Option One Solar

🚨 SCE confirmed: +13% Oct 2025 · more hikes filed for 2026

Your usage is flat.
Your SCE bill keeps climbing.

California utility rates have roughly doubled in the last decade — and they're not done. Edison just raised rates 13% in October, with more increases forecast through 2026 under California's AB 205 fixed charge rules.

Solar is the only thing that locks in your electric rate for 25 years. We'll show you exactly what staying on the grid costs vs. what going solar costs — no pressure, no sales pitch.

See My Real Savings → Or call (855) 502-6363
Family-Owned
NABCEP Certified
25-Yr Warranty
1,000+ Installs

Lock In Your Rate — Free Analysis

We'll review your last 12 months of bills and show you the exact 25-year savings.

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Where SCE rates have gone — and where they're going

SCE rates haven't crept up. They've doubled. The average residential electricity rate in California has roughly 2x'd in the last decade — driven by wildfire mitigation costs, grid hardening, transmission upgrades, and the new Base Service Charge under California AB 205 that hits your bill even when you barely use power.

+13%

October 2025
Most recent SCE hike — confirmed

2026

More hikes filed
Additional increases requested at the CPUC for the next rate case

~2×

Last decade
Average SoCal residential rate roughly doubled

The trajectory doesn't reverse on its own. Wildfire-mitigation spending, grid upgrades, and EV-charging demand keep pushing rates up. For a typical SoCal homeowner, a $300/month bill today is likely a $400–$500/month bill in 5 years.

The cost of doing nothing

Most people compare solar to their current bill. The honest comparison is solar vs. your future bill. Here's what the next 25 years look like if you stay on the grid at modest assumed rate-hike rates.

If your bill today is… …in 5 years …in 10 years 25-year total
$200/mo ~$280/mo ~$390/mo ~$108,000
$300/mo ~$420/mo ~$585/mo ~$162,000
$500/mo ~$700/mo ~$975/mo ~$270,000

Estimates assume ~7% annual rate increases compounded over 25 years — in line with CA's last decade. Your actual bill could be higher or lower depending on usage and which SCE tier you're in.

Option One Solar residential rooftop install

Solar is the only thing that locks your rate

A properly sized solar system — usually paired with a Tesla Powerwall battery under California's NEM 3.0 rules — covers most of your usage with electricity you produce yourself. The portion you produce is locked at your cost of ownership, which doesn't change for 25 years.

Compare that to staying on the grid where the rate is set by SCE and the CPUC — and increases every couple of years.

  • ✓ 25-year warranty on the system and the panels
  • ✓ 30% federal tax credit — currently still available for residential
  • ✓ Increases your home's resale value — solar homes sell faster and for more
  • ✓ Battery backup means you keep power during PSPS shutoffs and outages
  • ✓ No lease. You own the system outright and capture every dollar of value

Why work with Option One Solar

Over 100 solar companies have filed for bankruptcy or closed in the last 18 months — most were lease-heavy national brands chasing investor returns. We're family-owned, locally based, and have been here since 1970.

We don't sell leases. We design systems homeowners own outright — backed by a 25-year warranty and a real local service team that's still here when you need them. We're a Tesla Certified Installer and we'll bring spreadsheets, not closers.

✓ 55+ years serving SoCal
✓ 1,000+ installs completed locally
✓ CSLB #985340 (C-10 / C-46)
✓ 4.9★ on Google · BBB A+

What happens after you submit the form

  1. 1

    We call you within 1 business day.

    Quick conversation to confirm your address and what you're hoping to accomplish.

  2. 2

    Free Energy Assessment.

    Real engineers review your roof (satellite + the photos you share), your last 12 months of bills, and your goals. No salesperson visit needed.

  3. 3

    Custom solar design within 1 business day.

    Clear numbers — system size, total cost, financing options, projected 25-year savings vs. staying on SCE. No surprises.

  4. 4

    You decide. No pressure.

    Take a week. Take a month. Compare quotes. We'll be here when you're ready.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does SCE keep raising rates?
California utilities have raised rates faster than inflation for years. Most of the current increases are driven by wildfire mitigation costs (SCE has spent billions hardening the grid against fire risk), transmission upgrades, EV charging demand, and the new Base Service Charge under California AB 205 that hits your bill before you use a single kilowatt-hour. SCE confirmed roughly a 13% rate hike in October 2025, and additional increases have been filed for 2026 at the CPUC.
When will SCE rates stop going up?
They probably won't anytime soon. California's investments in wildfire mitigation, transmission infrastructure, grid hardening, and the transition to electric vehicles all flow through to customer rates. Public utility rate forecasts and CPUC general rate cases consistently show further increases through the late 2020s. Solar essentially locks in your electricity rate for 25 years, removing you from that trajectory.
What is the Base Service Charge under AB 205?
AB 205 introduced a fixed monthly charge that applies to every California electric customer regardless of usage. The idea was to make low-usage customers contribute to grid infrastructure costs they were previously avoiding. The practical effect is that your bill keeps climbing even when you conserve. Solar plus battery can eliminate most of the variable portion of your bill, but a small grid-tie fixed charge remains while you're connected to the utility.
Will solar fully protect me from future rate hikes?
Solar covers your electricity usage at a locked cost-of-ownership rate for 25 years. The only thing solar doesn't eliminate is the small fixed Base Service Charge while you remain connected to the grid (a battery doesn't change that — you'd need full off-grid to avoid it). For 95% of homes, the protection is dramatic: you replace a variable bill that grows ~7% per year with a fixed system payment that doesn't change.
What if I sell my home — do I lose the savings?
Solar increases your home's resale value. Studies from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Zillow consistently show solar homes sell faster and for more than comparable non-solar homes. You don't 'lose' the system value — it transfers with the property and is reflected in the sale price. (This is one of the biggest reasons we recommend ownership over leases — leases create transferability friction.)
Will SCE change the rules again like they did with NEM 3.0?
California changed net-metering rules in April 2023 (NEM 2.0 → NEM 3.0), which reduced what homeowners get paid for sending power back to the grid. The solution is straightforward: pair solar with battery storage so you use your own production during peak evening hours instead of selling it back at low rates. Future rule changes are possible, but customers who own their system today are grandfathered into the current rules for the system's life. The bigger risk is staying on the grid where the rules can change against you.
How fast does solar pay for itself given the new rate hikes?
For a Southern California homeowner with a $300+/month bill, the typical payback period is 6 to 9 years (cash purchase) or shorter with financing if your monthly loan payment is below your current bill. The faster SCE raises rates, the faster solar pays for itself — every rate hike effectively shortens your payback. After payback, the system continues producing for another 16 to 19 years of pure savings, plus a 25-year manufacturer warranty.

Stop renting your electricity.

Every month you wait on the grid is another month of SCE rate creep. We'll show you the math for your home — for free.

Get Your Free Bill Analysis

No spam, no pressure. Just real math.

By submitting, you agree to be contacted by Option One Solar at the phone or email above. No spam, no third-party sharing. Privacy.

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