If you have solar (or you’re adding solar) in San Diego, your SDG&E rate plan is not a background detail. It’s the “rules of the game” that determines whether your solar energy saves you the most money, when your bill spikes, and how valuable a battery can be.
In 2026, SDG&E’s residential choices for solar households generally fall into three buckets:
- Standard TOU plans most households use
- EV and electrification TOU plans built around overnight charging and super off-peak pricing
- Solar-specific plan options designed for certain NEM customers
This guide compares the most relevant plans, explains who each one fits, and gives you a plain-English way to choose based on your home’s usage pattern and your solar billing status.
Step 1: Know which “solar billing world” you are in
Before comparing plans, identify which solar billing structure applies to you, because it can limit (or strongly influence) plan choice.
Solar Billing Plan (SBP / Net Billing Tariff)
SDG&E states that Solar Billing Plan customers are on the EVTOU5 pricing plan.
If you are a newer solar customer under SBP, you typically do not “shop” rate plans the same way legacy customers do. EV-TOU-5 is the default framework, and your strategy becomes about using more energy during super off-peak periods and avoiding 4–9 p.m..
Legacy NEM customers (often called NEM 1.0 / NEM 2.0)
Legacy customers often have more flexibility and may have additional plan options. SDG&E’s pricing plan page includes a solar-oriented plan called DR-SES, described as designed to give NEM customers with solar an additional plan option and potentially suitable for systems that overgenerate.
Step 2: Understand the TOU time windows that drive everything
No matter which plan you choose, SDG&E’s most important windows stay consistent:
- On-Peak: 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (weekdays, weekends, and holidays)
- Super Off-Peak: shows up on certain plans and includes overnight plus a midday block that SDG&E now lists as 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (weekdays) on schedules that include super off-peak
The big picture is simple:
- If you buy a lot of grid power from 4–9 p.m., you pay the most.
- If you can shift usage into super off-peak, you pay the least.
- Solar alone helps, but a battery helps most when it reduces those 4–9 p.m. imports.
The plans solar homeowners compare most in 2026
Plan 1: TOU-DR1 (the standard residential TOU plan)
SDG&E describes TOU-DR1 as one of the most common residential TOU plans, with three pricing periods and peak pricing from 4–9 p.m.
Best for
- Solar homeowners who can use a meaningful amount of electricity outside 4–9 p.m.
- Homes without heavy overnight EV charging needs
- Households that want a “standard” plan that is widely used and straightforward
How you win on TOU-DR1
- Shift flexible loads to super off-peak windows (overnight, and midday where applicable)
- Reduce evening consumption from 4–9 p.m.
Who should be cautious
- Homes with heavy evening HVAC use (late afternoon cooling that spills into 4–9 p.m.)
- EV households that regularly charge in the evening instead of overnight
If you want the exact 2026 TOU-DR1 total rate table (including the base services charge shown on the table), SDG&E publishes it as a PDF effective 1/1/2026.
Plan 2: EV-TOU-5 (EV and electrification plan, and Solar Billing Plan default)
SDG&E’s pricing plan page describes EV-TOU-5 as best for customers who can charge EVs overnight and/or are on the Solar Billing Plan, with three pricing periods and peak pricing from 4–9 p.m.
Best for
- Solar Billing Plan customers (because SDG&E places SBP customers on EVTOU5)
- EV households that can reliably charge overnight
- Homes that can shift big loads to super off-peak periods
How you win on EV-TOU-5
- Make overnight charging automatic (scheduled charging)
- Move dishwasher, laundry, pool pumps, and similar loads into super off-peak blocks
- If you have a battery, use it to cover 4–9 p.m. and preserve cheap charging windows
Who should be cautious
- EV households that frequently need to “top off” during 4–9 p.m.
- Homes that cannot shift much usage away from evenings
For the official EV-TOU-5 total rates table effective 1/1/2026, SDG&E publishes the PDF.
Plan 3: DR-SES (solar-specific option for certain NEM customers)
SDG&E lists DR-SES on its Total Electric Rates page and describes it as designed to give NEM customers with solar an additional plan option, potentially appropriate for solar systems that overgenerate.
Best for
- Some legacy NEM customers whose systems export a lot (especially midday overgeneration)
- Households that benefit from a plan tailored to solar export behavior (as SDG&E positions it)
Why it exists
- It gives certain solar customers another TOU structure to align exports and imports more favorably depending on their generation pattern and annual true-up outcomes.
How you win on DR-SES
- Understand your export profile (when you export the most)
- Shift loads into super off-peak periods (which SDG&E lists for DR-SES, including the midday 10 a.m.–2 p.m. super off-peak block)
A practical decision guide
Choose EV-TOU-5 if any of these are true
- You are on the Solar Billing Plan (this is the default rate plan SDG&E states SBP customers are on)
- You charge an EV at home and can schedule charging overnight
- You want the strongest incentive to push usage into super off-peak hours
Choose TOU-DR1 if these are true
- You are not required to be on EV-TOU-5
- You do not have heavy EV charging needs
- You can shift usage away from 4–9 p.m. reasonably well
- You want a standard plan with clear TOU structure
Consider DR-SES if these are true
- You are a legacy NEM customer
- Your solar system tends to overgenerate and you want a solar-specific plan option SDG&E positions for that use case
The two mistakes that cost solar homeowners the most
Mistake 1: Optimizing for total kWh instead of timing
Two homes can use the same monthly kWh and have very different bills depending on how much of that usage lands in 4–9 p.m.. SDG&E’s TOU tables make it clear that this window is the premium-priced period.
Mistake 2: Buying an EV plan, then charging during peak
EV-TOU-5 rewards overnight charging. If the EV is frequently charged in the evening, the plan’s intent is undermined and the bill can get ugly.
Where a battery changes the “best plan” conversation
A battery doesn’t magically lower rates. It reduces the amount of energy you buy during the expensive hours by shifting your own energy (solar or off-peak energy) into the evening window.
Batteries are most valuable when:
- you have meaningful consumption from 4–9 p.m.
- you export a lot of midday solar (and would rather store it for evening use)
- you have an EV and want to protect cheap charging hours by avoiding peak imports
This is why many solar households stop thinking in “panel count” terms and start thinking in “evening coverage” terms.
The right next step
Choosing the best SDG&E rate plan for solar is not a guess. It’s a matching problem:
- your solar billing status (SBP vs legacy NEM)
- your load shape (when you use energy)
- whether you have an EV
- whether storage is part of the system
If you want a plan and system design that is built around SDG&E’s current structures, Stellar Solar is a strong local choice to start with. Stellar Solar’s local credibility is backed by third-party signals homeowners recognize, including an A+ BBB rating.