Understanding your True-Up Bill for Rooftop Solar Customers

As a San José Clean Energy (SJCE) Net Energy Metering (NEM) solar customer, you’re contributing to a cleaner environment and more sustainable future by generating some of your own electricity! Not only that, you’re also saving significant $ on your electric bill, depending on how much energy you used and generated. When it comes time to settle the difference (every year starting in April), this is called a “True-Up.”

What is a True-Up?

Throughout the year, you have been generating energy with your solar panels. If you generated more energy than you used, you receive a credit, and if not, you receive a bill for the rest of the energy you used.

A true-up is an annual process where we settle the difference between the energy you’ve used and the energy your solar panels have generated.

Since SJCE provides your electricity and PG&E delivers it, you will have two annual true-up dates. You are not being double charged; SJCE replaces what you would have paid to PG&E for generation. Your PG&E bill includes your SJCE charges.

How the True-Up Process Works

• Used More Than You Generated: If your solar panels didn’t produce enough electricity to cover your usage that month, you will be charged the difference for the electricity you used that month.
• Generated More Than You Used: If your solar panels produced more electricity than your home used, you’ll receive a credit that will be applied to next month’s bill. Extra Perk for Net Generators: SJCE’s net surplus compensation rate is 25% higher than PG&E’s, providing you with an extra benefit when your solar system generates more than you consume.
• Monthly Billing: Every month, SJCE sends you a statement showing a running balance of your solar generation and consumption. This allows you to track your energy use and the credits you’re earning. Please note that monthly billing will apply only to your SJCE generation charges—you’ll still receive your annual true-up charges from PG&E for energy delivery.
• True-Up in April: We review all the energy you generated and used for the past 12 months to finalize the true-up process. This is when we’ll either credit your account or charge you, depending on whether you used more or less electricity than your panels produced. Note: All solar customers will true-up for their SJCE generation charges every April. Most Net Consumers will see their true-up charge on their May bill and most Net Generators will receive their credit in June.