SDGE and Energy Glossary

A fixed daily residential electric charge that appears as a monthly charge on the bill.

SDGE says the charge covers some fixed customer service and grid costs. It replaced or restructured some costs that were previously recovered through variable per-kWh rates.

A monthly usage allowance used to separate lower-tier and higher-tier residential energy prices.

Baseline allowance depends on location, season, heating source, and other factors. SDGE rate pages often show prices up to 130% of baseline and above 130% of baseline.

SDGE residential service that is priced by usage tiers rather than time of day.

A DR plan does not change price by hour. Instead, usage can move between baseline and above-baseline tiers.

An SDGE residential EV plan with a very low super off-peak price and a fixed base services charge.

EV-TOU-5 is designed for households that can charge an electric vehicle during super off-peak periods. It can punish evening charging because peak pricing is high.

A standardized way to download detailed energy usage data from your utility account.

On this site, Green Button data usually means hourly or interval usage CSV data exported from SDGE/MyEnergyCenter and uploaded for bill modeling.

A lower-priced TOU period outside the highest-demand evening hours.

On three-period SDGE plans, off-peak is the middle price tier. On two-period plans such as TOU-DR2, all non-peak usage is off-peak.

The highest-priced TOU period on most SDGE residential plans.

For the common SDGE residential TOU plans shown on this site, on-peak is generally 4 PM to 9 PM.

The lowest-priced TOU period on SDGE plans that have three pricing periods.

Common three-period SDGE residential plans include super off-peak from 12 AM to 6 AM and 10 AM to 2 PM on weekdays, and 12 AM to 2 PM on weekends and holidays.

A pricing structure where electricity costs depend on when you use it.

TOU plans divide the day into periods such as on-peak, off-peak, and sometimes super off-peak. The same kWh can cost very different amounts depending on the hour and the plan.

A common SDGE residential TOU plan with three pricing periods.

TOU-DR1 has on-peak, off-peak, and super off-peak periods. It is often used as the default comparison point for residential TOU billing.

A two-period SDGE residential TOU plan with no separate super off-peak period.

TOU-DR2 has on-peak and off-peak pricing. SDGE lists off-peak as 12 AM to 4 PM and 9 PM to 12 AM every day.

An SDGE electrification TOU plan for homes with EVs, batteries, or electric heat pumps.

TOU-ELEC is intended for more electrified homes and has on-peak, off-peak, and super off-peak periods.

A legacy electric restructuring charge component.

CTC appears in total electric rate tables as one of the utility rate components that can be separated from commodity rates.

The SDGE charge for delivering electricity over the local grid.

Delivery covers poles, wires, meters, billing, customer service, and other utility distribution costs. It is separate from the generation provider that buys or produces electricity.

A bond-related charge shown in SDGE total electric rate tables.

DWR-BC is one of the non-commodity components included in SDGE total electric rate tables.

The SDGE commodity or generation rate component in total electric rate tables.

EECC is the generation-side rate component shown in SDGE total rate tables for bundled SDGE generation service.

The charge for electricity supply itself, separate from delivery.

Generation may come from SDGE bundled service or from a Community Choice Aggregator. It is the energy procurement side of the bill.

A rate-table component associated with local generation-related costs.

LGC appears as one of the SDGE total rate table columns. Treat it as a component of the delivery-side all-in rate rather than a separate plan choice.

A rate component for nuclear plant retirement and decommissioning costs.

ND appears as a small component in SDGE total electric rate tables.

A charge or credit tied to legacy utility power contracts when customers receive generation elsewhere.

PCIA is a CPUC mechanism intended to reduce cost shifting between bundled utility customers and customers who take generation service from another provider, such as a CCA.

A charge category that funds public policy energy programs.

Public purpose program costs can include energy efficiency, low-income assistance, and related state-authorized programs.

A rate-table component for reliability-related costs.

RS is one of the columns SDGE includes in detailed total electric rate tables.

A rate-table adjustment component included in SDGE total electric rates.

TRAC appears in SDGE detailed total rate tables and helps reconcile utility rate components into the published total.

The utility delivery side of a rate table.

In SDGE total rate tables, UDC columns are the utility delivery-related components, separate from commodity or generation charges.

A non-bypassable charge related to California wildfire fund costs.

SDGE materials identify WF-NBC as an exemption item for some Medical Baseline calculations and show it as a rate-table component.

Electric service where SDGE provides both delivery and generation.

Bundled customers receive both utility delivery and electricity generation from SDGE rather than a CCA or direct access provider.

A local government energy provider that buys electricity generation for customers in its service area.

In SDGE territory, CCAs such as San Diego Community Power and Clean Energy Alliance may provide generation while SDGE continues delivering power and billing delivery charges.

The tariff framework behind California NEM 3 / Solar Billing Plan export compensation.

NBT is the regulatory name often used for the newer net billing structure. SDGE customer-facing materials commonly call it the Solar Billing Plan.

A legacy solar billing structure where exported solar can offset imported electricity during a true-up cycle.

NEM 1 and NEM 2 are legacy structures for many existing solar customers. Timing still matters because imports and exports can be mapped to TOU periods.

A charge that cannot be avoided through certain forms of generation credit or customer choice.

Non-bypassable charges are often important for solar and CCA customers because they can still apply even when some generation charges are offset or provided by another entity.

A charge that export credits cannot offset under solar billing.

SDGE says the Base Services Charge is non-nettable for Solar Billing Plan customers, meaning export credits cannot be applied to it.

The newer California solar billing structure for many new solar customers.

The Solar Billing Plan, often called NEM 3, values exports using avoided-cost style export values rather than simple retail net metering.

A solar billing settlement point when credits, charges, and excess generation are reconciled.

Legacy NEM customers often think about annual true-up because imports, exports, and credits accumulate during the cycle.

An income-qualified bill discount program.

SDGE says CARE customers receive a monthly energy discount and a discounted Base Services Charge.

Affordable housing status that can qualify customers for a discounted Base Services Charge.

SDGE says some DRAH customers may receive the discounted Base Services Charge tied to eligible affordable housing properties.

An income-qualified electric bill discount program for eligible households.

SDGE says FERA customers receive an electricity discount and a discounted Base Services Charge.

A program for customers with qualifying medical energy needs.

Medical Baseline can provide an extra baseline energy allowance and may include line-item discount or exemption treatment depending on rate plan and rules.

The type of electricity used by standard household outlets.

Most plug-in household appliances use AC power. Batteries and solar panels are usually DC internally, so conversion may be needed.

A unit of heat energy used for HVAC and appliance ratings.

Heat pump and air conditioner capacity is often expressed in BTU per hour. Efficiency ratings compare BTU moved to electrical energy consumed.

A measure of how much energy a generator actually produces compared with its maximum possible output.

The CPUC glossary explains capacity factor as actual energy produced divided by the maximum energy the unit could produce over the same period.

A heat pump efficiency ratio for heat delivered compared with electricity consumed.

ENERGY STAR defines COP as the average rate of space heating delivered divided by the average rate of electrical energy consumed under a specific test condition.

Electricity that flows in one direction, used inside batteries and many electronics.

Solar panels and batteries produce or store DC power. Running AC loads from DC storage requires an inverter.

A cooling efficiency ratio at a specific operating condition.

ENERGY STAR describes EER2 as average space cooling delivered divided by average electrical energy consumed, expressed in Btu per Wh.

The interconnected system of power lines, substations, and generators that delivers electricity.

The CPUC glossary describes the grid as interconnected power lines and generators managed so generation can meet customer needs reliably.

Equipment that moves heat instead of creating heat directly from electric resistance.

A heat pump can heat and cool a home by moving heat between indoors and outdoors. Its performance depends on temperature, equipment design, and installation.

A seasonal heating efficiency rating for heat pumps.

ENERGY STAR describes HSPF2 as seasonal heating required divided by electricity consumed by the heat pump system during the same season.

The heating and cooling equipment and ductwork that conditions indoor air.

HVAC can refer to central air conditioning, heat pumps, furnaces, ducts, filters, fans, and controls. In San Diego, HVAC runtime often drives summer peak usage.

Electronics that convert DC battery or solar power into AC power for household devices.

Inverters have power limits, surge limits, and efficiency losses. A 1 kWh battery cannot deliver a full 1 kWh to AC loads after conversion losses.

A unit of power equal to 1,000 watts.

Power is the rate at which electricity is being used or produced. A 1 kW load running for one hour uses 1 kWh.

A unit of energy equal to using 1 kilowatt for 1 hour.

If a device uses 500 watts for 2 hours, it uses 1 kWh. SDGE residential energy prices are usually shown as dollars per kWh.

A lithium battery chemistry common in modern portable power stations and home batteries.

LFP batteries are often marketed for longer cycle life and improved thermal stability compared with some other lithium-ion chemistries.

The amount of electric power a device, home, or system requires at a point in time.

A home load rises when major appliances turn on. Utilities also use load to describe system demand.

A vehicle fuel-economy metric showing miles traveled per gallon of fuel.

MPG is useful for gasoline vehicles, but can be misleading when comparing EVs because fuel prices and energy units differ.

An EPA fuel-economy label metric for comparing EVs and other non-gas vehicles with gasoline vehicles.

FuelEconomy.gov explains MPGe as similar to MPG, but based on the distance a vehicle can travel using energy equivalent to a gallon of gasoline.

Solar charging electronics that help extract more usable power from solar panels.

MPPT controllers adjust operating voltage and current to keep solar panels near their best power point as sunlight and temperature change.

Solar technology that converts sunlight directly into electricity.

PV panels produce DC electricity, which is usually converted by an inverter before it is used by household AC loads or exported to the grid.

Electricity from naturally replenished resources such as solar, wind, geothermal, hydro, and biomass.

Renewable resources are replenished over time but still vary in availability by weather, season, and location.

A seasonal cooling efficiency rating for air conditioners and heat pumps.

ENERGY STAR describes SEER2 as total heat removed during the cooling season divided by total electrical energy consumed during that season.

A unit of electrical potential, often used for outlets, batteries, and solar equipment.

Voltage is part of the electrical compatibility picture. A 120-volt household outlet and a DC battery system may both involve electricity, but they are not interchangeable without the right equipment.

A unit of power for how fast a device uses electricity.

A 100 W device uses electricity at one-tenth of a kilowatt while it is running.

A small unit of energy equal to 1 watt used for 1 hour.

Battery capacity is often listed in Wh. 1,000 Wh equals 1 kWh.

A product safety certification mark commonly associated with Intertek.

ETL is another recognized safety certification mark. As with UL, the important part is the specific listing and standard, not just a logo in marketing copy.

A widely adopted U.S. electrical installation code published by NFPA.

NEC requirements are often referenced for wiring, outlets, solar equipment, portable energy devices, and electrical safety. Local adoption and amendments still matter.

An OSHA-recognized lab that tests and certifies products to applicable safety standards.

UL and ETL/Intertek are examples people commonly see on consumer electrical products. The lab mark should match the type of product and standard.

A safety science and certification organization whose marks indicate a product was evaluated to applicable standards.

UL certification is about compliance and safety evaluation, not a guarantee that a device is efficient, cheap to operate, or suitable for every installation.

A safety standard often referenced for portable power packs and similar products.

For portable power stations, look for a real listing to the relevant product standard, not only a vague claim that parts are UL recognized.

The U.S. government energy statistics agency.

EIA publishes electricity sales, revenue, average price, generation, fuel, and energy market data used for broad comparisons.

The federal environmental agency that, among other roles, appears on fuel economy and emissions labels.

For vehicle pages, EPA is usually relevant because official fuel economy labels and EV comparison metrics such as MPGe are tied to EPA ratings.