Direct Access ESP - Operations

Once Electric Service Provider (ESP) registration is complete, an ESP can begin enrolling customers into Direct Access through one of the following options:

1. Submitting a Direct Access Service Request (DASR) for existing DA customers.
2. Applying for Partial Reopening of Direct Access (Annual DA Lottery) to enroll commercial and industrial customers on bundled service into DA.
3. Submitting a DA affidavit. There are three affidavits in use today, Customer Assignment, Relocation or Replacement to transfer their existing DA eligibility to a new account (only on a “one-for-one” service account basis within its existing service territory).

Direct Access Service Request (DASR)

In order to provide DA service to a specific service address for an individual customer, an ESP is required to submit a Direct Access Service Request (DASR). This request serves as the central communication mechanism between ESPs and SCE in establishing, modifying, and terminating DA services. A separate DASR must be submitted for each individual SCE service account. In other words, ESPs will need to submit an individual DASR for each end-use customer Service Account (SA) planning to:

• Switch from bundled service with SCE to DA.
• Switch customer from one ESP to another ESP.
• Terminate DA Services.
• Update DA options.
• Cancel a pending DASR.

Allows customers to assign Direct Access (DA) contracts to either a new Electric Service Provider (ESP) or a new retail end-use customer representing approximately the same load at the same physical location.

Form Requirements:

A two-part declaration must be signed by both the new customer and the ESP:

• Current location cannot be closed for more than 60 days.
• New location cannot include bundled service accounts that have been in the customer’s name for more than 90 days.
• DASR must be submitted within 60 days of the customer assignment notification’s acceptance by SCE.

Download the Customer Assignment Affidavit form.

Each party's declaration must be executed and may be submitted individually by email to Customer Choice Services at ESPSUPT@sce.com, provided original documents are received by SCE within 10 calendar days from the date of the fax. Original documents must be mailed to the following address:

Customer Choice Services
6060 N. Irwindale Avenue, Suite J
Irwindale, CA 91702

Allows customers to relocate DA load from an existing location to a new location under any one of the four available options:

1. Current Location, one existing customer Premises, where the electric load of one service account (SA) is currently served under DA and New Location is the same or a different Premises from the Current Location that has been newly acquired or constructed by customer at which the customer intends to relocate all or part of its business and operations from the current location.
   • The new location may only consist of one SA.
2. Current location, one existing customer Premises, where the electric load of one or more SAs are currently being served under DA and new location is the same or a different Premises from the current location that has been newly acquired or constructed by customer at which the customer intends to relocate all or part of its business and operations from the current location.
   • The new location may consist of one or more SAs at a single Premise.
3. Current location, one or more existing customer Premises, where the electric load of one or more SAs is currently being served under DA and new location is either the same or a different Premises from the current location to which the customer intends to relocate all or part of its business and operations from the current location.  
   • The new location may consist of one or more SAs at a single or multiple locations after the relocation has been completed and is limited to loads the same as, or substantially the same as, the loads represented by the current location. 
4. Current location, one or more existing customer Premises, where the electric load of one or more SAs is currently being served under DA and new location is a different Premise than the current location to which the customer intends to relocate all or part of its business and operations from the current location.
   • The new location may only consist of one SA at which the customer has been receiving bundled service and will not be eligible for DA service until all electric SAs billing under the same customer of record at the current location have been terminated or returned to Bundled Service. 
   • Customer must submit this request to SCE no later than 120 days from the date all SAs at the current location have been terminated. 

Form Requirements:

A two-part declaration must be signed by both the customer and the ESP:

• Total DA load as a result of the relocation cannot exceed the load limitations provided in the agreement.
• Current location cannot be closed for more than 120 days.
• New location cannot include bundled service accounts that have been in the customer’s name for more than 90 days (not applicable to option D above).
• DASR must be submitted within 60 days of either a) the relocation declaration’s acceptance by SCE, or b) establishment of electric service at the new location (whichever occurs last).

Download the Direct Access Customer Relocation Declaration form.

Each party's declaration must be executed and may be submitted individually to Customer Choice Services at ESPSUPT@sce.com, provided original documents are received by SCE within 10 calendar days from the date of the fax. Original documents must be mailed to the following address:

Customer Choice Services
6060 N. Irwindale Avenue, Suite J
Irwindale, CA 91702

Allows customers to, in the normal course of business, refurbish, reconstruct, or remodel facilities at the current location and continue to serve these facilities under DA at the current location, which represents one existing customer site where the electric load of one customer account is currently being served under DA.

Form Requirements:

A two-part declaration must be signed by both the customer and the ESP:

• Current service account at location cannot be closed for more than 60 days.
• New service account at location cannot include bundled service accounts that have been in the customer’s name for more than 90 days.
• DASR must be submitted within 60 days of the replacement declaration’s acceptance by SCE (whichever occurs last).

Download the Direct Access Customer Replacement Declaration form.

Each party's declaration must be executed and may be submitted individually to Customer Choice Services at ESPSUPT@sce.com, provided original documents are received by SCE within 10 calendar days from the date of the fax. Original documents must be mailed to the following address:

Customer Choice Services
6060 N. Irwindale Avenue, Suite J
Irwindale, CA 91702

You may learn more about our Load Profiles and how they can affect your business.

SAs with meter demand of 50–199 kW are not required to install an IDR meter in light of the ongoing SCE SmartConnect™ meter deployment.

• DASRs submitted with a third-party meter owner, meter installer, or meter reader will be subject to the existing IDR metering requirements as described in Rule 22 Direct Access.
• ESPs can submit an Update DASR on behalf of the customer in order initiate a meter change. A customer can also call the SCE Customer Contact Center at 1-800-799-4723 to request a meter change.

For more information regarding Direct Access operations, contact Customer Choice Services at  ESPSUPT@sce.com. 

General Municipal Surcharge (Schedule GMS) applies to all SCE delivery customers, including those on Direct Access (DA) Service, and customers who receive generation service from a supplier other than SCE.

However, certain DA customers may be entitled to an exemption from the General Municipal Surcharge (GMS). Customers eligible for the Schedule GMS exemption include the State of California or a political subdivision thereof; and any cogeneration or nonutility generation facility when the facility transports electricity through its own electric transmission or distribution system or otherwise delivers electricity in the manner described in Section 218 of the Public Utilities Code.

The customer of record on the eligible DA Service account(s) for the “State of California or a political subdivision thereof,” may self-certify as an entity of the “State of California or a political subdivision thereof,” and be eligible for the GMS exemption.

It is the responsibility of the customer to self-identify as an entity of the State of California or a political subdivision by completing and submitting the Generation Municipal Surcharge Exemption Self-Certification Affidavit. For these customers, Exemption from Schedule GMS will be effective on the next regularly scheduled meter read date after receipt of the signed affidavit.

Please ensure to utilize GMS Multiple Accounts Template for submitting multiple entries, as it allows for organized and efficient handling of the submissions. Please note that any other spreadsheets submitted besides the designated Excel template will be declined to maintain consistency and streamline the submission process. 

The Generation Municipal Surcharge Exemption Self-Certification Affidavit should not be used for customers of record on accounts of any cogeneration or non-utility generation facility when the facility transports electricity through its own electric transmission or distribution system or otherwise delivers electricity as described in Section 218 of the Public Utilities Code. These customers should contact their account representative to verify eligibility and qualification for an exemption from Schedule GMS.