What is the Power Charge Indifference Adjustment?
The Power Charge Indifference Adjustment, usually shortened to PCIA, is one of the least intuitive lines on a San Diego electric bill. It is not a new power plan, and it is not the same thing as SDGE delivery. It is a regulatory charge tied to older generation commitments that SDGE made before some customers moved to Community Choice Aggregation or other generation service.
Updated June 9, 2026.
Why SDGE customers see it
SDGE entered into long-term power contracts when it expected to serve a certain amount of customer demand. When a city or customer group moves generation supply to a CCA, SDGE still has costs from older commitments. PCIA is the CPUC mechanism that decides how those above-market legacy costs, or credits when the calculation goes the other direction, are assigned.
That is why the name uses the word "indifference." The goal is not that customers feel indifferent about the charge. The goal is that remaining bundled customers are not left paying costs created by customers departing utility generation service.
CPUC describes the PCIA revenue requirement as eligible portfolio cost minus the portfolio's market value.
The market value is based on CPUC-adopted market price benchmarks. The result is then translated into rates that can vary by the year or customer group assigned to the account.
In practice, that means the line can be billed monthly with usage, while the official forecast and true-up inputs are refreshed on an annual regulatory schedule.
The simplest possible version
SDGE bought long-term power contracts for customers it expected to serve. Then many customers moved their power buying to CCAs. SDGE still has the old contract costs, so CPUC lets SDGE recover the above-market part through PCIA.
You pay for your assigned share until those old contract costs roll off, are offset by market value, or are otherwise resolved. There is not one clean customer-facing end date. It can last years because the underlying contracts do not all expire at the same time.
Your assigned customer group generally stays the same, but the PCIA rate for that group can change each year when CPUC updates the forecast and true-up math.
How it shows up by customer type
PCIA is easiest to misunderstand when comparing SDGE bundled service against a CCA such as San Diego Community Power or Clean Energy Alliance. The generation provider changes, but SDGE still delivers the electricity and still bills certain utility charges.
| Customer | What to expect | Practical takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| Bundled SDGE generation customer | PCIA recovery is part of the SDGE generation-cost picture, and SDGE says all customers are responsible for legacy contract costs. | Your bill comparison should use the total SDGE electric rate, not just one line item. |
| CCA customer, such as SDCP or Clean Energy Alliance | The CCA bills generation, while SDGE bills delivery and PCIA-related charges through the consolidated SDGE bill. | Compare CCA generation plus SDGE delivery plus PCIA against bundled SDGE service. |
| Solar customer | Solar credits, delivery charges, generation charges, and PCIA treatment can interact differently depending on tariff and provider. | Use net imports and exports from Green Button data before deciding whether SDGE or a CCA setup is cheaper. |
If PCIA was $50 this month, will it stay near $50?
It should be fairly consistent only if your monthly kWh usage is fairly consistent and your PCIA rate does not change. PCIA is applied through energy usage, so a high-AC summer month, EV charging, electric heat, or a solar true-up pattern can move the dollar amount even when the underlying PCIA rate is unchanged.
CPUC's Energy Division refreshes the PCIA forecast and true-up market price benchmark data annually. The CPUC page says investor-owned utilities use those figures for ERRA Forecast Updates in early October, and the benchmark materials are distributed by the first business day of October.
If the market value of SDGE's legacy power portfolio is lower than the cost of that portfolio, PCIA can be a charge.
If market value rises enough, the calculation can move toward a credit. That is why PCIA is updated through regulatory proceedings instead of staying flat forever.
How to compare plans without getting fooled
- Compare all-in monthly cost, not just the CCA generation price.
- Use your actual Green Button usage because PCIA is applied on energy usage and can vary by the account's assigned customer group.
- For solar, compare imports and exports separately. Net annual kWh can hide timing effects.
- Use SDGE and CCA joint rate comparisons for current official rate assumptions.
- Expect the PCIA line to change over time as CPUC benchmark and true-up calculations change.
Want to test the whole bill impact?
Upload SDGE Green Button data to model usage by rate period. If you are comparing CCA service, use the result as a starting point and cross-check current joint rate comparisons.