San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) Rate Selection Guide
San Diego Gas & Electric is a dual-fuel investor-owned utility serving about 1.53 million electric and 380,000 gas customers across San Diego and southern Orange County. For C&I energy teams, SDG&E offers some of the most complete programmatic data access in California, including Green Button Connect (OAuth 2.0 / ESPI), full EDI 810/820/814/867, and aggregated data via Privacy GreenLight. Generation supply is increasingly served by Community Choice Aggregators while SDG&E remains the wires and data provider.
San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| AL-TOU | C&I TOU (demand-metered) | ~$0.305/kWh all-in (Secondary, SDG&E gen, eff. 3/1/2024); basic fee $213.30-$766.91/mo + demand charges | Medium/large commercial & industrial facilities >=20 kW |
| AL-TOU-CPP | C&I TOU + critical peak pricing | AL-TOU structure with CPP-event-day pricing; lower non-event rates | Demand-metered customers able to curtail on CPP event days |
| DG-R | C&I DER TOU | TOU energy + basic fee $65.96-$164.90/mo + ~$3.39/kW capacity reservation | Customers <=2 MW with solar, other DG, or battery storage |
| A6-TOU | Commercial TOU | Voltage-differentiated TOU energy + demand charges (structure) | Small/medium commercial electing optional TOU |
| GN-3 | Natural gas transportation | Volumetric transportation + surcharges (structure) | Noncore commercial/industrial gas users |
Market Overview
SDG&E is the regulated wires and meter data provider, but generation supply is increasingly served by Community Choice Aggregators and, for eligible large customers, Direct Access electric service providers. SDG&E continues to deliver energy, read meters, and provide consolidated billing.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) Data Access Guide →
Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) Options
Current Rate Schedules
SDG&E is a CPUC-regulated investor-owned utility serving San Diego and southern Orange counties. Under California's restructured market, SDG&E provides delivery (UDC) service while commodity/generation can be supplied by SDG&E or by community choice aggregators (San Diego Community Power, Clean Energy Alliance). Commercial and industrial customers take time-of-use service; medium/large customers (>=20 kW) are on demand-metered schedules with separate energy and demand charges. Rates vary by voltage level (Secondary, Primary, Secondary/Primary Substation, Transmission).
Effective: January 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule AL-TOU - General Service Time-Metered | Commercial/Industrial TOU (demand-metered) | All metered non-residential customers whose monthly maximum demand equals or exceeds (or is expected to equal/exceed) 20 kW. SDG&E's standard medium/large C&I schedule. | Time-of-use energy charges (On-Peak weekdays 4-9pm year-round; Off-Peak and Super-Off-Peak), plus monthly basic service fee and non-coincident + on-peak demand charges, all differentiated by voltage. Default commodity tariff for bundled customers is EECC-CPP-D (critical peak pricing) with opt-out to EECC-TOU. | Secondary all-in ~$0.305/kWh (SDG&E generation, eff. 3/1/2024 joint rate comparison, ~67.6 kW demand)+ Secondary basic service fee $213.30/mo (<=500 kW) to $766.91/mo (>500 kW); maximum/on-peak demand charges in the ~$37-40/kW range (Secondary, eff. 1/1/2026 summary table) |
| Schedule AL-TOU-CPP - Critical Peak Pricing Option | Commercial/Industrial TOU with CPP | AL-TOU customers electing/defaulted to Critical Peak Pricing. EECC-CPP-D is the default commodity tariff for AL-TOU customers >=20 kW for three consecutive months. | Same AL-TOU delivery structure with critical peak pricing commodity component: elevated prices on a limited number of CPP event days in exchange for lower non-event-day rates, allowing customers to manage cost by reducing/shifting load. | Structure-based; published per voltage in the Large Commercial summary table+ Same basic service fee and demand-charge structure as AL-TOU, by voltage |
| Schedule DG-R - Distributed Generation / Storage Rate | Commercial/Industrial TOU for DER customers | Voluntary for non-residential customers with peak annual load <=2 MW who have operational distributed generation (capacity >=10% of peak annual demand) or behind-the-meter storage (discharge capacity >=20% of annual peak demand). | Time-of-use energy charges with a rate design tailored to customers with on-site generation/storage; basic service fee tiered at <=150 kW and >150 kW; demand and capacity reservation charges by voltage. Commodity defaults to EECC-CPP-D for customers >=20 kW. | Structure-based; TOU energy charges published per voltage (Secondary/Primary/Substation/Transmission)+ Basic service fee Secondary $65.96/mo (<=150 kW) to $164.90/mo (>150 kW); capacity reservation charge ~$3.39/kW |
| Schedule A6-TOU - Small/Medium Commercial Optional TOU | Commercial TOU | Non-residential customers electing optional time-of-use service; an alternative C&I TOU schedule with voltage-differentiated rates (Secondary, Primary, Substation, Transmission). | Time-of-use energy charges plus monthly basic service fee and demand charges by voltage; commodity default EECC-CPP-D unless opt-out elected. | Structure-based; published per voltage in C&I tariff sheets+ Voltage-differentiated demand charges; basic service fees published by voltage and demand band |
| Schedule GN-3 - Noncore Natural Gas Service | Commercial/Industrial natural gas transportation | Noncore commercial/industrial gas customers; electric-generation (EG) customers with annual gas use <=250,000 therms may elect core service under GN-3. | Gas transportation/distribution service with volumetric transportation charges plus public-purpose program and other surcharges; commodity gas procured by SDG&E or by the customer/marketer (noncore). Rates set in periodic gas cost and transportation proceedings. | Structure-based; transportation + surcharge components published in the gas tariff book+ Not applicable (gas; volumetric transportation charge) |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Automated C&I billing integration
Receive SDG&E invoices directly into ERP or billing systems via EDI 810 for direct access and consolidated billing.
EDI 810/820 supports automated, near-real-time invoice and payment processing for large accounts and billing agents.
- Choose the right Trading Partner Agreement for your role
- Plan 1-2 weeks for TPA processing and testing
TOU load-shifting and demand management
Use 15-minute interval data via Green Button Connect to shift load off high on-peak periods and shave demand peaks.
SDG&E's TOU and demand charges are among the highest in the US, so interval visibility drives the largest savings.
- Target late-afternoon/evening on-peak reductions
- Pair with battery storage for demand response
Software / app development
Build energy software on SDG&E data via the Green Button Connect developer program or UtilityAPI.
Green Button Connect (OAuth 2.0/ESPI) and UtilityAPI both provide scalable, standardized programmatic access.
- Use ESPI sample data to validate parsing
- Budget for UtilityAPI per-call pricing
Solar and storage sizing
Use 13 months of interval data plus NEM details to size solar-plus-storage against SDG&E's steep TOU rates.
High on-peak rates make storage economics attractive; interval and NEM data are essential inputs.
- Pull both electric interval and NEM data
- Model against current NBT tariff rules
CCA generation evaluation
Compare San Diego Community Power and Clean Energy Alliance generation options against SDG&E bundled service.
Generation is competitively supplied; CCA opt-up products and rates can change total cost and emissions profile.
- Confirm which CCA serves each site
- Compare generation rate components, not just totals
Historical Rate Trends
SDG&E rates rose materially over 2024-2025 driven primarily by the 2024 General Rate Case (Sempra GRC, A.22-05-015/016) and wildfire-mitigation/undergrounding cost recovery.
December 19, 2024
CPUC Decision 24-12-074 adopted Test Year 2024 base revenue requirement; combined SDG&E operations revenue requirement up $188.6M (7.5%) over 2023, with electric requirement ~$2.192B.
+7.5% (combined revenue requirement)January 1, 2025
Consolidated 2024 decisions increased gas transportation and public-purpose surcharge rates effective Jan 1, 2025.
Increase (gas transportation/surcharge)January 1, 2025
Authorized post-test-year base revenue increase of ~3% (incremental ~5.45% all-in) for 2025 under the 2024 GRC; SDG&E electric rates adjusted accordingly.
~+3% base (~+5.45% all-in 2025)Overall trend: increasing
Next expected change: Authorized post-test-year increases continue through 2027 (~4% base revenue per year), plus annual gas transportation/cost adjustments effective each January 1; further C&I rate design changes possible in subsequent CPUC proceedings.
Cost Optimization Strategies
SDG&E's high commercial rates and 4-9pm peak window make load shifting, demand management, and supply choice the primary levers for reducing C&I energy spend.
Shift load out of the 4-9pm on-peak window
For: AL-TOU, DG-R, A6-TOU
SDG&E's on-peak period runs 4:00-9:00 pm on weekdays year-round. Shifting production, HVAC pre-cooling, EV charging, and batch processes to off-peak/super-off-peak hours cuts both energy and on-peak demand charges.
Manage peak demand (kW)
For: AL-TOU, AL-TOU-CPP, DG-R
Demand charges are a large share of the AL-TOU bill. Staggering equipment startup, peak-shaving with batteries, and limiting coincident on-peak demand reduce the $/kW charges (Secondary basic fee alone is $213-$767/mo plus per-kW demand).
Evaluate CCA supply (SDCP / Clean Energy Alliance)
For: All bundled C&I electric schedules
Community choice aggregators offer generation supply that can be lower-cost and/or higher-renewable than SDG&E's default generation, while SDG&E delivery charges remain unchanged. Compare CCA tiers against SDG&E generation plus PCIA.
Adopt DG-R with on-site generation or storage
For: DG-R-eligible C&I customers
Customers <=2 MW with solar or batteries can qualify for Schedule DG-R, whose rate design is tailored to DER and can pair with battery dispatch into the 4-9pm peak for demand and energy savings.
Review service voltage
For: Larger AL-TOU / DG-R facilities
Taking service at Primary or Substation voltage carries lower per-kWh and demand rates than Secondary. Facilities with the load to justify owning transformation should evaluate a voltage-level change.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) interval data →
Deregulated Market Shopping
While SDG&E remains the regulated wires utility, generation supply is competitively available through Community Choice Aggregators and, for eligible large customers, Direct Access electric service providers. Customers are auto-enrolled in their local CCA with the option to opt up, opt down, or return to SDG&E bundled service.
How to Compare San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) Suppliers
- 01Confirm which CCA serves your address (San Diego Community Power or Clean Energy Alliance)
- 02Review CCA generation products and rates versus SDG&E bundled generation
- 03For large eligible customers, evaluate Direct Access electric service providers
- 04Enroll, opt up to a cleaner product, or opt out to SDG&E generation
Contract Terms for San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) Supply Agreements
- CCA enrollment is automatic with no fixed term; opt out anytime
- Direct Access requires a contract with a registered ESP and may have a Direct Access cap waitlist
- Gas Core Transport Agent agreements have supplier-specific terms
Common Pitfalls When Shopping San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) Rates
- SDG&E still provides delivery charges, billing, and meter data regardless of generation provider
- Direct Access enrollment is capped and may require waitlist
- Compare generation rate components carefully, not just total bill
- CCA opt-up clean products carry a premium
Frequently Asked Questions
How do C&I customers get 15-minute interval data from SDG&E?▾
Commercial and industrial electric meters record 15-minute interval data. Customers can download up to 13 months via Green Button on My Energy Center, authorize ongoing sharing through Green Button Connect (OAuth 2.0), exchange it via EDI 867, or use aggregators like UtilityAPI.
Does SDG&E support EDI for billing and meter data?▾
Yes. SDG&E supports ANSI X12 EDI (v3030 and v4010) for 810 invoices, 820 remittance, 814 DASR/account maintenance, and 867 meter data. Trading partners sign a Trading Partner Agreement (UDC, ESP, DUAL, or Customer) and connect via VAN or SFTP.
Who is my generation provider if SDG&E is the utility?▾
SDG&E delivers energy and reads meters, but generation is increasingly supplied by Community Choice Aggregators such as San Diego Community Power or Clean Energy Alliance, or by a Direct Access provider for eligible large customers. SDG&E still issues the consolidated bill and provides meter data.
How does a third party get authorized to access SDG&E data?▾
Third parties use Green Button Connect (customer authorizes an approved app), the Consent to Share / Letter of Authorization process (CISR form or non-standard LOA), or an EDI Trading Partner Agreement. Standard CISR forms process in 5-10 business days.
What rate schedule applies to my commercial facility?▾
Most commercial customers take time-of-use schedules such as AL-TOU, with demand charges added at medium and large sizes. Large industrial loads use DG / large industrial TOU schedules with voltage-level pricing, and EV charging sites can use EV-HP. Gas C&I customers use noncore schedules like GN-3.
How can I get aggregated SDG&E data for research or planning?▾
Use the Privacy GreenLight data request program for aggregated/anonymized data under CPUC Decision 14-05-016, or download free public aggregated data by zip code and customer type at energydata.sdge.com.
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