Important Information for Solar Customers in San Joaquin County
Ava Community Energy is the default electricity generation service provider for parts of San Joaquin County, including Tracy, Stockton, Lathrop, and unincorporated areas. What does that mean for customers with solar?
What changes if I transition to Ava?
When you are enrolled in Ava service as a solar customer, you sell your surplus solar generation to Ava, and you buy electricity from Ava when your panels aren’t supplying all the electricity you consume. PG&E used to do this, but now Ava will.
- Your enrollment with Ava will trigger a true-up and cash-out of your PG&E charges
- Ava’s Bright Choice rates are 0.5% lower than PG&E for all rate schedules
- You will have separate true-ups with Ava for your generation charges and PG&E for your delivery charges
- Every April, Ava customers receive compensation for their surplus electricity generation
- The transition to Ava service will not affect your rate schedule or any discount programs that you are on, including CARE, FERA, and Medical Baseline
Important note: Customers who have completed a full 20 years on Net Energy Metering (NEM) or will complete 20 years in 2026 will transition to the Solar Billing Plan (SBP). Your Ava enrollment does not impact this transition. For more information on the Solar Billing Plan, visit our SBP webpage.
How will this impact my bill?
Currently, solar customers get one monthly bill from PG&E that shows:
- Electricity generation charges and credits (currently from PG&E)
- Electricity delivery charges and credits (from PG&E)
After enrolling with Ava, customers will still get one monthly bill from PG&E, but it will show:
- Electricity generation charges and credits (now from Ava, at 0.5% lower rates)
- Electricity delivery charges and credits (still from PG&E)
You won’t receive multiple bills or duplicate charges.
Monthly Billing
- If you are a Net Energy Metering (NEM) customer, your Ava generation charges are defaulted to monthly billing, meaning you are billed for charges incurred each month, while your PG&E delivery charges are likely on annual billing. Ava customers have the option to switch to annual billing for their generation charges, where credits and debits for energy use and net generation roll over until Ava’s annual April true-up. Customers who prefer annual billing for their next full Ava true-up cycle starting in April (April 2027-May 2028) may request this option by speaking with an Ava customer service representative (833-699-3223) or selecting an annual true-up online. Customers starting service in 2026 will need to be on monthly billing until the next settlement period starting in April 2027.
- If you are a Solar Billing Plan (SBP) customer, you will remain on the required monthly billing for both Ava generation and PG&E delivery charges.
Annual Solar True-Up
You will have separate true-ups for your generation charges (with Ava) and for your delivery charges (with PG&E). The annual true-up compensates customers who have an annual surplus generation that amounts to a credit balance.
- Ava’s annual true-up, known also as Ava’s annual cash-out, occurs every April. Ava will apply a bill credit for solar balances less than $100 and send payment for a balance greater than $100.
- Your PG&E annual true-up will occur in the month that you transitioned to Ava service.
When will I be enrolled?
Your enrollment timing depends on your PG&E true-up date.
Ava enrolls solar customers on a rolling schedule to reduce the bill impact of an early solar true-up, taking into account seasonal energy usage and your specific PG&E true-up month. You can opt out of Ava service starting 60 days before your enrollment month. See the table below for the enrollment schedule.
| PG&E true-up month | Ava enrollment month | Month you can take action to opt out |
|---|---|---|
| May–June | June 2026 | April 2026 |
| July–August | August 2026 | June 2026 |
| September–October | October 2026 | August 2026 |
| November– December | December 2026 | October 2026 |
| January–April | April 2027 | February 2027 |
Do I have a choice?
Yes, while Ava is the default provider of electricity generation for Tracy, Stockton, Lathrop, and unincorporated areas of San Joaquin County, you’re not required to be on our service. Here are your options:
- Stay with Ava: No action needed. You’ll be automatically enrolled in 2026 or 2027 according to your true-up schedule.
- Opt out: Return to PG&E bundled service via this opt-out form or by calling 833-699-3223 (weekdays 9 am–5 pm). You can opt out starting 60 days before your Ava enrollment month. See the table above for your enrollment month.
Where can I get more information?
Detailed Rate Information:
For information about your account, please contact Ava’s customer support team at
833-699-3223 on weekdays between 9 am–5 pm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why am I billed monthly with Ava, when I was previously on annual billing?
If you are a Net Energy Metering (NEM) customer, your Ava generation charges are defaulted to monthly billing, meaning you are billed for charges incurred each month, while your PG&E delivery charges are likely on annual billing. Ava customers have the option to switch to annual billing for their generation charges, where credits and debits for energy use and net generation roll over until Ava’s annual April true-up. Customers who prefer annual billing for their next full Ava true-up cycle starting in April (April 2027-May 2028) may request this option by speaking with an Ava customer service representative (833-699-3223) or selecting an annual true-up online. Customers starting service in 2026 will need to be on monthly billing until the next settlement period starting in April 2027.
If you are a Solar Billing Plan (SBP) customer, you will remain on the required monthly billing for both Ava generation and PG&E delivery charges.
Is there a separate Ava and PG&E annual true-up?
You will have separate true-ups for your generation charges (with Ava) and for your delivery charges (with PG&E). The annual true-up compensates customers who have an annual surplus generation that amounts to a credit balance. Ava’s annual true-up, known also as Ava’s annual cash-out, occurs every April. Your PG&E annual true-up will occur in the month that you transitioned to Ava service.
Why are solar customers enrolled with Ava on a rolling schedule? Why did I have a true-up two months in a row?
As a solar customer, your enrollment with Ava will trigger a true-up and cash-out of your PG&E charges. In some cases, this can result in a shortened true-up cycle (a cycle that is less than 12 months) for your NEM balance. Ava enrolls solar customers on a rolling schedule, taking into account seasonal energy usage and your specific PG&E true-up month, to minimize the bill impact of a shortened true-up cycle. Depending on your PG&E true-up month, you may experience a PG&E true-up of your NEM charges in two consecutive months; this is a one-time occurrence related to your transition to Ava service.
As a solar customer, when can I opt out of Ava service?
You can opt out starting 60 days before your Ava enrollment month. Refer to the above table.
Does enrollment with Ava impact my transition from NEM to SBP (NEM 3.0)?
No. Customers who complete a full 20 years on Net Energy Metering (NEM) transition to the Solar Billing Plan (SBP) with both Ava and PG&E, in line with State legislation. Your Ava enrollment does not impact this transition. For more information on the Solar Billing Plan, visit our SBP webpage.