Summer Discount Plan for Businesses

During the summer season, you’ll see a monthly discount on your electric bill under the line item “A/C cycling discount.” Credits will appear on your billing statements monthly between June and October.

Your central A/C compressor may be cycled off for the following reasons:

• When the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) notifies us of the need to reduce electricity use in our service territory
• Upon determination by our grid control center of the need to implement load reductions in our service territory
• At our discretion when the CAISO has issued an Alert or Warning Notice
• When wholesale energy prices are high
• When we call test events to validate operating systems—test events do not require any specific system conditions before activation.

CAISO and SCE can call an event at any time, 24 hours per day, seven days per week, year-round. Each of your participating units may be cycled off up to a total of six hours per day. There can be multiple energy events in one day, but no event can be called after the six-hour daily limit has been exhausted.

No, only central A/C units that have cycling devices attached are affected during energy events. The rest of your business will have electricity, and your unit’s indoor fan may continue running to circulate the air, unless you let us know in advance that you prefer to have it turned off as well.

We offer courtesy alerts to let you know when an energy event is occurring in your area and your central A/C’s compressor is being cycled off. You can check to see if there are any events in progress at sce.com/drp/events. If your central A/C’s compressor unit is located where you can see the cycling device, the green LED light on the device will flash when your unit has been shut off.

If your central A/C’s compressor unit shuts off and the green LED light is not flashing, there may be several reasons why your central A/C’s compressor unit is not running:

• Thermostat or indoor fan is not set to the “on,” “cool,” or “automatic” position.
• Thermostat is not set low enough for the unit to come on.
• Condenser (outside unit) is dirty and obstructs air circulation.
• Filter is not clean.
• Circuit breaker is tripped or a fuse is blown at the meter or at the unit.

Caution: Before attempting to check or replace fuses, be sure to turn off the central compressor unit safety switch, which is located on or near the unit, in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

The credit you earn is based on the plan option you select, and the size and number of central A/C units you enroll. Your bill credits cannot be greater than the amount of your bill, and your monthly charges will apply regardless of the credit amount.

You may change to a higher cycling option at any time. If you wish to reduce your cycling option, you may reduce it to Good Value and to Maximum Comfort one time each in a 12-month period. Contact your SCE account manager or call us at 1-800-439-8765 to request a cycling change. Be sure to choose a cycling option and provide the cycling device ID numbers placed on the front of the cycling devices located on or near your central A/C’s compressor unit.

While energy events can occur at any time during the year, we anticipate that most will occur during the summer, when demand for electricity is highest. We apply credits between June 1 to October 1 to help lower your bill during this time.

Net Energy Metering (NEM) credits received under Schedule NEM may offset in whole or in part the program credits associated with the SDP.

You can download an application at sce.com/bizsdp, contact your SCE account manager, or call 1-800-439-8765 to request a commercial application. Indicate on the application that you currently have one or more cycling devices, write their device ID numbers (located on front of the device) on the form, and choose a cycling option.

No, only central air conditioning compressors that have SDP cycling devices attached are affected during cycling periods.

Yes, signing up for SDP requires a one-year commitment from the first meter read date following activation of your cycling devices. If you elect to dis-enroll in the program at any time, you cannot re-enroll for 12 months.

These features, which safeguard the units from electrical surges, may not enable your compressors to power on immediately after a cycling period has ended. The time delay feature is intended to regulate the flow of electricity back into your units so power will resume normally.

Yes, you can download the SCE DR Alerts APP for your smartphone or you can sign up for SDP Courtesy Alerts to get notified by email, text, or phone message when there is a SDP event in your area. Please visit sce.com/drp/events for SDP event status in your area.

Request your air conditioner repair person remove the devices from the unit(s) to be replaced and leave the devices with you. Contact SCE immediately at 1-800-990-7788 and request installation of the device(s) on or near your new air conditioner(s). An SCE contractor will call you to arrange an appointment for installing the device(s) on your new unit(s). An adult over 18 years old must be present for installation of the device(s). You will continue to be eligible for program credits unless the contractor determines the device(s) cannot be reinstalled. You must contact SCE immediately when the device(s) are removed from the unit(s) you are replacing. If you do not, you may be removed from the SDP and billed for the amount of credits received after the device(s) were removed.

Summer Discount Plan Terms & Conditions

Eligibility & Requirements

If you are a business of any size in SCE’s service territory, take service under one of SCE’s qualifying Commercial & Industrial rates and are not enrolled in the Critical Peak Pricing (CPP), Capacity Bidding Program (CBP) or the Time of Use Base Interruptible Program (TOU-BIP), then you are eligible to participate in the program. 

To participate, your central air conditioner must be in good working order at enrollment and throughout your participation. Cycling devices will not be installed on non-operational air conditioners. If your central air conditioner becomes inoperable while you are participating in the Summer Discount Plan, you should have it repaired immediately. If it is discovered that your air conditioner is not in good working order or that you have tampered with the cycling device, your service account may be removed from the program.

If you are a tenant, you are responsible for determining whether your property owner or manager’s approval is required for the installation and operation of the cycling device. If so, you are responsible for obtaining this approval before submitting your application to us.

SCE may need to test or replace the device. The credit amounts and program options are subject to change by the California Public Utilities Commission.

You must have an Edison SmartConnect® meter or an interval data recorder (IDR) meter capable of registering hourly interval usage data for enrollment in the SDP program.

Your account must register the use of a minimum of 0.2 kWh per A/C ton, one hour before or after, in at least one SDP event per the calendar year to remain eligible to participate in the SDP Program. This requirement is known as “the Minimum Usage Requirement.” An annual review of customer’s electric usage will be conducted by SCE no later than January 31 of each calendar year. At the annual review time, SCE will determine in its reasonable discretion if a customer has met the Minimum Usage Requirement. If removed from the program for failing to meet the Minimum Usage Requirement, you will not be allowed to re-enroll for the following 12-month period.

The Summer Discount Plan is subject to the availability of cycling devices and adequate device signal strength at your location. It is not recommended for premises with employees or staffs who have respiratory conditions or are unable to tolerate high temperatures.

Participation Period

There is a 1-year minimum participation period requirement, starting on the activation date of your cycling device unless the program is suspended, modified, or terminated by the CPUC. If during the one year, you, or someone in your business, develop a medical condition that disqualifies you from participating in the program, as substantiated by a medical provider, you may also request to be removed from the Summer Discount Plan. Your enrollment will be continuous unless, after the conclusion of the 1-year minimum participation period, you notify us that you wish to terminate. Plan option downgrades to Good Value, and Maximum Comfort can each be made only once in a 12-month period. If you de-enroll from the Summer Discount Plan, you may not re-enroll within a 12-month period.

Bill Credits

Bill credits will be calculated based on these factors:

• Your current rate schedule;
• The size of your central air conditioner(s) being cycled – the greater the calculated tonnage, the larger the credit;
• The option you select – Maximum Savings (100%), Good Value (50%), or Maximum Comfort (30%); and
• The amount of electricity you use.

Maximum credits based on enrollment in program from June 1 to October 1. Enrollment after June 1 will result in prorated credits beginning from the first meter read date after your application is processed and your device is installed and activated.

SCE is not responsible for any costs, loss or damages to you or your business associated with receiving optional SDP courtesy alerts.

Any inconsistencies between this material and SCE’s tariffs are unintended, and the tariffs prevail. Please refer to the SCE’s Tariff Books for a complete list of terms and conditions of service. This program is funded by California utility customers and administered by SCE under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).

Summer Discount Plan credit amounts and program options are subject to change pursuant to the CPUC.

Duration of Turn-Off/Cycling

Under the Maximum Savings option, your A/C may be turned off for up to 6 hours per day. Under the Good Value option, your A/C may be cycled off for 15 minutes of every half hour, for up to 6 hours per day. Under the Maximum Comfort option, your A/C may be cycled off for 9 minutes of every half hour, for up to 6-hours per day. In the event of a system emergency, we may, at our discretion, extend the cycling period beyond the 6-hour duration limit. However, no new energy event will be initiated after the 6-hour limit has been met.

Total Turned-Off/Cycled Hours Per Year

The maximum length of time that your A/C may be cycled off is 180 hours per year.

Complete Tariff Information

Any inconsistencies between this material and SCE’s tariffs are unintended, and the tariffs prevail. Please refer to the SCE’s Tariff Books for a complete list of terms and conditions of service. This program is funded by California utility customers and administered by SCE under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).