Plug-in solar savings on Corona Utilities
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The short answer: on Corona Utilities's Schedule D rate of 11.95¢/kWh,[source] the example kit (800 W, $1,000) saves about $95 a year and pays for itself in about 10.6 years, assuming typical placement and that you use most of its power at home.
What the example kit saves on Corona Utilities
| Where the panels go | Saves a year | Pays back in |
|---|---|---|
| Excellent: south-facing, tilted, no shade | $125 | 8.0 years |
| Typical: well-placed | $95 | 10.6 years |
| Shaded or vertical balcony | $69 | 14.5 years |
Power you send back to the grid is valued at $0, so a kit sized to what you use during the day saves the most. Run your own numbers, including how savings add up over the years.
Where this rate comes from
Our sum of Corona's Schedule D, effective January 1, 2026: energy charge by tier plus the public benefits charge ($0.00405). That is $0.10909 for baseline use, $0.11949 from 101% to 130% of baseline and $0.22245 above that. We use the middle tier; if your use is well above baseline, your savings may be higher. Corona serves only some areas of the city; SCE serves the rest. This utility also adds a periodic per-kWh power cost adjustment that can raise or lower the price; its current value isn't published, so it isn't included and your bill may differ.[source]
Discounts
CARE and FERA are CPUC programs for investor-owned utilities, so they don't apply here. City, district and co-op utilities run their own discount programs, which we haven't verified.
SB 868 and Corona Utilities
SB 868 covers local publicly owned utilities such as Corona Utilities, as well as investor-owned utilities. Corona Utilities may ask you to register a qualifying kit through a simple online form, but can't charge fees related to it.[source] Read SB 868 explained and run through the checks before you buy.
Estimates only. Not electrical, legal or financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
- How much could a plug-in solar kit save on Corona Utilities?
- About $95 a year for an example 800 W kit with typical placement, at Corona Utilities's Schedule D rate of 11.95¢/kWh, paying back in about 10.6 years. Your result depends on your usage and where the panels go.
- Does SB 868 apply to Corona Utilities customers?
- Yes. The law covers both investor-owned and local publicly owned electric utilities. Corona Utilities may ask you to register a qualifying kit online, but can't charge fees related to it.