FAQ for Customers

No, DA has been around in California since 1998; it was enacted as part of energy deregulation. The program was suspended in 2001, after the Western power crisis, and no new customers were allowed to sign up. In April 2010, after passage of Senate Bill 695, partial reopening of the program allowed limited DA for new non-residential customers.

Most SCE customers receive bundled service from SCE for electric supply, transmission and distribution services. Business customers who are accepted into the DA program can choose to purchase their power from a qualified Electric Service Provider (ESP) other than SCE. This may enable the customer to obtain power at a lower price. SCE would continue to deliver the electricity through its transmission and distribution network.

No, only commercial and industrial customers can participate, but there is a limit on how many will be accepted. New DA accounts were accepted on a first-come, first served basis up to a total of nearly 4,000 additional gigawatt hours, over a four-year phase-in period. Current process accepts valid enrollment requests based on a randomized number (or lottery) system. Additionally, customers on certain rate plans are not eligible to enroll.

California regulations ensure that bundled service customers are not financially affected if other customers choose DA. Utilities in California do not profit from customers' energy use. SCE views its role as a "trusted energy advisor" that helps business customers make their best electric power service choices.

No new residential customers can participate in DA, although residential customers were included in DA when the program began in 1998. While some still remain in the program, the current law excludes residential customers from signing up for DA.

Load for 2018 has been reserved. The enrollment period for future available DA load begins the 2nd full week in June of each year beginning in 2014.

Currently, DA is partially opened with a DA load limit per utility. As part of the Partial Reopening of DA, it is only available to non-residential customers. Residential customers who were enrolled in DA prior to its suspension remain DA eligible as long as they stay enrolled in DA with a registered ESP.

If you are a non-residential SCE bundled customer or were previously a DA customer but have fulfilled the 18-month Bundled Portfolio Service (BPS) commitment, you have the option of transferring to DA service. You may enroll in DA service with a registered ESP in SCE’s service territory by participating in the Partial Reopening of DA (DA Lottery).

SCE’s Role in Generation

For DA customers, generation is solely provided by the ESP.

SCE’s Role in Transmission and Distribution

SCE continues to own its transmission facilities, but has turned operational control of these facilities over to the California Independent System Operator (ISO). The ISO operates the overall transmission system to ensure that all generation suppliers have equal opportunity to send their electricity through the transmission system to consumers, and to maintain the balance between the supply and demand for electricity. The ISO also assumes responsibility for the safety and reliability of the transmission system.

SCE continues to own and operate the regulated distribution lines in its franchise territory and is responsible for the reliable and safe delivery of electricity to end-use customers. SCE provides energy suppliers, retailers, and aggregators with necessary resources, including distribution services, and dependable and impartial information to ensure that energy suppliers have the necessary resources for participation in the DA market. As part of its distribution role, SCE continues to provide the following services to customers:

• Metering services (ownership, installation, removal, calibration, testing, and maintenance)
• Meter reading and usage data management
• Billing and related services (telephone information centers, payment processing, credit services, CPUC list of registered ESPs, etc.)

ESPs’ Role in Generation

ESPs are responsible for providing the generation portion of their electricity for their respective DA customers.

ESPs’ Role in Transmission and Distribution

ESPs do not provide the transmission and distribution of electricity to their DA customers. The transmission and distribution continues to be provided by SCE.

ESPs’ Role in Metering and Billing

ESPs have the option of offering metering and billing services to their customers. If the ESP prefers, the Investor Owned Utility (IOU) will continue to provide these services at a fee. Customers who are currently enrolled with an ESP and have questions regarding their ESP charges and services should contact their ESP directly.

Visit the CPUC website to view a list of registered ESPs.

You may transfer DA status from one account to another through any of the following:

Customer Assignment Affidavit

Allows customers to assign DA contracts to either a new ESPs or a new retail end-use customer representing similar loads 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 service account at the 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 Acceptance by SCE.

Download the Customer Assignment Affidavit form.

Direct Access Customer Relocation Declaration

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, which 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, which 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 Premises.
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 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 Premises that 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 - 1 Service Account (SA) per existing bundled service account; will not be eligible for DA service until SA(s) under the same customer of record at the Current Location have been terminated.
   • Customer must submit this request to SCE no later than 90 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 60 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.

Download the Direct Access Customer Relocation Declaration form.

Direct Access Customer Replacement Declaration

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 Direct Access (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 the location cannot be closed for more than 60 days.
• New service account at the 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.

Download the Direct Access Customer Replacement Declaration form.

Each party's declaration must be completed and submitted by email to SCE, Customer Choice Services at ESPSUPT@sce.com. Please note that original documents must be 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

A Direct Access customer’s name change on a domestic account can only occur in the case of a marriage, divorce, death, or legal name change.

To process a name change for a Direct Access service account, please contact SCE’s Call Center at 1-800-799-4723.

A DA customer may elect to terminate its contract with an ESP and return to SCE bundled service by calling SCE’s Direct Access Support Center at 1-800-799-4723. In such cases, the CPUC has determined that SCE will initiate the cancellation of ESP services and take the following action steps:

1. Initiate cancellation of ESP service
2. Initiate switch to bundle service

If the ESP or customer owns the meter, the customer will be charged the applicable meter replacement, re-programming, maintenance or reading fees as listed in the Customer Choice - Discretionary Service Fees schedule if the meter is not compatible with SCE’s meter reading systems.*

*NOTE: Under certain circumstances, the CPUC may impose an applicable fee for this service. SCE will notify ESPs of all changes and scheduled effective dates.

If a DA customer chooses to return to bundled service for a term longer than 60 days, customer must provide SCE with a Six-Month Advance Notice to Return to Bundled Portfolio Service (PDF), prior to becoming eligible for Bundled Portfolio Service (BPS). Once the notice is received by SCE, the customer will have 3 business days to cancel the notice and remain on DA service. If customer elects BPS service, the customer must make an 18-month commitment and will not be eligible to return to DA service until the 18-month minimum period has been completed .¹

Please note Direct Access customers returning to SCE Bundled Service are subject to Switching Exemptions, for more information read Rule 22.1: Switching Exemption Guidelines.

¹Only Non-Residential customers are eligible to transfer to DA through the DA Lottery process. Direct Access service is not available to residential customers.

Yes, if you are a current DA customer and wish to change your Electric Service Provider (ESP), visit the CPUC website for a list of registered ESPsyou can contact.

DA customers are eligible to participate in NEM; however, they must contact their ESP to confirm that the ESP offers an NEM option. The ESP must provide notice of eligibility in writing to SCE. If the ESP does not offer NEM, the customer may search for another ESP that offers NEM or return to bundled service and apply for NEM with SCE.

If you are a current DA customer and have questions regarding ESP charges and service, please contact your ESP directly.

For other DA-related questions, please contact SCE’s Customer Contact Center at 1-800-799-4723.