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Solar Energy in San Diego County
SDG&E delivers electricity to every city in this guide, and its residential average is the highest of California's three large investor-owned utilities. SDG&E's average residential rate was 45.5¢ per kWh as of June 1, 2026, a bundled average across the whole residential class (CPUC Public Advocates Office, Q2 2026 Electric Rates Report). The same report puts PG&E at 33.7¢ and SCE at 34.4¢. In most of these cities a community choice aggregator now supplies the power by default, so the bill has two parts.
San Diego Community Power or Clean Energy Alliance?
San Diego Community Power serves the cities of San Diego, Chula Vista, Encinitas, Imperial Beach, La Mesa and National City and the unincorporated areas of San Diego County. In this guide that means San Diego, Chula Vista, Encinitas and unincorporated Fallbrook.
Clean Energy Alliance is the default power provider for Carlsbad, Del Mar, Escondido, Oceanside, San Marcos, Solana Beach and Vista, which covers Carlsbad, Escondido and Oceanside. In CEA's words, SDG&E delivers energy, handles billing and serves customers.
Neither CCA's page names El Cajon. Check an El Cajon bill for a generation provider before comparing quotes.
The 4 to 9 p.m. peak
SDG&E's time-of-use pricing puts the peak between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. Solar output falls away through those hours, so a proposal should show how much of your evening use it covers and what a battery would add. The SDG&E time-of-use guide lists the current plans, and the SDG&E bill guide walks through the charges.
SDG&E also serves southern Orange County, San Clemente included; the Orange County guide covers that side of the county line.
Sources, each checked September 23, 2026: San Diego Community Power, Our Community; Clean Energy Alliance; SDG&E, When Matters; SDG&E, About Us.
San Diego County city guides
Solar cost in San Diego County cities
What owners in each San Diego County city reported paying per watt for solar (CPUC DG Stats, January 2025 to May 2026), with the city’s utility, its community choice aggregator and its permit fee. Where fewer than 30 owners reported, the figure is the county’s or wider, as labeled. Reported costs, not quotes.
| City | Utility | CCA | Median reported cost | Permit fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlsbad | SDG&E | Clean Energy Alliance | $4.58/W city, 523 reports | No figure published |
| Chula Vista | SDG&E | San Diego Community Power | $5.24/W city, 722 reports | $453(above $450) |
| El Cajon | SDG&E | None recorded | $4.49/W city, 497 reports | No figure published |
| Encinitas | SDG&E | San Diego Community Power | $4.57/W city, 445 reports | No figure published |
| Escondido | SDG&E | Clean Energy Alliance | $4.54/W city, 657 reports | $308 |
| Oceanside | SDG&E | Clean Energy Alliance | $5.51/W city, 598 reports | No figure published |
| San Diego | SDG&E | San Diego Community Power | $5.13/W city, 4,007 reports | $275.80 |
| San Marcos | SDG&E | Clean Energy Alliance | $4.90/W city, 461 reports | $124 |
Every California city with a cost page is listed by county on one index.
Storage questions start on the battery hub, and the PPA, loan, lease and cash guide compares ways to pay.
Describe your San Diego County project
Include the generation provider on your SDG&E bill, SDCP, CEA or SDG&E itself, when you send the form below. California Rate Relief is compensated by a solar provider when a homeowner we refer signs an agreement.
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California Rate Relief is a referral service. We are not a licensed contractor. California Rate Relief is compensated by a solar provider when a homeowner we refer signs an agreement. How we make money
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Primary trusted sources
Government, research, and standards bodies we routinely cite. We link out so readers can verify our claims at the source.
- California Contractors State License Board (CSLB)Public license records for every contractor in California. Used to verify C-46 solar license status, bond filings, disciplinary actions.
- CSLB License LookupDirect license search; confirms active status, bond, classification, and any disciplinary actions on file.
- California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)NEM 3 / Net Billing Tariff documents, IOU rate filings, solar interconnection rules.
- CPUC Net Billing Tariff (NEM 3)Authoritative source for NEM 3 / NBT compensation rules and updates.
- DSIRE — Database of State IncentivesComprehensive database of federal, state, and utility incentives for renewable energy. Maintained by NC Clean Energy Technology Center.
- IRS — Residential Clean Energy Credit (Form 5695)IRS guidance on the residential clean energy credit (Section 25D), which does not apply to expenditures made after December 31, 2025.
- NREL — National Renewable Energy LaboratoryUS Department of Energy lab. Source of solar resource maps, panel efficiency data, and benchmark solar cost reports.