Rule 29 FAQ

Yes. If the appropriate documentation (3rd-Party Authorization Form) is provided that allows a trade professional to be the project point of contact, SCE will accept applications on the customer’s behalf.

Rule 29 Electric Vehicle Infrastructure is an optional tariff rule. Applicants must meet certain requirements to qualify to participate under this tariff. As part of the requirement, the applicant must provide all information requested on the Customer Project Information Sheet (CPIS) and the Supplemental Rule 29 Application form, along with completing and signing the Rule 29 Agreement. 

As part of Assembly Bill 841, SCE must report all required information and share it with the California Public Utilities Commission. The data collection template for the EV Infrastructure Rules can be accessed here.

If the applicant is unable/unwilling to provide the required information/data, the applicant will not qualify to participate in Rule 29. Instead, SCE's Rule 16 Service Extension tariff is available to the applicant.

Distribution Infrastructure and Planning to Support EV Charging.

Applicants cannot participate in a Charge Ready program at the same project site (which may also be referred to as the premise) under Rule 29.

Under Rule 29, the applicant is responsible for all costs on the customer side of the meter. This includes the cost to plan, design, install, and maintain all equipment, including the meter panel/pedestal. 

In some instances, Rule 15 may be applicable. Rule 15 applies when distribution facilities are installed that can serve more than one customer, such as the installation of a switch or pad-mounted enclosure (PME). In these situations, the applicant will be responsible for installing all civil scope, as well as fulfilling any other applicant obligations associated with Rule 15.

If any costs are required to be paid by the applicant, those bills and contracts will be provided only after the final map is created. SCE cannot provide any cost estimates prior to the issuance of the final map.

SCE does not provide base map information. While it is highly recommended that the applicant hire a licensed surveyor to ensure accuracy, applicants can purchase copies of SCE’s inventory maps, which are for reference purposes only. The inventory maps may assist the applicant in the creation of required project base maps. There is a $40 per-map charge for inventory maps.

Southern California Edison (SCE) stipulates specific guidelines for the planning, design, and engineering of electrical infrastructure under Rules 29, 15, and 16. These rules encompass Electric Vehicle Infrastructure, Distribution Line Extensions, and Service Extension scopes respectively. For a project to advance to the Planning Phase, SCE requires a complete customer submittal, including a CAD base map that aligns with the SCE CAD File Requirements. This map must detail all necessary elements from proposed feed point (where service begins) to the customer panel (where SCE service ends), the project cannot proceed to Planning Phase until all CAD and Base map requirements have been met. 

Accessing Southern California Edison DRPEP (sce.com), a public web portal that provides public access to SCE’s substation and circuit information, can provide a general sense of the available capacity. The information found on this platform represents a snapshot in time and does not constitute a guarantee of, and/or reservation of load.

On December 15, 2022, the CPUC issued Resolution E-5247, which put in place an interim 125-business-day average service energization timeline for the investor-owned utilities (IOU) Rule 29. The timeline is triggered after the applicant has submitted all required documents (refer to step 3) and ends when the site is energized. The 125-business-day timeline is only applicable to the tasks that are within the utility’s control. Applicant tasks are excluded from the mandated timeline.

If the project meets the following conditions, the 125-business-day timeline is not applied: 

1. Planned additional capacity exceeds two (2) MW 

2. Project triggers an Electric Rule 15 or any other Electrical Rule, and 

3. Project requires substation or circuit upgrades

Please note that every project is different and has specific limitations and constraints. The receipt of information from the applicant (i.e., executed easements, payments, signed preliminary maps, switchgear drawings), as well as local governmental authority requirements, have implications that impact the overall schedule.

When an applicant decides to install an EV charging project and SCE grants approval under Rule 29, SCE will work closely with the applicant to make sure future charging needs are met. As part of this process, the applicant will need to sign an agreement committing to installing the additional charging stations they have planned. This agreement covers details like the approximate number of chargers to be installed and the timeframe for energization. In addition, SCE shall match the capacity of the installed EV electric distribution infrastructure to the capacity of the electrical panel installed by the applicant at the time of taking service.

No, there is no port count minimum.

There is no minimum amount of annual usage, but load is required on the chargers.

At the time of energization, the customer is defaulted into the appropriate SCE commercial EV Time-of-Use rate (TOU EV-7, -8, or -9). However, the customer may opt-out of SCE’s commercial TOU-EV rate if they qualify for a different applicable commercial TOU rate. 

Note: if multiple EV charging station meters exist on the same project site/premise, the only applicable SCE rates available to the customer are either TOU EV-7, 8, or 9.

Applicant Design is not available to applicants who choose Rule 29 to install commercial EV chargers.

Yes, under various project conditions, this is allowable in combination with Rule 29. For more information, please visit SCE’s Grid Interconnection page.

The applicant must separately submit any required applicable interconnection applications through the appropriate customer generation pathway. They should also convey their total project scope—both what they are installing today, as well as what they may install throughout the five (5) year Rule 29 agreement period, if applicable. Doing so ensures that the NEM/Solar Billing Plan group (who are the experts) can advise the applicant what they qualify for. 

Please note that the applicant must notify SCE of the parallel self-generation application.

The applicant must own and maintain the charging stations for a minimum of five years.

If the property is sold before the five-year minimum period that Rule 29 tariff requires, the applicant shall notify SCE via the QuitClaim process and SCE may pursue reimbursement of the costs incurred in connection with deploying the utility-side EV infrastructure.

An SCE easement is required for all ducts and structures installed by SCE. Please review the sample easement language in the Forms and Resources section before applying, as SCE does not modify its easement language. 

If an applicant proceeds with a Rule 29 project, the easements will be prepared by a third-party vendor on SCE's behalf. Upon receipt of an executed easement, the third-party vendor sends it to SCE’s legal department for signature and will have the easement recorded with the corresponding county. 

Should the applicant decide to develop the land in the future and/or want to relocate the infrastructure within or outside the existing SCE easement, the applicant shall notify SCE of the need to modify the existing service connection. The applicant will be responsible for the associated costs and SCE will modify the easement, as appropriate.

In certain cases, the installation of distribution infrastructure and electric vehicle (EV) service extensions may necessitate environmental studies. These studies are conducted to assess any potential impact on the environment and ensure compliance with regulations. The applicant is responsible for any costs related to these environmental studies, as well as any associated work.

Directional boring, also known as horizontal direction drilling, is a trenchless method used to install underground utilities with minimal surface disruption. For Rule 29 projects, directional boring is not an option unless the authority having jurisdiction (AJH) or certain circumstances require it.

Charging stations must be operational within 30 business days of SCE energizing the service point, or a timeframe agreed upon between SCE and the applicant not to exceed 180 days (about six months).

There are some slight differences to the steps/process if the applicant intends to install a primary metered switchgear. The differences are outlined below:

• If the applicant possesses switchgear drawings, SCE can perform a cursory review of those drawings during the engineering review study. The approval process for the equipment is governed by SCE standards at the time of review. Any updates to SCE standards must be adhered to before the switchgear is installed at the customer's facility.
• Before the switchgear is ordered:
  • Applicant shall request the available short-circuit duty values and upstream protection settings from SCE. On average, this process takes 4-5 weeks to complete and can only be started after planning has had an opportunity to acknowledge receipt of a complete design submittal.
  • SCE shall complete the short-circuit duty letter and upstream protection settings. Information shall be sent to the applicant.
  • Applicant shall provide SCE with switchgear-manufactured cutsheets. Applicant must comply with the ESR-7 Section 3.0 Manufactures Drawings for Approval section.
  • SCE reviews switchgear specification sheets and provides comments if applicable. On average, this process takes 3-4 weeks to complete. If there are any comments, the applicant is required to resubmit the switchgear specification sheets, which resets and restarts the 3-4 week timeline.
  • All applicable items in ESR-7 must be satisfied before ordering the primary switchgear.
• After the switchgear has been ordered and is being constructed:
  • If the facility is local, SCE will offer a courtesy inspection at the 80% completion phase.
  • SCE will perform a palette inspection of the switchgear prior to installation on the pad.
  • SCE will perform an onsite inspection after the switchgear is installed on the pad.
• There are other differences such as the requirement for a Certified Test Report that includes information such as Coordinated Breaker Trip Settings, CT ratios, Tap Settings, etc. This review can take up to 6 weeks to complete.