Southern California Edison (SCE) serves about 15 million people across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties. If you're building an ADU in SCE territory, here's how Title 24, NEM 3.0, and SCE interconnection actually work.
California's 2022 Energy Code requires solar on virtually every new detached ADU permitted in SCE territory — from coastal Long Beach to inland Riverside. Local building departments enforce sizing based on conditioned floor area and your ADU's climate zone.
Most SCE-area ADUs sit in climate zones 6, 8, 9, 10, 14, or 15, with required PV between 1.6 kW and 4.0 kW.
All new SCE solar systems interconnect under NEM 3.0. Export credits are calculated at avoided-cost rates (~$0.05–$0.10/kWh on average) — far below SCE's $0.40+ retail peak rates.
For ADU landlords, this means a small battery dramatically improves project economics by shifting mid-day production into evening tenant load.
SCE's PowerClerk portal handles solar interconnection. After permit final, your installer submits the application and SCE issues Permission to Operate (PTO) within 3–6 weeks.
Cash packages start around $4,000 for Standard sizing; Premium with battery runs $12,000–$15,000. HDM financing pass-through lowers effective cost up to 40%. Riverside and San Bernardino projects often install slightly larger systems thanks to high solar irradiance.
Only if the ADU has a separate utility account. Most ADUs share the main house meter and net the solar against the combined load.
Typically 3–6 weeks from interconnection application to Permission to Operate.
No fee for residential systems under 30 kW, which includes all ADU systems.