Why Do I Still Have an Electric Bill After Solar?
Short answer: a small bill after solar is normal and expected, not a sign anything's wrong. As long as you're connected to the grid, some costs never go to zero — a fixed monthly charge, per-kWh grid fees on power you pull at night, and any energy your panels didn't cover. Solar erases most of your usage charges, not your connection to the utility. Here's exactly what stays.
Get a free estimate
- Staying connected to the grid always costs something — a fixed monthly charge plus small per-kWh fees you can't offset.
- Solar wipes out most of your usage charges, but not your utility connection. A small bill is normal.
- This is different from a bill that went up after solar — if that's you, see why did my bill go up after solar?
- Getting to a true $0 usually takes a battery plus using more of your own power — not just adding panels.
First: a small bill after solar is normal
If your panels are running fine and you still get a bill each month, nothing is broken. Grid-tied solar is designed to reduce your bill, not disconnect you from the utility. Some charges are tied to being connected at all, and others apply to any grid power you use at night or on cloudy days. This guide is about the ordinary leftover bill — if your bill actually went higher than before solar, that's a different problem we cover in why did my bill go up after solar?
What solar can and can't erase
Here's the honest breakdown. Solar offsets the big usage-based part of your bill — the per-kWh energy charges that used to dominate it. But five things stay on the bill no matter how much sun you get. This is the table to keep.
| Line on your bill | Does solar erase it? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Daytime energy use (per kWh) | Yes — mostly | Panels power your home directly when the sun is up; this is the bulk of what solar offsets. |
| Fixed Base Services Charge | No | A flat monthly fee for grid connection — SCE charges ~$24.15/mo in 2026 (less for CARE/FERA). It doesn't depend on how much you use. |
| Non-bypassable charges | No | ~2–3¢ per kWh on power you import from the grid, funding public programs. They can't be offset by solar credits. |
| Minimum bill / connection fee | No | Some utilities apply a small daily minimum charge so a bill never drops below a floor, even in a big solar month. |
| Evening & night grid power | Partly | After sunset your panels stop. You buy grid power at retail, and under NEM 3.0 your daytime exports credit back at far less than retail. |
| A system sized for partial offset | By design, no | Many systems are sized to cover most — not 100% — of usage. The uncovered slice stays a normal charge. |
Sources: SCE Base Services Charge · CPUC Net Billing (NEM 3.0). Figures are for SCE; other utilities differ.
The five things that stay — in plain English
1. The fixed monthly charge
Utilities bill a flat fee just for keeping you connected. On SCE it's the Base Services Charge, about $24.15/mo as of 2026 (roughly $12 for FERA and $6 for CARE income-qualified customers). It's the same whether you use 50 kWh or 5,000 — solar can't touch it.
2. Non-bypassable charges
Around 2–3¢ per kWh is added to every kilowatt-hour you import from the grid to fund specified public-purpose, reliability, and other tariff-authorized programs. By law these can't be offset by your solar export credits, so any grid power you pull still carries them.
3. A minimum bill or connection fee
Depending on your utility and rate, a small daily minimum charge can set a floor under your bill. In a strong solar month you may bump into that floor rather than reaching zero.
4. Evening and night power
Panels only produce in daylight. From sunset to sunrise your home runs on the grid. Under NEM 3.0, the credit you earned exporting midday is a time-varying rate usually far below retail, so it doesn't fully cover what you buy back at night.
5. A system sized for partial offset
Not every system is built to cover 100% of usage — sometimes that's the smart budget choice. If yours was sized for, say, 85% of your use, the remaining ~15% shows up as a normal charge every month, by design.
Bonus: true-up timing
LADWP bills residential customers on a bi-monthly cycle, with solar credits handled under its own municipal net-metering rules. On NEM 3.0 (SCE/PG&E/SDG&E), fixed and non-bypassable charges hit every month — so you see a small bill monthly even if your energy nets out over the year.
Why the timing of your "leftover" bill depends on your utility
How and when the leftover shows up depends on which utility you're on:
LADWP (municipal, more retail-like net metering). Your export credits offset your imports at close to retail value, and the account trues up on a longer cycle. You'll still see the fixed customer charge and small per-kWh fees on each bill, but the energy side largely balances out across the year.
SCE, PG&E, SDG&E (NEM 3.0 / Net Billing). Here the fixed Base Services Charge and non-bypassable charges appear every month, and midday exports credit back at a low, time-varying rate. So even a well-sized system leaves a modest monthly bill — that's the tariff working as designed, not an error. For how these rates work locally, see electricity rates in Los Angeles.
"Still have a bill" vs. "my bill went up"
A small leftover bill after solar is normal — that's this article. A bill that's higher than before you went solar is not, and usually points to something specific: a mis-sized system, a rate-plan switch, added load (a new EV or AC), or a lease/loan payment counted separately. If that's your situation, read why did my bill go up after solar? instead.
So what would it take to reach $0?
Getting an electric bill to a true $0 is hard, and for most homes it's not just "add more panels." The fixed monthly charge and non-bypassable fees survive no matter how big your array is. What actually moves the needle is using more of your own solar power directly instead of selling it cheap and buying it back expensive after dark.
Under NEM 3.0 that almost always means a home battery: store your cheap midday production, then run the house on it in the evening instead of importing at retail. That shrinks your imports — and the non-bypassable charges and night-power costs that ride on them — toward the floor. It rarely eliminates the fixed charge, but it's the difference between a $10–$20 leftover and a much larger one. See how to size a home battery to figure out what you'd need.
A realistic goal isn't $0 — it's a small, predictable bill instead of a large, volatile one. For context on what an average California household pays without solar, see the average electric bill in California.
What a typical leftover bill looks like
On an SCE home in the Valley with a well-sized array and no battery, a common pattern is: energy charges mostly offset by daytime solar, but the monthly bill still lands in the ~$15–$40 range once you add the fixed Base Services Charge, non-bypassable fees on evening imports, and the low NEM 3.0 export credit. Add a battery sized to cover the evening, and that same home often drops toward the low end. Figures are illustrative — your bill depends on usage, rate plan, and system size.
Have us read your post-solar billDiagnose your leftover bill
Tick what matches your situation. The tool sorts the usual suspects and surfaces the three most likely reasons you still see a charge — so you know whether it’s normal or worth a second look.
Leftover-bill diagnostic
Why do I still have an electric bill after solar?
General guidance for California utilities; your exact charges depend on your utility, rate plan and system design. Not a bill audit.
When a leftover bill IS worth a second look
A small bill is fine. But check in if you see any of these: the bill is much larger than expected and climbing; you're on a rate plan that doesn't fit your solar (an ill-matched time-of-use plan can quietly cost you); your production looks low on the monitoring app; or you're being charged a separate lease/loan payment you didn't account for. Any of those is worth an itemized explanation from your installer or utility. If your bill genuinely rose after going solar, that's the bill-went-up guide, not this one.
Frequently asked
Why do I still get an electric bill if I have solar panels?
Because you're still connected to the grid. Solar offsets most of your per-kWh usage charges, but a few costs stay no matter what: a fixed monthly charge for grid connection (on SCE’s residential schedule, about $24.15/mo as of 2026 — verify the current tariff, these change), non-bypassable charges of roughly 2–3¢ per kWh on power you import (approximate 2026 figures — verify the current SCE tariff), any minimum-bill floor, and the grid power you buy at night when your panels aren't producing. A small leftover bill is normal and expected.
Can solar ever get my bill to $0?
Rarely with panels alone. The fixed monthly charge and non-bypassable fees don't go away regardless of system size. Reaching near-zero usually takes a battery plus higher self-consumption — storing cheap midday solar and using it at night instead of buying grid power — which shrinks your imports toward the floor. Even then, the fixed connection charge typically remains. A small, predictable bill is a more realistic goal than a true $0.
What is the fixed charge I still pay with solar?
On Southern California Edison it's the Base Services Charge — about $24.15 per month for standard residential customers as of 2026 (these were approximate figures at the time of review — verify the current SCE tariff, the amounts may change), and less for income-qualified households (roughly $12 for FERA and $6 for CARE). It's a flat fee for grid connection that doesn't change with how much energy you use, so solar production doesn't reduce it, although other account credits may affect the final amount due. Other utilities structure their fixed charges differently.
What are non-bypassable charges?
They're small per-kWh charges added to every kilowatt-hour you import from the grid. As an approximate 2026 illustration, some applicable non-bypassable charges may total roughly 2–3¢ per imported kWh; the actual amount depends on the current tariff and customer schedule. They may fund specified public-purpose, reliability, and other tariff-authorized programs. By design they can't be offset by your solar export credits, so any grid power you pull still carries them, even on a big solar month.
Is a bill after solar the same as my bill going up after solar?
No. A small leftover bill (this article) is normal — it's the fixed charges and night power that solar can't erase. A bill that's higher than before you went solar is a separate issue, usually from a mis-sized system, a rate-plan change, new load like an EV, or a lease/loan payment. If that's you, read why did my bill go up after solar?
Does the leftover bill come every month or once a year?
It depends on your tariff. On LADWP-style net metering, LADWP bills on a bi-monthly cycle and handles solar credits under its own municipal rules (confirm the current terms with LADWP). On NEM 3.0 (SCE, PG&E, SDG&E), the fixed charge and non-bypassable fees hit every month, so you see a small bill monthly even if your production and usage roughly balance over the year.
Related reading
Not sure your post-solar bill is right?
Send us your latest statement and we'll walk through it line by line — what's normal, what isn't, and whether a battery would actually save you money.
Get a free estimatePrepared by Cali Energy, July 2026. This article is for general educational purposes only and is not legal, tax, financial, engineering, or utility advice. Rates, incentives, codes, permit requirements, equipment specifications, prices, and program terms may change; figures and timelines are estimates, not guarantees. Confirm current requirements with the applicable utility, AHJ, program administrator, manufacturer, or a licensed professional. See our Content Disclaimer. Cali Energy · 19201 Parthenia St Unit E, Northridge, CA 91324 · CSLB #1032379 (B, C-10, C-39)