Frequently Asked Questions

General Information Enrollment and Opt-out Rates Bill Help Programs Net Energy Metering (NEM) Customers Commercial Customers

General Information

  • CleanPowerSF is a not-for-profit program of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), which partners with PG&E to provide cleaner energy at competitive rates to San Francisco electricity customers. California law allows cities and counties like San Francisco to pool the electricity demand of their residents and businesses, and purchase electricity on behalf of those customers. These programs are called Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) programs.

    CleanPowerSF began serving customers in May 2016, giving residential and commercial electricity consumers in San Francisco the option to have more of their electricity supplied from clean, renewable sources—such as solar and wind—at competitive rates. By law, CleanPowerSF is an opt-out program; customers can stay with PG&E’s generation service if they choose to do so. When customers join CleanPowerSF’s service, they reduce the carbon footprint associated with their electricity service, support the growth of local renewable energy projects, and combat global climate change.

  • In 2002, Assembly Bill 117 was passed to establish Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) in California. The law allows a local city or town to become the default electric supplier, offering an opportunity for local communities to influence the sources of their electricity. CleanPowerSF is San Francisco’s CCA program. Many California communities operate CCA programs, and CCAs now serve nearly 2 million customers in the state. For more information on other CCA programs, visit cal-cca.org.

  • No. CleanPowerSF works in partnership with PG&E. We supply our cleaner electricity to PG&E’s power lines, and PG&E continues to deliver that energy to your home or business. PG&E also continues to send you your bill, turn electricity on and off when you move, maintain power lines, and respond to outages and emergencies.

  • CleanPowerSF is operated by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), a department of the City and County of San Francisco. The SFPUC has been providing San Francisco with 100% greenhouse gas-free hydroelectric energy for the past 100 years from the Hetch Hetchy Power System. CleanPowerSF is run by the same clean energy experts. The SFPUC also delivers your great-tasting Hetch Hetchy Tap Water and operates the award-winning San Francisco Combined Sewer System.

  • Unfortunately, no, but programs like CleanPowerSF are available in many California cities and counties. Check with your local government to see if there is a CCA program in your service area or visit cal-cca.org to find other active CCA programs.

  • CleanPowerSF sources energy from a variety of resources mostly right here in California.

    Our Green service delivers at least 70% renewable energy, and features resources like solar, wind, geothermal and hydroelectric power, a greenhouse gas-free source of electricity. Our SuperGreen service features 100% renewable electricity, and consists of wind and solar power. Learn more about CleanPowerSF’s energy resources.

  • Public power utilities, like the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), are operated by local governments to provide communities with safer, affordable, and reliable clean energy. Public power utilities are not-for-profit electric utilities that serve more than 49 million Americans.

  • CleanPowerSF customers are currently served by a combination of the SFPUC and PG&E; expanding public power would take PG&E out of the picture so that all customers in SF would be served by the SFPUC. The effort to expand public power in San Francisco is a natural progression in the City’s efforts to control its energy future and achieve its climate action goals. That process started in 1918 when the City started generating clean power from the Hetch Hetchy Power System. CleanPowerSF, like Hetch Hetchy Power, provides cleaner energy at competitive rates to San Francisco electricity customers. In a public power future, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) would continue to serve as the City’s publicly owned power utility, sourcing your electricity mix from California-certified renewable resources, and replacing PG&E services. To learn more about the movement to own and localize the electricity grid, visit Our City Our Power here.

  • PG&E is a valued partner and CleanPowerSF is monitoring the situation. We have been assured by PG&E that they are not going out of business, and they do not expect any impact to natural gas or electric service to customers as a result of the Chapter 11 process. You can contact PG&E with any questions you may have and you can find more details on their website.

  • Community Choice Aggregators (CCAs) like CleanPowerSF are committed to providing reliable service, clean energy at competitive rates, and innovative programs that benefit people, the environment, and the economy in communities across California. There are 24 operational community choice energy programs in California with more than 200 cities and counties participating.

    We are aware of Western Community Energy's decision to file for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection, and are continuing to closely monitor this evolving situation.

    CleanPowerSF is not filing for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection, and remains fully operational and financially stable.

  • CleanPowerSF is a not-for-profit, City-run program that procures and supplies electricity to our customers, using renewable energy that is delivered directly into the California electrical grid. We offer two products: Green and SuperGreen. Our Green service is the default service for all CleanPowerSF customers. It provides at least 70% renewable energy and is competitively priced with PG&E rates. Our SuperGreen service offers 100% renewable energy for a small premium.

    Some private companies sell unbundled renewable energy credits (RECs) to consumers who wish to increase the renewable energy content of the power they use. Typically, these unbundled RECs sourced from renewable energy plants that do not deliver their power into California. Since it began service in May 2016, CleanPowerSF has not purchased any unbundled RECs to serve its customers.

    If you purchase unbundled RECs from third parties, participation in CleanPowerSF will not change or cancel your participation in those programs. In fact, if you desire, it is possible to participate in CleanPowerSF and purchase unbundled RECs from third parties. However, as a CleanPowerSF customer you may be able to reduce or eliminate your purchases of third party unbundled RECs. Because CleanPowerSF’s Green product is at least 70% renewable, you can reduce your purchase of unbundled third-party RECs and still meet your renewable energy goals. You can also eliminate your purchases of third party unbundled RECs entirely by electing to take service on CleanPowerSF’s 100% renewable SuperGreen product, which comes at a small premium. If you elect to receive SuperGreen service with CleanPowerSF, you will already be receiving 100% renewable energy generated in California and will not need to purchase unbundled RECs from a third-party provider.

Enrollment and Opt-out

  • CleanPowerSF operates under a state program called Community Choice Aggregation (CCA), which was approved by the California legislature in 2002. This law requires that all customers are automatically enrolled and are also offered the option to opt out. This means that you now have a choice of who provides your energy and can remain with CleanPowerSF or opt out and return to PG&E generation services.

  • When your account is scheduled for enrollment, you will receive two notices in the mail from CleanPowerSF prior to your enrollment in the program. These notices describe the program terms and conditions and your right to opt out.

    After enrollment into CleanPowerSF, you will receive another two notices over a two-month period reminding you of the terms and conditions and the opportunity to return to PG&E electric supply service. After this initial enrollment and opt out period, you will be subject to PG&E’s terms and conditions.

  • Customers can opt out of CleanPowerSF anytime without restrictions during their scheduled enrollment period. During this enrollment period, you will receive at least four notices in the mail about the program. To opt out, visit our opt-out webpage or call 415-554-0773.

    You can return to PG&E's bundled service at any time after the enrollment period. PG&E offers the following options for returning to PG&E bundled service after the enrollment period:

    • You may return to PG&E service on your next meter read date, following a 5-business day processing window. At that time, CleanPowerSF will stop billing you for electricity and PG&E will place your account on its Transitional Bundled Commodity Cost rate (“TBCC”, or “transitional rate”) for 6 months. The transitional rate is based on the energy market and can change over the 6-month period. Once that 6-month period is over, PG&E will return you to your standard bundled rate.

    • The second option is a 6 Month Advanced Notice Return to PG&E bundled service. If you choose this option CleanPowerSF will notify PG&E that you will be returning to their generation service in 6 months. During those 6 months, you’d remain with CleanPowerSF at our standard rate and, at the end of the 6 months, you’d return to PG&E under your standard bundled rate.

    With either option, you would be required to make a one-year commitment to PG&E bundled service before being able to switch again.

    For more information about PG&E’s Terms and Conditions please consult PG&E’s website.

  • There is no fee for customers who opt out of CleanPowerSF before or within your first 60 days of service. Customers that opt out of CleanPowerSF service more than 60 days after their service starts will be subject to a one-time termination fee ($5 for residential customers and $25 for non-residential customers). Customers enrolled in CARE or FERA discount programs at the time of opt out will not be charged the termination fee.

  • If you opted out of CleanPowerSF but changed your mind, we would like to welcome you back to our service.

    You can return to CleanPowerSF without any restrictions if you opted out within 60 days of your official start of service with us. Customers who opt out after their first 60 days of CleanPowerSF service must stay with PG&E for one year before returning to CleanPowerSF.

    Visit Return to CleanPowerSF to learn more or contact us.

Rates

  • CleanPowerSF’s default Green service offers San Franciscans cleaner electricity than they currently receive from PG&E at competitive rates. Our goal is to set rates once for the entire year through a public process, providing customers more rate and cost stability. Find current CleanPowerSF rates at cleanpowersf.org/rates.

  • Rates will always be set through the same public process that is used to set water and sewer rates here in San Francisco. This process includes San Francisco Rate Fairness Board review, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission review, and approval by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Members of the public are welcome to comment at publicly noticed hearings for each step of the process. More information on public meetings is available at sfpuc.org.

  • Yes. CARE, FERA, and Medical Baseline are available to CleanPowerSF customers as well as PG&E customers. Your discounts will remain in place, regardless of enrollment with CleanPowerSF or PG&E.

  • Yes, you may switch between Green and SuperGreen service at any time. Give us a call at 415-554-0773.

  • While both options provide cleaner electricity than traditional power, SuperGreen offers several key advantages.

    Guaranteed 100% Renewable Energy

    SuperGreen customers are guaranteed to receive energy that is always 100% renewable, providing a consistent support for clean energy sources. In contrast, the Green service option does not guarantee a fixed percentage of renewable energy, as it can fluctuate from year to year.

    Supporting Local and New Renewable Projects

    By choosing SuperGreen, you’re helping drive investment in new renewable energy projects, especially those located closer to San Francisco.

  • If you are a customer who uses the Budget Billing (previously called Balanced Payment Plan) option with PG&E, you will continue to receive your gas and electric delivery charges from PG&E in the Budget Billing form. CleanPowerSF is currently developing a comparable option for CleanPowerSF generations, however, in the meantime your electric generation charges from CleanPowerSF will not be included in your Budget Billing calculation and will vary from month to month, depending on your usage.

    The average residential Budget Billing customer will see about a $2.80 per month decrease in their bill from April to October. CleanPowerSF plans to implement its Budget Billing program by November, when the average San Francisco residence would begin to see higher bills. If you would like an estimate on what the impact may be for you, please contact us.

  • The Power Charge Indifference Adjustment (PCIA) is a charge collected by PG&E on your electricity bill. It is intended to recover PG&E's above-market costs for electricity generation resources that were acquired prior to a customer's switch to a third-party electric generation provider, such as CleanPowerSF. PG&E assigns a different PCIA amount based on when you were enrolled into CleanPowerSF service. This is called your PCIA “vintage.” Although CleanPowerSF has no control over PG&E’s PCIA charge, we set our rates with the PCIA charges in mind so that the total cost to CleanPowerSF customers is competitive with what you’d pay for PG&E generation service.

Time of Use Rate

  • CleanPowerSF has moved to a Time-of-Use (TOU) rate plan to fight climate change and support a cleaner and healthier energy future for our state. If a TOU rate plan is not right for you, you can switch rates at any time (up to twice per year).

  • Most CleanPowerSF residential customers are expected to save money on TOU rates. However, you can save more money by taking simple steps to use less energy during peak periods from 4-9 p.m., every day. For example, you can save money by running appliances like washers, charging electronics, and heating your home during off-peak hours (off peak hours are all hours outside of 4-9 p.m.).

  • When it comes to renewable energy, timing is everything! During the day, solar power is strongest and more of our energy grid is powered by lower cost clean energy that does not cause harmful emissions. Time of Use rate plans make energy cheapest 19 hours a day when the availability of clean energy is highest!

Bill Help

  • If you are behind on your payments, take action today to stay with CleanPowerSF and continue to receive cleaner energy at often lower rates compared to PG&E.

    For more information, visit www.cleanpowersf.org/billhelp to see your options. You can also contact us at (415) 554-0773 or via email at cleanpowersf@sfwater.org.

  • If you are behind on your payments, take action today to stay with CleanPowerSF and continue to receive cleaner energy at often lower rates compared to PG&E.

    For more information, visit www.cleanpowersf.org/billhelp to see your options. You can also contact us at (415) 554-0773 or via email at cleanpowersf@sfwater.org.

Programs

  • Yes, CleanPowerSF’s NEM program works similarly to PG&E’s program but offers monthly billing and a higher net surplus compensation rate, available if your solar panels generate more energy than you consume over a 12-month period. Learn more about CleanPowerSF’s NEM program.

  • Yes, CleanPowerSF offers an Electric Vehicle (EV) rate. CleanPowerSF customers are eligible to apply for PG&E’s EV discounts and rebate programs as well.

Net Energy Metering (NEM) Customers

  • CleanPowerSF’s Net Energy Metering (NEM) allows customers that install on-site renewable energy systems, such as solar panels, to receive bill credits when they generate more power than they need. When you use electricity, your meter records consumption from the grid, which is used to determine utility charges. When you produce more electricity than you use, that excess electricity is sent out to the grid and your meter will record credits that will be applied to future electricity bills. Credits are valued at the same amount you would pay for an equal amount of power under your current CleanPowerSF rate.

    Credits are tracked over a 12-month billing period which runs from May to April. At the end of April, CleanPowerSF reconciles all NEM accounts during our Annual True Up.

  • As part of the Annual True Up process, CleanPowerSF pays NEM customers a premium rate for net surplus electricity generation which is higher than PG&E’s. Also, if you use energy from the grid, you receive cleaner electricity as a CleanPowerSF customer compared to PG&E. Finally, CleanPowerSF NEM customers receive monthly bills for net energy consumption, which helps avoid a large True Up Bill.

  • As a CleanPowerSF customer, your Annual True Up consists of two components: a generation component handled by CleanPowerSF, and a delivery component handled by PG&E. CleanPowerSF will track the charges and credits for the generation portion of your electricity service. Over the course of the year, CleanPowerSF NEM service provides monthly billing, meaning that any net consumption charges are billed monthly to avoid a large True Up bill at the end of the year. At the end of the April billing cycle, CleanPowerSF trues up customer accounts (regardless of your PG&E True Up Date) and pays a premium rate for net surplus generation. PG&E will track charges and credits for the delivery portion of the bill, which are trued up on the True Up date stated on your bill. Monthly bills may include a minimum charge and other state mandated charges. Everything else remains the same. CleanPowerSF customers are able to participate in the different types of NEM offerings, including, for example, Virtual NEM, Virtual NEM for Multifamily Affordable Housing, and NEM Aggregation.

  • CleanPowerSF NEM customers may elect to receive either our basic Green service or our 100% renewable SuperGreen service. SuperGreen is a great choice for NEM customers, because it ensures that 100% of the electricity you use – either generated from your solar on site or consumed from the grid – is 100% renewable.

  • Yes. If you’re enrolled in California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) or Family Electricity Rate Assistance (FERA) programs, those programs continue to apply to you as a CleanPowerSF NEM customer.

  • To learn more, visit our page here.

  • Once PG&E approves your solar application you will be automatically enrolled in CleanPowerSF’s NEM program. No additional action is necessary.

  • Please see Understanding Your NEM Bill.

  • To help you avoid a large bill at the end of the year, CleanPowerSF bills monthly for any usage that is not covered by your bill credits.

    Residential and small commercial customers may request to be billed annually by CleanPowerSF. To request annual billing, contact us at cleanpowersf@sfwater.org or (415) 554-0773.

    Note that you will still be billed annually by PG&E for delivery charges on the anniversary of your system’s interconnection date. That date is listed on the first page of your monthly PG&E bill.

  • Each year following your April bill, CleanPowerSF will complete a reconciliation of your account known as the Annual True Up. At that time, we reset your remaining credits to zero and review your usage over the prior 12 months (May to April) to determine your net usage in kilowatt-hours (kWh). If you produced more electricity than you used, you are eligible for Net Surplus Compensation at a rate of $0.0893 per kWh for the excess energy you produced.*

    Your Net Surplus Compensation will be issued as a bill credit in your CleanPowerSF NEM credit balance. You can receive a check for unused Net Surplus Compensation by submitting a Cash Out Form on the solar page. Any Net Surplus Compensation that is not cashed out will remain in your CleanPowerSF NEM balance until January. This is when we will transfer any unused Net Surplus Compensation to PG&E. The Net Surplus Compensation will appear as a bill credit on the first page of your PG&E bill and can be used to offset PG&E charges, including gas service.

    Adjustments made to your account during the Annual True Up will be reflected on your CleanPowerSF True Up Bill. For most customers, this will be on your May, June or July statements. To learn more about how to read your True Up Bill, please see Understanding your NEM Bill.

    *Please note that by law, aggregated NEM accounts are ineligible to receive NSC.

  • During the annual True Up process, CleanPowerSF reviews your account and determines your net usage over the 12-month billing period from May to April. If you produced more electricity than you used, you will earn Net Surplus Compensation (NSC) at a rate of $0.0893 per kWh for the excess energy you produced.

    For example, if over the 12-month billing period you produce 100 kWh beyond your needs, you would be eligible for $8.93 in NSC.

  • CleanPowerSF’s 12-month NEM billing cycle runs from May to April each year. This allows customer to save up credits in the summer months that may be used to offset charges in the winter months. CleanPowerSF completes the annual True Up after April once you’ve had a chance to use your credits and your NEM balance is likely at its lowest.

  • If you earned any Net Surplus Compensation or if you have compensation that rolled over from prior years, your True Up bill will show the adjustments that we made to your account during the Annual True Up. For most customers the True Up bill will be their May, June or July statements.

    Note that if you had zero credits remaining at the end of the true up period and did not earn NSC, you will not receive a true up bill.

    You will receive a separate True Up bill from PG&E on the annual anniversary of when your system was approved and interconnected. That date is listed on the first page of your monthly PG&E bill.

  • Please see Understanding My Bill.

  • Customers with active accounts may request a Cash Out check following the annual True Up which occurs after the April billing cycle. After the True Up is complete, CleanPowerSF mails courtesy letters to customers with $100 or more of available cash out.

    CleanPowerSF typically begins processing Cash Out forms for active accounts in May of each year. The deadline to submit is listed on the Cash Out form and is typically in August.

    Customers with closed accounts may submit a Cash Out request within 90 days of closing their account.

    The Cash Out Form can be found on our solar page.

  • If you do not request a Cash Out check from CleanPowerSF, any Net Surplus Compensation that remains after the Annual True Up will be automatically transferred to PG&E as a bill credit each January. The credit will appear on the first page of your PG&E bill and can be used to offset PG&E charges, including gas service.

  • We want to make it as easy as possible for our customers to benefit from their Net Surplus Compensation. CleanPowerSF will transfer any unused Net Surplus Compensation to PG&E in January. The Net Surplus Compensation will appear as a bill credit on the first page of your PG&E bill and can be used to offset PG&E charges, including gas service. This allows CleanPowerSF customers to use their Net Surplus Compensation without submitting a W‑9 form, which is required when requesting a Cash Out check.

  • Customers must first submit a Cash Out Form, which can be found on our solar page, to CleanPowerSF.

    Additionally, all customers receiving a Cash Out payment from the City and County of San Francisco must submit a Form W-9 to the Office of the Controller. Unless your address or other personal information has changed, you will only need to submit a Form W-9 the first year that you request a Cash Out check. Your Form W-9 will remain on file for subsequent cash out payments.

    When required, the Supplier Management Team from the Controller’s Office will send a secure email requesting your Form W-9. For data privacy purposes, please do not send your Form W-9 to CleanPowerSF. Please only submit directly to the Office of the Controller’s Supplier Management Team.

  • Your check should arrive approximately 4-6 weeks after you submit all required paperwork.

  • Please contact CleanPowerSF at cleanpowersfforms@sfwater.org or (415) 554-0773.

Commercial Customers

  • CleanPowerSF’s GHG emissions factor for the 2017 calendar year was 0 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalents (lbs CO2e) per megawatt-hour (MWh) for our Green product and 0.00 lbs. CO2e/MWh for our 100% renewable SuperGreen product. CleanPowerSF will be publishing its calendar year 2018 emissions factor in the coming months.

    CleanPowerSF is a member of The Climate Registry (TCR), and we expect to have a TCR-verified emissions factor for 2016, 2017, and 2018 for our Green service by the middle of 2019.

  • Yes. California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard requires that all load serving entities provide a minimum of 47% renewable energy to customers. Our Green product offers at least 70% renewable energy, and our SuperGreen product provides 100% renewable energy. By participating in CleanPowerSF, customers receive clean energy that exceed California’s renewable requirements.

  • CleanPowerSF retires RECs on behalf of all our customers each year. CleanPowerSF does not track REC retirement by individual customer. However, we ensure that we have acquired and retired sufficient renewable energy for 100% of SuperGreen customers’ usage over the course of the year, including your company’s usage if you are a SuperGreen customer.

  • Each year CleanPowerSF completes a Power Source Disclosure Report and Power Content Label for our Green and SuperGreen service, as required by state law and regulation. CleanPowerSF submits this information each year to the California Energy Commission, the state regulatory agency that is responsible for verifying retail seller power content claims. The Power Source Disclosure Report and Power Content Labels include power supply information for the Green and SuperGreen products for a calendar year, including the RECs retired within the Western Renewable Energy Generation Information System (WREGIS) for each product.

  • Yes, your business may be eligible to receive LEED Green Power credits if you sign up for SuperGreen. Contact us for more details.

  • Yes, your eligibility for PG&E energy efficiency programs won’t change when you become a CleanPowerSF customer.

  • Yes, you can use PG&E’s automated benchmarking service and Energy Star Portfolio Manager with CleanPowerSF. PG&E supplies third-party usage and charges through their benchmarking portal to Energy Star Portfolio Manager. To learn more, visit www.pge.com/benchmarking/.

  • You can find answers to frequently asked questions about the Peak Day Partners program on our dedicated Peak Day Partners FAQ page

Have More Questions?

No problem! Send your questions to CleanpowerSF@sfwater.org.