Plug-in solar in Sacramento

The short answer: from Jan 1, 2027, a certified plug-in (balcony) solar kit of up to 1,200 W AC per home can plug into an outlet in the Sacramento area without your utility's approval.^[source] What it saves depends on which utility serves you.

Which utility serves you, and what a kit could save

SMUD serves Sacramento and most of Sacramento County. PG&E serves many surrounding areas, and Roseville and Lodi run their own utilities.

Utilities in this area and what the example kit saves

Utility	Rate we use	Savings per year	Payback
SMUD	13.76¢/kWh	$109	9.2 years
PG&E	40.7¢/kWh	$322	3.1 years
Roseville Electric	19.89¢/kWh	$158	6.3 years
Lodi Electric Utility	20.01¢/kWh	$158	6.3 years

Not sure which utility you have? Check your bill, or search by city or ZIP code in the calculator.

What SB 868 changes

• No utility approval for a certified kit within the limit; your utility may ask you to register it through a simple online form but can't charge fees related to it.^[source]
• City and district utilities are covered too: the law names "an electrical corporation or a local publicly owned electric utility."^[source]
• The limit is per home: 1,200 W AC for all the plug-in devices at one address.^[source]
• Exported power earns nothing, so a kit sized to what you use during the day saves the most.^[source]

Electric cooperatives aren't named in the law; if a co-op serves you, check with it before you install.

Before you buy

• Renters still need the landlord's permission: SB 868 doesn't appear to override a lease or HOA rules.^[source] See plug-in solar for renters.
• Check the kit's certification and size with is my kit legal?, and compare kits in the kit tracker.
• Run your own numbers, including how savings add up over the years, in the calculator.

Not legal or electrical advice.