Helping Riverside County homeowners navigate SCE rates and solar options since 2020
If you are searching for what happened to your SCE bill over the last three years, you are not imagining it. Southern California Edison rates went through a sharp acceleration between 2022 and 2026, driven by a combination of wildfire infrastructure spending, General Rate Case decisions, and a new fixed monthly charge that took effect in late 2025. Four separate rate adjustments between 2022 and 2025 added roughly 40% to the average per-kWh rate.
This page covers each year as a distinct section so you can find the specific increase you are looking for. If you want the forward-looking picture through 2028, read our SCE rate increases 2026-2028 breakdown. For the math on what current rates mean for your specific bill, use the savings calculator.
Three-Year Rate Summary
SCE Rate Increases in 2024
The 2024 increases were driven substantially by wildfire infrastructure spending authorized under AB 1054.
The 2024 rate environment was shaped by two overlapping forces: GRC interim rates from SCE's pending General Rate Case proceeding, and accelerating wildfire mitigation costs that had been building since California passed AB 1054 in 2019.
The Wildfire Cost Driver
AB 1054 created a shared wildfire liability fund and required investor-owned utilities to file annual Wildfire Mitigation Plans with the CPUC. For SCE, this triggered a multi-year capital program that included:
Undergrounding power lines
SCE began an aggressive multi-year program to bury high-fire-risk distribution lines underground in Tier 2 and Tier 3 High Fire Risk Areas. Underground lines cannot arc into vegetation and cause ignitions. The program costs billions of dollars and is recovered through ratepayer surcharges.
Replacing aging poles
Thousands of wood utility poles in fire-prone areas were replaced with stronger, non-combustible alternatives. Each pole replacement costs thousands of dollars, and the program spans hundreds of miles of SCE territory.
Installing fast-acting fuses
Fast-acting fuses and reclosers interrupt fault currents within milliseconds, before arcing can ignite dry vegetation. SCE deployed these across high-fire-risk circuits throughout the service territory.
Expanded vegetation management
Trimming trees and brush around power lines is an ongoing and escalating cost. As climate-related drought has increased fire risk, the scope and frequency of vegetation management has grown significantly.
None of this spending was optional or discretionary. The CPUC required it as a condition of SCE's continued operating license. And because SCE is a regulated monopoly, every dollar it spends on approved programs gets recovered from customers through rate increases.
GRC Interim Rates in 2024
When SCE files a General Rate Case, the CPUC proceeding typically takes one to two years to complete. During that window, SCE can collect interim rates at a level that reflects the pending request. These interim rates allowed SCE to begin recovering higher costs before the final GRC decision was issued, which meant customers saw bill increases in 2024 even though the full GRC was still being decided.
The 2024 increases were not an anomaly. They were the continuation of a trend that began with the 2017-2018 wildfire disasters that resulted in billions of dollars in utility liability and triggered a fundamental restructuring of how California utilities finance fire prevention. Customers are the ones paying for that restructuring.
SCE Rate Increases in 2025
New $24.15/month fixed charge (AB 205) added in November 2025, regardless of how much electricity you use.
2025 was the year the CPUC issued its final decision on SCE's General Rate Case. The outcome authorized a revenue requirement of $9.756 billion for SCE, which represented an increase of $1.174 billion, or 13.7%, over the 2024 authorized level. This was one of the largest single-year GRC revenue increases in SCE's recent history.
The $9.756 Billion Revenue Requirement
A revenue requirement is the total amount of money SCE is authorized to collect from all of its customers in a given year. When this number goes up, rates go up proportionally. The $9.756 billion figure reflects the CPUC's determination that SCE needs that much money to cover its operating costs, capital investment program, wildfire mitigation spending, and the guaranteed rate of return it earns for shareholders.
The 13.7% jump from 2024 to 2025's authorized level translated directly into higher per-kWh rates for every residential customer in SCE's territory, which includes most of Riverside County including Temecula, Murrieta, Menifee, Lake Elsinore, and Wildomar.
The New $24.15 Monthly Fixed Charge
The most significant structural change in 2025 was the introduction of the Base Services Charge under AB 205, which took effect in November 2025. This is a fixed monthly fee charged to every SCE residential customer regardless of how much electricity they use.
Base Services Charge Tiers (Effective November 2025)
The $24.15 monthly charge is a flat fee, meaning it hits low-usage customers the hardest in percentage terms. A customer who uses 300 kWh per month and previously paid around $90 to $100 now has an additional $24 added to their bill as a fixed line item. For that customer, the fixed charge alone represents roughly a 24% bill increase, on top of any per-kWh rate changes.
AB 205 restructured how SCE recovers its fixed infrastructure costs. The theory is that fixed costs should be recovered through a fixed charge rather than bundled into the per-kWh rate. Supporters argued this makes the system more equitable by reducing the per-kWh rate while adding a fixed charge everyone pays. In practice, the initial rollout shifted costs toward lower-income and lower-usage customers who had benefited most from a usage-based rate structure.
For solar customers specifically: even if you generate most of your own electricity, you still owe the full $24.15 each month. The fixed charge is not offset by your solar production. This is one reason why the economics of solar remain strong under the 2025 rate structure. Read our full breakdown of the Base Services Charge for more detail.
SCE Rates in 2026: Where We Are Now
Up 83% since 2014. CPUC has authorized continued increases through 2028.
As of 2026, SCE's average residential rate sits at approximately 34.5 cents per kilowatt-hour on a blended basis. This is the number that matters most for estimating your monthly bill: multiply your monthly kWh usage by 34.5 cents to get a rough baseline before adding the $24.15 fixed charge and any applicable TOU time-of-use adjustments.
The Tier Breakdown
The tiered structure means higher usage is penalized at a significantly higher rate. A household that stays within its baseline allowance pays around 31 cents per kWh. A household that consistently exceeds that baseline pays around 42 cents per kWh on the excess. In summer months, when air conditioning pushes usage into Tier 2, bills can spike substantially.
The 83% Since 2014 Number
SCE rates have increased approximately 83% since 2014. That figure is not a projection or an estimate. It reflects the cumulative impact of successive GRC decisions, wildfire cost recovery proceedings, and infrastructure surcharges that have been authorized and implemented over that 12-year span.
During that same period, the national average residential electricity rate increased by a fraction of that amount. California residential customers, including those in SCE's territory, now pay among the highest electricity rates in the country.
The January 2026 Adjustment
In January 2026, SCE implemented a 2.3% adjustment that resulted in a modest decrease in certain rate categories. However, this decrease was offset by fixed charge increases and other adjustments that were already scheduled to take effect. For most residential customers, the net impact on their total bill was not a meaningful reduction.
What Is Coming Through 2028
The CPUC has already authorized continued rate increases through 2028 at a rate of approximately 5% to 8% annually. These are not projections subject to change. They are decisions already made through the regulatory process. For the full authorized schedule, see our 2026-2028 rate increases breakdown.
How to Protect Against SCE Rate Increases
Conservation helps reduce your usage volume, but it does not change the per-kWh rate you pay. As long as you are on SCE, every unit of electricity you consume is priced at whatever SCE's current rate is. When that rate goes up 13%, your bill for the same usage goes up 13%.
The most direct hedge is to generate your own electricity. Solar panels on your roof produce power at the cost of sunlight, which has not been subject to CPUC rate increases. The most accessible path for most Temecula homeowners is a solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA):
How a Solar PPA Protects Against Rate Increases
- Your rate is locked below the current SCE averagePPA rates are typically set below what you currently pay SCE, so you save from day one.
- Your escalator is capped and predictablePPA agreements specify a fixed annual escalator, typically 2-3.5%, far below SCE's historical average of 5-8% per year.
- Zero down, no loanThe PPA provider owns and maintains the system. You pay for the power, not the equipment.
- Section 48E is still activeThe commercial solar tax credit (Section 48E) that makes today's PPA rates possible is still available. Note: Section 25D (the residential ownership credit) expired at the end of 2025. PPAs use Section 48E, not Section 25D.
Note on the fixed charge: a solar PPA offsets your per-kWh consumption from SCE, but you still owe the $24.15 Base Services Charge each month. Most Temecula homeowners find that the combined savings on per-kWh consumption more than covers the fixed charge, resulting in a net positive in the first month.
Use the savings calculator to enter your current SCE bill and see a personalized estimate. No commitment required.
Frequently Asked Questions
What drove the SCE rate increase in 2024?
The 2024 increases were driven primarily by wildfire infrastructure spending authorized under AB 1054 (2019). SCE spent billions undergrounding power lines, replacing poles, and installing fast-acting fuses in high-fire-risk areas. These costs were recovered through GRC interim rates and special cost recovery proceedings, all of which added to the per-kWh rate.
What did the 2025 SCE General Rate Case authorize?
The 2025 GRC resulted in a CPUC-approved revenue requirement of $9.756 billion for SCE, up $1.174 billion (13.7%) from the 2024 authorized level. This authorized increase translated into higher per-kWh rates for all residential customers in SCE territory.
What is the new $24.15 monthly charge on my SCE bill?
The $24.15 charge is the Base Services Charge introduced under AB 205, which took effect in November 2025. It is a fixed monthly fee charged to all standard residential customers regardless of how much electricity they use. CARE customers pay $6/month and FERA customers pay $12/month. Even solar customers who generate most of their own power owe this fee.
What is the current SCE rate per kWh in 2026?
The blended average residential rate in 2026 is approximately 34.5 cents per kWh. Tier 1 usage is priced at approximately 31 cents per kWh, while Tier 2 usage above the baseline allowance is approximately 42 cents per kWh. TOU peak rates can be higher still during evening hours.
How much have SCE rates increased since 2014?
SCE rates have increased approximately 83% since 2014. This reflects the cumulative impact of multiple General Rate Case decisions, wildfire cost recovery proceedings, and infrastructure surcharges authorized by the CPUC over that period.
Are more SCE rate increases coming after 2026?
Yes. The CPUC has already authorized continued rate increases through 2028, estimated at approximately 5-8% annually. These increases are built into existing regulatory decisions and are not subject to further public comment or vote. For the complete schedule, see the SCE rate increases 2026-2028 article linked below.