
Please choose a category below to sort questions:
When did Lancaster Choice Energy begin serving customers?
Lancaster Choice Energy was formed in 2014 and launched on May 1st, 2015 for all municipal accounts. Following this initial phase, Lancaster Choice Energy will be rolled out to all energy customers citywide on October 1st, 2015.
What is Community Choice Aggregation?
When California deregulated the energy market in 1997, many Californians switched to alternative energy providers. Following the energy crisis of 2000-01, consumer choice of electricity providers was suspended. As a response to the closing of the open market, Assembly Bill 117 was passed in 2002 to establish Community Choice Aggregation, which offers an opportunity for Californians to choose their electric provider and the source of their electricity.
Who will send me my bill?
You will continue to get just one bill from Southern California Edison. Lancaster Choice Energy’s charges for electricity generation are included on your Southern California Edison bill. A few lines on the bill will change, since the charges for power generation will go to Lancaster Choice Energy instead of Southern California Edison.
Are Lancaster Choice Energy customers still able to participate in Southern California Edison’s Summer Discount (SDP) plan?
Yes. Customers who have the appropriate Southern California Edison-approved direct load control device installed, programmed, and activated may continue to participate in the SDP demand response program.
Will I still receive my CARE, FERA, or Medical Baseline discounts with Lancaster Choice Energy?
Yes. Customers enrolled in Lancaster Choice Energy continue to receive their CARE, FERA, and Medical Baseline discount within their Southern California Edison delivery charges.
I am currently on a Level Pay Plan with Southern California Edison. Will I be able to remain on a Level Pay Plan with Lancaster Choice Energy?
Yes. Those who are currently on a Level Pay Plan with Southern California Edison (SCE) will automatically be enrolled in Level Pay with Lancaster Choice Energy. If you would like to enroll in a Level Pay Plan, please contact SCE at (800) 974-2356.
What are PCIA and other fees?
Southern California Edison charges Lancaster Choice Energy customers a Power Charge Indifference Adjustment (PCIA) calculated based on the number of kilowatt hours used each month.
The PCIA is intended to ensure that customers who switch to Lancaster Choice Energy pay for energy that was acquired by Southern California Edison to serve them prior to their switch. The PCIA is determined based on when the customer switched to Lancaster Choice Energy and whether they are a residential or a commercial customer.
Why is Lancaster Choice Energy enrollment automatic and I have to opt out in order to stay with Southern California Edison?
For decades, Southern California Edison has been the default power provider in our region, with little or no alternative for most customers. In an effort to even the playing field and enable CCAs to launch and provide consumers with other choices, part of California’s CCA law requires Lancaster Choice Energy to operate as an opt-out program and become the default provider of electric generation for customers within our service area.
How do I sign up for Smart Choice?
Simply contact our customer service center at (844) 288-4LCE or visit lancasterchoiceenergy.com to opt up to 100% renewable service with Smart Choice. It’s that easy!
Can I switch between the Clear Choice and Smart Choice services?
Yes! At Lancaster Choice Energy, we offer you the power to choose. That includes switching between our Clear Choice and 100% renewable Smart Choice products.
What is Lancaster Choice Energy?
Lancaster Choice Energy (LCE) is Lancaster’s, locally-operated, locally-controlled electrical power provider. LCE was designed from the ground up to offer residents and businesses within the City of Lancaster a viable alternative to traditional investor-owned utilities. As a municipal service, we offer rates that are more affordable than Southern California Edison (SCE), yet have a higher/greener renewable content than SCE.
Unlike SCE, LCE is in business to simply find the best sources of clean energy at the lowest possible price and procure it for our customers. Instead of building our own infrastructure, we’ve partnered with SCE to have them deliver our greener, more affordable power to your doorstep. SCE still maintains the grid, provides you with customer service and repair and handles outages and billing. There are no duplicate charges because we each provide unique services. LCE procures and generates electricity while SCE delivers that energy to your doorstep, maintains and repairs the reliable infrastructure which carries it and provides you with convenient customer services including billing.
Does Lancaster Choice Energy replace Southern California Edison?
No. Southern California Edison continues to deliver the electricity, provides billing, customer service and power line maintenance and repair. Lancaster Choice Energy only replaces the electric generation services with higher renewable energy content at more affordable rates.
Why am I getting a mailer/postcard from Lancaster Choice Energy?
State law requires that as we begin to implement our service, we must contact our customers in writing a minimum of four times to notify them that they will soon begin receiving Lancaster Choice Energy electric service. We do this via mail.
Where are your customers located?
All Lancaster Choice Energy customers must have a service address within the City of Lancaster. We are sorry, but residents and businesses outside the City limits cannot receive service from LCE.
When was Lancaster Choice Energy created?
Lancaster Choice Energy was formed in 2014 and launched its services on May 1, 2015 for all municipal accounts. Following this initial phase, Lancaster Choice Energy is rolling out it services to both commercial and residential accounts as of October 1, 2015.
What is the difference between Clear Choice and Smart Choice?
Clear Choice is Lancaster Choice Energy’s default electricity service. All customers automatically start with Clear Choice. Clear Choice provides Lancaster Choice Energy customers with 35% renewable energy – substantially higher than the local investor-owned utility – at a more affordable rate. Smart Choice gives customers an opportunity to opt up to 100% renewable energy at a competitive price.
Do I have to participate in Lancaster Choice Energy if I am in the City of Lancaster?
No. Lancaster Choice Energy (LCE) supports your power to choose! A customer may opt out of participation and remain with the Southern California Edison. The choice is yours.
To opt out of Lancaster Choice energy, please call (844) 288-4LCE.
Can I return to Lancaster Choice Energy after I opt out?
Customers who opt out before or within the first 60 days of Lancaster Choice Energy (LCE) service may return to LCE at any time. Customers who opt out after the first 60 days of service with LCE will be prohibited by Southern California Edison from returning to LCE for one year.
To opt back in to Lancaster Choice Energy, please fill out the form found here.
Who governs and administers Lancaster Choice Energy?
The Lancaster City Council governs Lancaster Choice Energy. The program is administered by City staff.
Does the Lancaster Choice Energy Board of Directors receive a salary or other payments of benefits?
No. The Lancaster City Council governs Lancaster Choice Energy; there is no separate Board of Directors. Governing Lancaster Choice Energy is a component of their service as City Council Members.
How do Lancaster Choice Energy’s rates compare to Southern California Edison?
Our standard product, the 35% renewable Clear Choice product, is competitive in price for residential customers with Southern California Edison’s service. Residential CARE customers will enjoy saving even more (in addition to their existing CARE discount), as they are not subject to Purchase Cost Indifference Amount (PCIA) charges by SCE. Our 100% renewable product, Smart Choice, costs just $10 more per month in addition to Clear Choice service for residential customers, or $0.015 more per kilowatt hour for commercial customers.
How does Lancaster Choice Energy set its rates?
Lancaster Choice Energy is governed by the Lancaster City Council. Every year, the City Council goes through a rate-setting process based on the projected energy costs for that year. This process is held at public hearings during the City Council’s regularly scheduled meetings. The public is welcome to attend.
How do I know that Lancaster Choice Energy will not raise its rates?
Lancaster Choice Energy rates are set annually based on the projected cost of energy. The Lancaster City Council, which governs Lancaster Choice Energy, is committed to providing Lancaster residents, businesses and organizations with cleaner energy at an affordable rate. Unlike the rates of the local investor-owned utility, which are set by the California Public Utilities Commission in San Francisco, Lancaster Choice Energy rates are set right here in Lancaster at Lancaster City Hall. The public is welcome to attend the rate setting meetings and participate in the process.
Does Lancaster Choice Energy offer a net energy metering program for qualified solar electric and other distributed generation systems?
Yes. Through Lancaster Choice Energy (LCE’s) net energy metering program, called “Personal Choice,” customers with net energy metering systems have the opportunity to receive credits for future energy service and even receive cash back when their systems produce excess energy. As part of Personal Choice, your system’s energy production will be monitored on a monthly basis. If you use more energy than your system produces in a given month, you will be charged for the energy you draw from the grid. However, if you produce more energy than you consume, you will receive a credit on your bill that can be applied to charges in future months. During the October billing cycle of each year, LCE will determine whether or not each customer has produced net surplus energy, as measured in kWh, over the most recent twelve billing cycles. If you have a credit balance in excess of currently applicable LCE charges, you will receive a check for the amount as determined by the LCE Net Energy Metering Schedule from LCE. It’s that simple!
How do I enroll in Lancaster Choice Energy’s net energy metering program?
Lancaster Choice Energy (LCE) customers who are already enrolled in Southern California Edison (SCE)’s net energy metering program will automatically be enrolled in LCE’s net energy metering program, Personal Choice. If you are new to net energy metering, please contact SCE at (800) 974-2356 to submit your interconnection application. Once you are enrolled with SCE’s program, you will automatically be enrolled in Personal Choice.