You can visit sce.com/assistance to learn about ways to lower your energy usage or see if you qualify for income-based discount programs such as California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) and Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA). You can also see if you qualify for free energy-efficient appliances through our Energy Saving Assistance (ESA) program at sce.com/esa.

Your Base Services Charge is not based on your energy use and cannot be lowered by reducing your energy consumption. Customers cannot opt out of paying the Base Services Charge. Residential homes are connected to the grid and require the necessary infrastructure to receive power. You can find out if you’re eligible for an income-qualified discount such as California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) and Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) to see if you qualify for a lower Base Services Charge. Visit sce.com/assistance.

This change will not impact participation in your current rate plan (e.g. Time-of-Use or Tiered) or any other programs or discounts you receive, like Medical Baseline Allowance, California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE), or Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA).

Yes, these variable charges can change throughout the year as approved by the CPUC. However, with the Base Services Charge, the cost you pay for each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity may decrease compared to what you paid in October. 

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) sets the statewide Base Services Charge amount and determines whether to make any changes to it. However, the Base Services Charge amount has been set by the CPUC, with no indication as to if or when the charge may change. The Base Services Charge is converted to a daily charge to collect the total amount across the average month. Thus, your Base Services Charge total may vary slightly depending on the number of days in your billing cycle, but you will not be charged more or less in total across the year.

Prior to the implementation of the Base Services Charge, which will begin in November 2025, the costs of maintaining the electric grid have been included in the variable energy delivery charges on customers’ bills. With the restructuring, the costs of things like meters and other equipment, which keep your home connected to the electric grid, will be separated from the variable electricity charges. These costs will now be covered primarily by the Base Services Charge, which will be a set daily charge on residential customer bills each month. 

The exact monthly amount of your Base Services Charge depends on the number of days in your billing cycle.

• $6.00 per month for CARE-enrolled customers, assessed via an approximate daily charge of $0.20
• $12.08 per month for FERA-enrolled customers and those in qualifying deed-restricted affordable housing*, assessed via an approximate daily charge of $0.40
• $24.15 per month for customers not enrolled in any of these programs, assessed via an approximate daily charge of $0.80

To calculate your new Base Services Charge per month, multiply the applicable daily charge by the number of days in your billing period.

* Deed-restricted affordable housing properties are identified by the California Housing Partnership and defined as an affordable rental home that is restricted by the rules of state or federal subsidies to residents who have incomes at or below 80 percent of the Area Media Income. 

Residential customers* including homeowners, renters, and solar customers will have a Base Services Charge on their bill. The charge amount will vary because some customers who are enrolled in income qualified programs like California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) or Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) or who live in qualifying housing property knows as deed-restricted affordable housing** are eligible for a discounted Base Services Charge amount.

* The Domestic Multifamily Accommodation rate (Schedule DM) is exempt from the Base Services Charge. These customers will continue to pay the Basic Charge. 
** Deed-restricted affordable housing properties are identified by the California Housing Partnership and defined as an affordable rental home that is restricted by the rules of state or federal subsidies to residents who have incomes at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income.