Clean Energy Alliance Launches Rate Relief Program for North County Customers

Community choice energy program aims to offset rising state-mandated exit fees

Jan. 30, 2026 at 12:31pm

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The board of the Clean Energy Alliance, a community choice energy program serving North County San Diego, has approved a rate relief credit for its residential customers enrolled in the agency's lowest-priced offering, Clean Impact. The credit, which goes into effect on February 1 and runs through the end of 2026, is intended to help offset a sharp increase in state-mandated exit fees that the Clean Energy Alliance must pay to San Diego Gas & Electric.

Why it matters

The Clean Energy Alliance is one of 25 community choice aggregation (CCA) programs that have emerged across California in recent years, allowing municipalities to purchase power on behalf of their residents. However, CCA customers are still required to pay an exit fee, known as the Power Charge Indifference Adjustment (PCIA), to the incumbent utility to cover past investments. This fee has risen sharply, putting pressure on CCA programs like the Clean Energy Alliance to find ways to soften the impact on customers.

The details

The rate relief credit approved by the Clean Energy Alliance board will reduce the per-kilowatt rate for residential customers enrolled in the agency's lowest-priced Clean Impact offering. This will result in a savings of $13.07 per month for those customers, compared to what they would have paid without the credit. The credit does not apply to customers in the agency's two higher-priced offerings, Clean Impact Plus and Green Impact.

  • The rate relief credit goes into effect on February 1, 2026 and runs through the end of the year.
  • The Clean Energy Alliance's PCIA rate, charged by San Diego Gas & Electric, has increased by 4.8 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2026.

The players

Clean Energy Alliance

A community choice energy program serving municipalities in North County San Diego, including Carlsbad, Del Mar, Escondido, Oceanside, San Marcos, Solana Beach, and Vista.

San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E)

The incumbent utility that customers in the Clean Energy Alliance service area would otherwise receive power from. SDG&E charges the Clean Energy Alliance a Power Charge Indifference Adjustment (PCIA) fee.

California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)

The state regulatory agency that requires community choice aggregation (CCA) customers to pay the PCIA fee to the incumbent utility.

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What they’re saying

“I think this is a very challenging time for customers.”

— Board Member

“It's as easy as a couple of clicks, or they can call our customer service center.”

— Bill Carnahan, Executive Director, Clean Energy Alliance

“We've been able to develop a rate relief program that addresses the most vulnerable members of our service territory, while also maintaining a strong financial position.”

— Priya Bhat-Patel, Board Chair, Clean Energy Alliance

What’s next

The Clean Energy Alliance board will continue to monitor the impact of rising PCIA fees and explore additional ways to provide rate relief to customers.

The takeaway

The Clean Energy Alliance's rate relief program demonstrates how community choice energy programs are working to balance the need to provide affordable, renewable power to customers while navigating the challenges of state-mandated exit fees charged by incumbent utilities.