Has anyone cut ties with your utility in California?

[whydontwe]

Assuming of course you have solar and battery. Is this even possible?

 

[Lloyd]

I went off grid for 6 months last summer but did not actually cut the cord. 15Kw solar plus 4 Powerwalls. It is difficult to do in the wintertime with multiple cars charging and cloudy days.

 

[1100MCM]

It’s possible in theory but supplying yourself with reliable and available power at all times without being able to have the grid as backup would mean massively over sizing your system (probably huge solar, lots of battery storage, and perhaps a natural gas or propane backup generator). As satisfying as it would be to stick it to the man, you would pay a pretty penny for doing it.

 

[taphil]

It's pretty impossible without having a giant array and dozen batteries.

During May gray's three weeks of no sun at all, solar only made enough to recharge the batteries and avoid peak rates, but otherwise the grid was necessary to meet daily needs.

 

[jjrandorin]

Assuming of course you have solar and battery. Is this even possible?

Not if your home is currently connected, it isnt.

 

[jboy210]

Like others we do not buy electricity for long periods of the year thanks to solar and batteries. But we always want a grid option so we continue to stay connected to the grid and pay the $10 or so/mo. connection fee so we can sell or purchase electricity via the grid.

But if this crazy connection fee based on income happens, we will re-evaluate the options.

 

[jjrandorin]

Like others we do not buy electricity for long periods of the year thanks to solar and batteries. But we always want a grid option so we continue to stay connected to the grid and pay the $10 or so/mo. connection charge so we can sell or purchase electricity via the grid.

I am considering the OPs question literally, not figuratively. Meaning, My previous answer of "not if your home is currently connected to the grid, it isnt" is answering the question of "cut ties" to mean:

"Can you call up your electric provider, tell them to completely disconnect your service and basically "come get your meter off my property"? I am fairly certain that the current answer to telling the electric utility provider to "disconnect my service and come get your meter off my property" is No.

I am also not sure if you can call them up and say "close my account... no, I still live there, but I dont want any account at all from you, no grid connection at all". I dont think you can, if you currently have connetion.

Thats completely different than disconnecting your natural gas service, and / or "I dont buy electricity from the grid for large portions of the year".. or even "I generate enough electricity to never pay more than the basic charge for connection, but I am still connected to the grid".

Basically, everything but "I completely disconnected my service and the utility could take the meter off my property tomorrow", is still grid connected, so that isnt cutting ties with the utility.

 

[jboy210]

I am considering the OPs question literally, not figuratively. Meaning, My previous answer of "not if your home is currently connected to the grid, it isnt" is answering the question of "cut ties" to mean:

"Can you call up your electric provider, tell them to completely disconnect your service and basically "come get your meter off my property"? I am fairly certain that the current answer to telling the electric utility provider to "disconnect my service and come get your meter off my property" is No.

I am also not sure if you can call them up and say "close my account... no, I still live there, but I dont want any account at all from you, no grid connection at all". I dont think you can, if you currently have connetion.

Thats completely different than disconnecting your natural gas service, and / or "I dont buy electricity from the grid for large portions of the year".. or even "I generate enough electricity to never pay more than the basic charge for connection, but I am still connected to the grid".

Basically, everything but "I completely disconnected my service and the utility could take the meter off my property tomorrow", is still grid connected, so that isnt cutting ties with the utility.

Ok. Sounds like the nuclear option!

 

[jjrandorin]

Ok. Sounds like the nuclear option!

Yeah, and as I mentioned, I dont think its even possible if you currently have grid service.

I remember @Lloyd saying a few different times their intention was to actually disconnect the utility and be completely off grid. Perhaps they can say more about how possible that is or isnt. I dont think you can completely disconnect a grid connection, and still live in the property of a CA property that is currently connected to the grid, but have not studied this deeply.

 

[ucmndd]

But if this crazy connection fee based on income happens, we will re-evaluate the options.

I’ve gotta say I’m as progressive as most anyone, support progressive tax schemes, think the wealthy should pay their fair share, yadda yadda. But this income based scheme to mandate giving a for profit corporation more money for services because the state thinks I can has me red hot mad. Negating a very substantial portion of my solar/ESS investment with an exorbitant mandatory off the top fee is infuriating.

If they go through with this we’re for sure “moving out” and letting my 18 year old daughter live here on the CARE plan. They can duck right off.

Not “allowing” me to disconnect from the grid is insult to injury.

 

[MP3Mike]

Not if your home is currently connected, it isnt.

I swear I read that it was recently changed and that it is legal and possible now. I'm sure I have seen someone post a link to the information recently.

 

[RKCRLR]

From what I understand, the main impediment for disconnection from the grid (other than local building codes and ordinances) was Title 24 that inferred that you needed to be connected to a metered connection. I've seen articles stating that Title 24 wording was changed and no longer "requires" a connection to a utility.

 

[Black306]

I am considering the OPs question literally, not figuratively. Meaning, My previous answer of "not if your home is currently connected to the grid, it isnt" is answering the question of "cut ties" to mean:

"Can you call up your electric provider, tell them to completely disconnect your service and basically "come get your meter off my property"? I am fairly certain that the current answer to telling the electric utility provider to "disconnect my service and come get your meter off my property" is No.

Just went through the steps to stop service with SMUD, stopping short of actually confirming to stop service, and there was no waring of needing to be connected physically. I’d suspect pulling the meter is literally what they would do since (a) that’s how the property is connected to the grid and (b) that’s how they monitor usage. There isn’t another switch, bridge, etc. that I’m aware of to break an electrical connection from the grid.

 

[ucmndd]

There isn’t another switch, bridge, etc. that I’m aware of to break an electrical connection from the grid.

Around here PG&E disconnects service at the transformer (at the top of the pole) for non-payment, etc. I assume that’s the standard practice most places vs. pulling the meter, whether the transformer is on a pole or in a vault.

 

[1100MCM]

Around here PG&E disconnects service at the transformer (at the top of the pole) for non-payment, etc. I assume that’s the standard practice most places vs. pulling the meter, whether the transformer is on a pole or in a vault.

Non-payment situations will start by remotely disconnecting at the meter. If they suspect you bypassed the meter or are still getting electricity without paying them, then the next resort is cut at the pole.

 

[Black306]

Around here PG&E disconnects service at the transformer (at the top of the pole) for non-payment, etc. I assume that’s the standard practice most places vs. pulling the meter, whether the transformer is on a pole or in a vault.

In my area, there are no poles; all underground. Now, if there is some kind of hub, .

Point I’m trying to make is that I don’t think it’s impossible to disconnect from the grid and go completely solar/battery. Doing a practically, that’s a different story.

 

[ucmndd]

Non-payment situations will start by remotely disconnecting at the meter. If they suspect you bypassed the meter or are still getting electricity without paying them, then the next resort is cut at the pole.

It’s been a minute or two since I’ve had a service disconnect for non-payment.

It didn’t even occur to me that smart meters would have a disconnect/breaker in them, but I suppose that’s highly logical.

 

[1100MCM]

It’s been a minute or two since I’ve had a service disconnect for non-payment.

It didn’t even occur to me that smart meters would have a disconnect/breaker in them, but I suppose that’s highly logical.

Believe me, cutting at pole is not an obstacle for someone determined to get electricity. I saw someone try to reconnect themselves with speaker wire after being cut at pole. How that person didn't get hurt making those connections, I have no idea.

 

[MP3Mike]

I saw someone try to reconnect themselves with speaker wire after being cut at pole. How that person didn't get hurt making those connections, I have no idea.

I've had a neighbor use jumper cables...

 

[ucmndd]

To add to the story, I’m typing this 3 hours in to a PGE grid outage. Maybe all that income-based cheddar will make the grid more reliable so people don’t have to seriously debate defecting entirely?