As of October 1, Southern California Edison (SCE) customers are seeing a 10% increase in electricity rates, which comes to an average of $17 more per month, or about $200 more per year. And that’s just the beginning.
If you already have solar, you might assume this doesn’t affect you. But here’s the catch: higher per-kilowatt-hour prices can mean that even homes that used to pay nothing on their utility bill could start seeing charges, especially during times when your home pulls from the grid, like in the evening or during cloudy days.
Why Is This Happening?
The October 1 rate hike isn’t a one‑off event. It’s part of SCE’s broader pattern of increases, which allows the utility to collect $9.8 billion this year alone to operate and maintain the grid. Officially, the money is meant for wildfire prevention, undergrounding power lines, and grid upgrades, but after years of these investments, many Californians are asking: Where are the results?
Despite billions spent, SCE’s equipment sparked 178 fires last year, which is nearly double the amount from the year before. The company is also now facing lawsuits over January’s devastating Eaton Fire, which killed 19 people and destroyed thousands of homes in Altadena.
On top of that, more increases are already scheduled:
- A $24 monthly fixed charge begins in November, hitting solar customers especially hard.
- SCE is also proposing additional increases to recover billions in wildfire‑related damages.
It’s clear families and businesses across the Coachella Valley and beyond are being asked to shoulder more of the burden while utilities protect their investors.
What This Means for You
Even if your solar system used to zero out or lower your bill, these new fees and higher rates could chip away at savings. You may notice:
- Charges creeping in when solar production dips.
- Time-of-use penalties driving up costs at night.
- A flat monthly fee you can’t avoid, even if you use very little grid power.
What’s the Solution? A Smarter Way to Power Your Home
As energy costs climb and reliability falters, more families are realizing that solar alone may not be enough. That’s why many are turning to solar + battery systems, or what we call a Mycrogrid® at Renova Energy.
A Mycrogrid® is designed to help you do more with the solar you already have. By storing excess power generated by your solar system during the day, you can rely on it at night when utility rates are highest and grid reliability is at its worst.
Think of it as moving the grid into the background. Your home runs on your own energy first, and the grid becomes your backup, not your lifeline.
A Mycrogrid® can help you:
- Use your solar after sunset, not just while the sun is out
- Keep the lights on during outages or shutoff events
- Avoid new utility fees and rate spikes
- Stay in control, even as the rules keep changing
With the 30% federal tax credit still in place, making the switch to solar + storage with a Mycrogrid® is not only practical, but it’s financially smarter, too.
It’s your energy. Keep more of it.
Let’s start the conversation. Call us to schedule your free Mycrogrid® consultation today.
