Irvine's Electricity Providers: Orange County Power Authority and SCE

Who provides electricity in Irvine

OCPA is a not-for-profit public agency run by elected officials from its member cities. Irvine was the first Orange County city to explore it and funded its formation in 2021; Buena Park and Fullerton are the other members, with Fountain Valley starting service soon. Residential service began in October 2022. Homes are enrolled automatically, each city picks a default plan, and Irvine's is Basic Choice, 49% renewable in 2026. Any household can choose Smart Choice or 100% Renewable Choice instead, or opt out to SCE generation.

SCE still delivers the power, maintains the lines and sends the bill. On the California Energy Commission's utility map, SCE's territory covers all of Irvine and OCPA's service area 99.8% of it. OCPA says CARE, FERA, Medical Baseline and the other bill-assistance programs apply to its customers just as they do to SCE's.

What an Irvine electric bill costs

SCE and OCPA's joint rate comparison, using SCE rates as of June 1, 2026 and OCPA rates as of October 20, 2025, prices a 522 kWh month on TOU-D-4-9PM at $202.09 with SCE generation, $226.95 on Basic Choice, $232.17 on Smart Choice (60% renewable plus 40% carbon-free) and $234.78 on 100% Renewable Choice. A CARE household with the same usage pays $122.02 with SCE generation and $146.88 on Basic Choice.

The gap is on the generation side. In that comparison OCPA's Basic Choice generation rate is 13.88 cents per kWh against SCE's 11.66 cents, and OCPA customers pay 3.75 cents in surcharges, which recover power SCE bought before customers left and the city franchise fee, partly offset by a lower SCE delivery rate. OCPA says its generation rates are locked for 2026, while SCE's can change four to six times a year.

Every Irvine home also pays SCE's Base Services Charge, which replaced the Basic Charge in November 2025: $24.15 a month for most customers, $12.08 on FERA and $6.00 on CARE. SCE says the price of each kWh fell about 10% in exchange.

Read next: Why an Edison bill runs high · SCE time-of-use hours and prices

Solar on an OCPA account

OCPA runs its own net energy metering for the generation half of a solar bill, and SCE handles the delivery half. OCPA applies banked credits at the full retail rate, trues up every April, before the summer, and pays any credit left over at the lower Net Surplus Compensation rate. It says it currently treats solar customers on the state's Net Billing Tariff as if their generation were under NEM 2.0.

SCE's side of a new system follows its Solar Billing Plan and the TOU-D-PRIME rate, with export credits that vary by the hour. Ask each bidder to model both halves from your own bill rather than an SCE-only account.

Read next: How SCE’s Solar Billing Plan pays for exported solar

Who is the electricity provider in Irvine, California?

Two providers share the bill. SCE delivers the power and sends the statement, and Orange County Power Authority supplies the generation, on its Basic Choice plan by default. You can pick another OCPA plan or opt out to SCE generation.

Is OCPA cheaper than SCE?

Not on the current joint comparison. For a 522 kWh month on TOU-D-4-9PM it shows $226.95 on Basic Choice and $202.09 with SCE generation, using SCE rates as of June 1, 2026. OCPA's rates are locked for 2026 while SCE's can change during the year, so compare the generation lines on your own recent bills.

What is the average electric bill in Irvine?

No official Irvine average is published. The joint comparison's typical 522 kWh month comes to $226.95 on Basic Choice. For another reference point, Irvine is in SCE's cool baseline regions 6 and 8, and in region 6 the CPUC Public Advocates Office's sample non-CARE SCE bill was $152 a month in June 2026, on about 385 kWh. Your own twelve bills are the better guide.

How does OCPA credit rooftop solar?

OCPA handles the generation side of a solar bill and SCE the delivery side. OCPA applies credits at the retail rate, trues up in April and pays leftover credit at the Net Surplus Compensation rate. It currently treats Net Billing Tariff customers as if their generation were under NEM 2.0.