If SCE is your utility, your rate plan decides when power costs the most. SCE's TOU-D 4-9PM and TOU-D-PRIME plans price 4 to 9 p.m. highest, and SCE puts Solar Billing Plan customers on TOU-D-PRIME. SCE also says its shutoffs during high wind and fire risk could become more frequent.
US Grid Relief is not SCE and is not affiliated with SCE. We are a California marketing and consultation company that looks at homes for solar and a battery.
1. When does SCE power cost the most?
It depends on your plan. SCE's TOU-D 4-9PM plan lists its highest rates on summer weekdays from 4 to 9 p.m. Its TOU-D-PRIME plan lists its highest rates from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.1 Check your bill for your plan's name.
2. Which plan would a solar home be on?
SCE requires Solar Billing Plan customers to be on TOU-D-PRIME, and requires NEM 2.0 customers to be on a time-of-use rate.1 So for most solar homes on SCE, 4 to 9 p.m. is the expensive window.
3. Why does a battery matter more under NEM 3.0?
Panels make power from sunlight, so they make little or none after sunset.5 Under NEM 3.0, which the courts let stand in 2026, power you send back to the grid earns much less credit than under the old rules.7 A battery stores midday power so your home can use it in the evening.
4. Does SCE shut off power on purpose?
Yes, as a last resort during high wind and fire risk.3 SCE's own 2026 plan says shutoffs “could happen more frequently, impact more customers, and last longer,” and that revised criteria “could result in longer, more extensive outages, including in areas that historically have not experienced PSPS.”2
5. Will my panels keep the lights on during a shutoff?
Not on their own. A solar system tied to the grid is required to shut off when the grid goes down, so panels without a battery stop powering your home. A battery with the right equipment and setup can keep power on.4 How much it covers depends on the system.
6. Is there still a monthly charge with solar?
Yes. In 2024 the CPUC set a fixed monthly charge of $24.15 for most homes, $12.08 for FERA customers and $6.00 for CARE customers. It is billed no matter how much your panels make.6
Quick answers.
Is US Grid Relief part of SCE?
No. US Grid Relief is a California marketing and consultation company. We are not SCE, we are not affiliated with SCE, and we are not a government agency.
Do I have to be on TOU-D-PRIME with solar?
If you are on SCE's Solar Billing Plan, yes. SCE requires Solar Billing Plan customers to be on TOU-D-PRIME.
Are SCE shutoffs getting more common?
SCE's own 2026 plan says shutoffs could happen more frequently, affect more customers and last longer, including in areas that have not had them before.
Sources.
- SCE, time-of-use plans, checked September 2026.
- SCE, 2026 PSPS Action Plan, 2026.
- CPUC, public safety power shutoffs, checked September 2026.
- Solar and Resilience Basics, US Department of Energy, checked September 2026.
- US Department of Energy, solar energy and storage basics, checked September 2026.
- CPUC Decision 24-05-028, 2024.
- pv magazine USA, California Supreme Court declines to hear rooftop solar billing case, June 10, 2026.
