimate.com; or (2) signed SCE CISR Form 14-796, selecting Option 1 (billing) and Option 5 (interval/special metering). CPA generation-charge data is requested separately by emailing customerconfidentiality@cleanpoweralliance.org. Never share passwords.
Can our business opt up, opt down, or opt out of CPA?▾
Yes. Commercial customers are auto-enrolled in their community's default CPA tier and can opt up to 100% Green Power, opt down to Lean Power, or opt out entirely back to SCE bundled generation — by calling 888-585-3788 or using the online rate-options tool. SCE always remains the delivery provider regardless.
Does CPA offer EDI or an API for data integration?▾
No. CPA does not provide customer-facing EDI or a data API. For EDI, contact SCE's B2B team; for automated programmatic access, use SCE's Green Button Connect My Data (OAuth) with a supporting platform such as Nectar (docs.nectarclimate.com). (Note: 'Clean Power Research' is a different, unrelated company.)
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