Model your electric bill, solar system, battery and payback using current California utility data — with the assumptions, rates and official sources shown behind every result. No sign-up.
SCE time-of-use comparison
Updated August 5, 2026 · SCE rates verified August 5, 2026 · by Cali Energy
Which SCE time-of-use plan is cheapest in 2026? It depends mostly on how much you use. Because TOU-D-PRIME earns no baseline credit, it only wins above roughly 650 kWh a month — below that the standard plans (TOU-D-4-9PM / 5-8PM) edge it out. For a 600 kWh home the standard plans run about $215/mo vs $217 on PRIME; at 1,500 kWh PRIME is about $508 vs $568. Enter your usage, season, region and baseline type to see your cheapest plan.
✓ Built on SCE’s published 2026 bundled rates and seasonal baseline allocations, with the 10¢/kWh credit applied to the standard plans only. See the full rate grid ↓
Illustrative estimate of energy charges plus the $0.79/day Base Services Charge, using SCE’s published 2026 bundled rates (whole-cent, ±0.5¢). The 10¢/kWh baseline credit is applied to the standard plans only — TOU-D-PRIME has none — up to your seasonal baseline allocation (by region and Basic / All-electric type). Usage outside 4–9 p.m. is spread across the day by hours. Excludes taxes, the California Climate Credit, CCA/Direct-Access generation, and solar export. Verified against sce.com on 2026-08-05 — confirm current rates with SCE.
The rates and figures this calculator usestap to verify
The calculator prices your usage on each plan’s actual 2026 rate grid, applies the 10¢/kWh baseline credit to the standard plans only (up to your region’s allocation), and adds the $0.79/day Base Services Charge. Here is every rate it uses (before credit; bundled; whole-cent, ±0.5¢).
| Summer On-Peak — 4–9 p.m. weekdays | 58¢ |
| Summer Mid-Peak — 4–9 p.m. weekends/holidays | 46¢ |
| Summer Off-Peak — all other hours | 34¢ |
| Winter Mid-Peak — 4–9 p.m. daily | 51¢ |
| Winter Off-Peak — 9 p.m.–8 a.m. | 37¢ |
| Winter Super-Off-Peak — 8 a.m.–4 p.m. | 33¢ |
| Summer On-Peak — 5–8 p.m. weekdays | 74¢ |
| Summer Mid-Peak — 5–8 p.m. weekends/holidays | 54¢ |
| Summer Off-Peak — all other hours | 34¢ |
| Winter Mid-Peak — 5–8 p.m. daily | 60¢ |
| Winter Off-Peak — 8 p.m.–8 a.m. | 38¢ |
| Winter Super-Off-Peak — 8 a.m.–5 p.m. | 32¢ |
| Summer On-Peak — 4–9 p.m. weekdays | 59¢ |
| Summer Mid-Peak — 4–9 p.m. weekends/holidays | 40¢ |
| Summer Off-Peak — all other hours | 26¢ |
| Winter Mid-Peak — 4–9 p.m. daily | 56¢ |
| Winter Off-Peak — 9 p.m.–8 a.m. | 24¢ |
| Winter Super-Off-Peak — 8 a.m.–4 p.m. | 24¢ |
| Region 6 (cool coastal) | 11.4 / 11.0 |
| Region 9 | 16.9 / 12.0 |
| Region 10 (moderate) | 19.3 / 12.1 |
| Region 14 | 19.2 / 11.9 |
| Region 15 (hot desert) | 45.0 / 9.7 |
| All-electric homes | different allocation — pick the type in the tool |
| Baseline credit (standard plans only) | −10¢/kWh up to your seasonal allocation |
| Baseline allocation | by region, season & type (Basic / All-electric), or enter your own |
| Base Services Charge (all plans) | $0.79/day |
| Usage split | by hours across each plan’s periods |
| Annual | 4 summer + 8 winter months |
Bundled SCE rates and baseline allocations, verified on sce.com on 2026-08-05; whole-cent rates carry ±0.5¢. Baseline allocation is seasonal and depends on your climate region and whether your home is Basic (gas + electric) or All-electric — winter allocations are much lower than summer for Basic homes, which shrinks the winter credit. CCA/Direct-Access customers pay a different generation component. Summer weekends and holidays in the evening window are mid-peak; winter 4–9 p.m. is mid-peak every day. Excludes taxes, the California Climate Credit, Medical Baseline, and solar export.
Example results you can reproduce
All three plans priced for baseline Region 10, Basic (gas + electric) baseline, 30 billing days, 25% of use in the 4–9 p.m. window, PRIME eligible, over a full year (4 summer + 8 winter months). The cheapest plan flips with usage — enter the same values above to reproduce these.
| Annual, R10 Basic, 25% evening | TOU-D-4-9PM | TOU-D-5-8PM | TOU-D-PRIME |
|---|---|---|---|
| 600 kWh/mo (low use) | $215 | $215 | $217 |
| 900 kWh/mo | $333 | $332 | $314 |
| 1,500 kWh/mo (high use) | $568 | $567 | $508 |
How this calculator works
It prices your monthly kWh on each plan’s real 2026 rate grid. Your 4–9 p.m. share sets how much energy lands in the evening window; the rest is spread across the day by the number of hours in each off-peak and super-off-peak period, so the shorter 5–8 p.m. window on TOU-D-5-8PM is modeled correctly rather than assumed equal to 4–9. It then subtracts the 10¢/kWh baseline credit — on the standard plans only, up to your seasonal baseline allocation, which depends on your climate region and whether your home is Basic (gas + electric) or All-electric — and adds the $0.79/day Base Services Charge. “Annual” blends four summer and eight winter months, each with its own allocation.
How to read your result
Plans are ranked cheapest-first, with the winner flagged for your inputs. The line under each name shows energy, minus the baseline credit where it applies, plus the service charge — so you can see exactly why PRIME’s lower energy rates can still lose to a standard plan that earns the credit. Pick your baseline type (Basic or All-electric), or enter your daily allocation from a bill to override it for a single season — Annual keeps using the seasonal table, since summer and winter allocations differ. TOU-D-PRIME is greyed out unless you tick that you have an EV, battery or heat pump, since those are required to enrol.
What moves the result the most
Two things decide it. First, usage level: the baseline credit is worth about $58/month in summer on a standard plan but far less in winter, because winter baseline allocations are much smaller (Region 10 drops from 19.3 to 12.1 kWh/day). Since PRIME earns no credit at all, it pulls ahead once usage climbs — from roughly 650 kWh a month in our Region 10 example, and even lower in winter. Second, your evening share: the more you use in the 4–9 p.m. window, the more every plan costs and the more a low off-peak rate helps.
Common questions
When is TOU-D-PRIME actually cheaper?
Above roughly 650 kWh a month, in our Region 10 Basic example. Because PRIME earns no baseline credit, low-usage homes (below ~650 kWh) usually do better on a standard plan; above that, PRIME’s low off-peak rate outweighs the missing credit. In winter, when the standard credit is small, PRIME can win at even lower usage.
Which baseline type and region do I pick?
Basic is a home with both gas and electric service; All-electric is a home heated and often cooked with electricity, which gets a larger winter allocation. Your baseline region is on your bill (or SCE’s region map). If you know your daily baseline allocation, enter it to override the lookup.
How do I estimate my 4–9 p.m. share?
Estimate the fraction of your electricity used between 4 and 9 p.m. Most homes without shifting sit around 20–30%; heavy evening cooking, cooling or EV charging pushes it higher. On weekends and holidays that window is priced lower (mid-peak).
Am I eligible for TOU-D-PRIME?
Enrolment requires an EV or plug-in hybrid, a home battery, or an electric heat pump. New solar customers on the Net Billing Tariff are required to be on PRIME. Untick the eligibility box to remove it from the comparison.
Are these my exact bills?
No — they’re energy-charge estimates from SCE’s published whole-cent rates (±0.5¢) plus the service charge. They exclude taxes, the California Climate Credit, solar export, and CCA generation. Confirm your plan with SCE using your interval data.
Does a battery change the answer?
Yes — a battery that covers the 4–9 p.m. window shifts usage to cheap off-peak hours, which favours whichever plan has the lowest off-peak rate (PRIME at 24–26¢). Size one with our battery tool.
Sources
- SCE — Time-of-Use Residential Rate Plans
- CPUC — Net Billing Tariff (NEM 3.0)
- SCE — TOU-D-PRIME rate fact sheet
Estimates only, not a quote. Assumptions, rates, incentives and program rules can change — confirm current details with your utility, the program administrator or a licensed professional.
Read the full guide →