Frequently Asked Questions

BASICS

Desert Community Energy, or DCE, offers ratepayers a choice in electricity providers and in the type of electricity they use. DCE was formed under a joint powers authority by the cities of Palm Springs and Palm Desert and is a community choice aggregator (CCA) as certified by the California Public Utilities Commission. Its purpose is to provide residents and businesses with cleaner, competitively priced electricity while retaining local control, reinvesting revenues and encouraging local job creation, and helping participating cities meet their climate action goals.

ENERGY

Desert Community Energy’s premium product, Carbon Free, is 100% carbon-free and largely obtained from local renewable sources. Our economy product, Desert Saver meets California’ renewable energy requirements and is offered at a savings over Southern California Edison (SCE)’s standard service.

 

TIMING

Desert Community Energy began service in Palm Springs in April 2020.

RATES & BILLING

The DCE Board of Directors sets electric generation rates for its customers after they are carefully developed, discussed, evaluated and approved at public meetings. The DCE Board adjusts rates quarterly at an open public meeting—less frequently than most IOUs—offering a greater measure of rate stability compared to IOUs. Because publicly managed CCAs are not-for-profit agencies, they are able to maintain lower costs because they don’t pay shareholder dividends, investor returns, high corporate salaries or income taxes like commercial services or investor-owned utilities. To help customers with an easy rate comparison, DCE plans to follow the rate classes used by Southern California Edison.

ENROLL / OPT OUT

Community Choice Aggregation programs are authorized by California Assembly Bill 117, which requires automatic customer enrollment with an option for customers to opt out. This alleviates a burdensome enrollment process for all customers in the CCA’s service area. Customers have a choice to return to Southern California Edison’s bundled service, if they prefer, with a single phone call or click online. The choice is yours.

SOLAR / NEM

DCE customers with solar panels can participate in our Net Energy Metering (NEM) program, which offers the same rates for your excess energy production as SCE for net surplus generation. Intra-month generation is valued at DCE’s applicable rate. If you are already a NEM customer with SCE, you don’t have to do anything. Your account will automatically be enrolled in DCE’s NEM program.

As part of DCE’s NEM program, you are billed annually for your energy charges because they can be offset by energy credits over your 12-month billing period. At the close of each month, we’ll tally the amount of grid energy you’ve consumed and contributed. If you have contributed more energy than you have used, you’ll see a credit on your bill for that month’s energy charges. If you have used more energy than you have contributed, you will see a charge for that month’s energy charges. Each May, on your meter read date, the kilowatt usage is evaluated in a true-up. If you used more power than your system generated, you will see a charge for the net amount. If you produced more energy than you used, you will either see a credit toward future use or receive a compensation check if the value of your excess production totals $100 or more.

You will be automatically enrolled in DCE's Carbon Free plan for energy drawn from the grid. DCE’s Carbon Free plan is available at a premium to SCE’s base rate. With Carbon Free, you are making a difference by helping fight climate change. If you would like to reduce the overall cost of your electricity, you can choose to opt down to our Desert Saver plan that is less than SCE's base rate. Customers who switch to our Desert Saver pay less on their electricity generation when compared to Southern California Edison (SCE).

GOVERNANCE

DCE is a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) governed by a Board of Directors consisting of one local elected or appointed representative from each of the participating cities: Palm Springs and Palm Desert.  The Board schedules regular meetings that are open to the public, ensuring transparency and encouraging community involvement. Formation of a CCA through a JPA does not require contributions from participating member agencies. The assets and liabilities of the CCA program remain separate from those of the participating agencies’ general fund. DCE is administered by a small staff and consultants with relevant energy and utility experience.