Plug-in solar in San Diego

The short answer: from Jan 1, 2027, a certified plug-in (balcony) solar kit of up to 1,200 W AC per home can plug into an outlet in San Diego without your utility's approval.^[source] What it saves depends on which utility serves you.

Which utility serves you, and what a kit could save

SDG&E serves the city of San Diego and most of San Diego County. Its standard rate is the highest of the three large California utilities in our data, so each kWh a kit makes is worth more here.

Utilities in this area and what the example kit saves

Utility	Rate we use	Savings per year	Payback
SDG&E	52¢/kWh	$412	2.4 years

Not sure which utility you have? Check your bill, or search by city or ZIP code in the calculator.

What SB 868 changes

• No utility approval for a certified kit within the limit; your utility may ask you to register it through a simple online form but can't charge fees related to it.^[source]
• City and district utilities are covered too: the law names "an electrical corporation or a local publicly owned electric utility."^[source]
• The limit is per home: 1,200 W AC for all the plug-in devices at one address.^[source]
• Exported power earns nothing, so a kit sized to what you use during the day saves the most.^[source]

Electric cooperatives aren't named in the law; if a co-op serves you, check with it before you install.

Before you buy

• Renters still need the landlord's permission: SB 868 doesn't appear to override a lease or HOA rules.^[source] See plug-in solar for renters.
• Check the kit's certification and size with is my kit legal?, and compare kits in the kit tracker.
• Run your own numbers, including how savings add up over the years, in the calculator.

Not legal or electrical advice.