San Diego Community Power says it pays a bonus for surplus solar generation

A San Diego Community Power representative said the agency offers net surplus compensation to customers whose rooftop solar systems send more electricity to the grid than they use. The representative said the agency “adds a bonus payment on top of SDG&E's rate,” and that customers with credits over $100 receive a check while smaller credits are applied to future bills.

Net surplus compensation is the payment a customer receives for excess electricity a rooftop solar system puts back on the grid, the representative said. “What happens if your solar system generates more electricity than you use? That's where net surplus compensation comes in,” the speaker said, adding that the program aims to increase the financial return for customers with solar.

The representative outlined two specific operational rules: the agency applies a bonus to the underlying SDG&E rate, and accounts with a credit balance greater than $100 are paid by check. Accounts with credit balances under $100 are kept as a credit on future energy bills, the representative said. The representative did not specify how the bonus is calculated, eligibility details, or whether other billing rules apply.

The remarks were presented as an informational summary rather than a regulatory filing or vote. No formal action, ordinance or rate change was recorded in the transcript; the statements were presented as an explanation of the agency's existing net surplus compensation practice.

San Diego Community Power and SDG&E are the entities named in the presentation. The representative did not provide additional details about eligibility, calculation methodology, or the timeline for payments beyond the $100 threshold. Interested customers are directed to San Diego Community Power for full program terms, which were not specified in the record.