The City of Vacaville has not taken the actions to join MCE. The City Council will consider opting into the program in June 2023.  Should the City move forward, Vacaville residents and businesses will not be enrolled in the program until Spring 2025.

Vacaville residents and businesses will have 60 days prior to MCE enrollment and 60 days after enrollment to opt out of MCE at no charge. Residents and businesses can opt out of MCE service at any time by phone, email, or online form.  After those 120 days, there is a one-time $5.00 fee for residents and a $25.00 fee for businesses. This fee is the cost to transfer the account back to PG&E service. PG&E’s terms and conditions also require a one-year waiting period to return to MCE service if residents or businesses opt out after the first 60 days of service with MCE. 

All MCE customers are still PG&E customers. PG&E provides electric delivery services for MCE customers, like meter reading and power line maintenance. PG&E will continue to send your electric bill, which will include MCE electric generation charges. MCE’s electric generation charges replace PG&E’s electric generation charges and are not an additional charge. MCE is buying and building cleaner electricity supply for customers.

MCE service is not always less expensive than PG&E. MCE service has been less expensive since January of 2022 and in 2022 saved customers over $90 million on their electric bills. Currently, MCE’s Light Green, 60% renewable service is about 1% less expensive than PG&E.

Average Residential Cost Comparison

As a NEM customer, you’ll be credited for production of electricity at your applicable retail rates each month. Excess generation credits will be indicated on your MCE billing statement, and applied to later monthly usage charges (within the annual period) automatically. MCE charges NEM customers for electricity usage on a monthly basis after applying any accrued generation credits – this is different from PG&E’s yearly true-up process in which charges or credits from the year are paid or credited once annually.

Following your March-April billing cycle, MCE will perform a reconciliation of your account. At that time, your retail credits will be reset to $0. MCE will also determine if you’re eligible for a cash-out payment. If you produce more electricity than you consume within the annual period, you’ll be automatically compensated for your surplus generation at the wholesale rate. Cash-out balances of $200 or less will be applied as a bill credit, while balances over $200 will be automatically paid in the form of a check. Cash-outs are subject to an annual $5,000 cap per account.

Please note that MCE customers are still subject to a separate true-up for PG&E non-generation charges.

MCE’s enrollment process starts in the fall prior to enrollment, which typically occurs in April. Assuming the Vacaville City Council takes the actions necessary to enroll the City in MCE this June 2023, Vacaville customers will be automatically enrolled in the spring of 2025.  Customers will start seeing MCE outreach efforts begin in early 2025, including:

• Advertising in local publications and recommended public locations such as transit shelters or billboards
• Attending community meetings such as rotary, home owners’ associations, or other community groups
• Attending community events such as festivals, farmers markets, or craft fairs
• Sending four notices directly to eligible customers – 2 prior to enrollment and 2 after

MCE outreach efforts are most intensive from February through June but span January through July. The outreach plan will be shaped in partnership with City staff and through feedback from the community to ensure that MCE is reaching as many residents and businesses as possible.

MCE service is not tied to the property, but instead to the PG&E account. If a customer moves and closes their PG&E account, they would need to open a new account at their new address. If that address is located in MCE’s service area, they would be automatically enrolled in MCE service and can choose to opt out, per the typical enrollment process. New move-ins receive two notices informing them of MCE service.

For the new owners or renters that move into the old address, they also would need to open a new PG&E account and would have the option to opt out of MCE service.