SDG&E or SCE? South Orange County utility finder
Dana Point, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano are on SDG&E; Lake Forest and Irvine are on Southern California Edison; Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, Laguna Hills, Laguna Beach and Trabuco Canyon are split between the two. The logo on your electric bill settles it, and it matters: overnight EV charging is 13.1¢/kWh on SDG&E’s EV-TOU-5 this summer and 26.0¢ on SCE’s TOU-D-PRIME.
Pick your town
How to tell for sure
- Look at the top of your electric bill: the logo and name are your utility. With a community choice program, the utility still sends the bill.
- Look at the meter outside (don’t open anything): it usually carries the utility’s name on its face or on a tag.
- Log in to the utility’s website or app: if SDG&E or SCE finds your address and account, that’s your utility.
- Your rate plan name on the bill tells you too: EV-TOU-5 or TOU-DR1 is SDG&E; TOU-D-PRIME or TOU-D-4-9PM is SCE.
Mission Viejo
Split: SDG&E or SCE, confirm on your bill
Split. The city lists both SDG&E and Southern California Edison as electric providers, and SCE included Mission Viejo in its 2011 South County smart-meter rollout.
Based on: City of Mission Viejo, utilities page; SCE newsroom, South Orange County smart meters (2011).
If your bill says SDG&E
- EV rate plans
- EV-TOU-5: Whole-house plan for households with a registered EV
- EV-TOU: For a separate meter that measures only EV charging
- TOU-DR1: Standard time-of-use plan
- Overnight EV price
- EV-TOU-5: 13.1¢ summer, 12.3¢ winter per kWh (4–9 p.m. summer: 80.2¢)
- Solar
- Solar Billing Plan, SDG&E’s name for the CPUC Net Billing Tariff that covers solar interconnection applications submitted on or after April 15, 2023.
- Fixed charge
- Base Services Charge of about $24 a month (about $12 on FERA, $6 on CARE), on bills since October 2025.
- Service upgrade
- SDG&E Apply for Service. Choose “Change to Existing Service” for a panel or service upgrade; SDG&E says to allow 2 weeks for review.
- Customer service
- (800) 411-7343
- Community choice
- None found for SDG&E’s Orange County towns: the SDG&E-area programs we checked (Clean Energy Alliance, San Diego Community Power) list only San Diego County members.
If your bill says SCE
- EV rate plans
- TOU-D-PRIME: For households with an EV or plug-in hybrid, a home battery, or an electric heat pump
- TOU-D-4-9PM: Standard time-of-use plan
- TOU-D-5-8PM: Time-of-use plan with a shorter 5-8 p.m. peak
- Overnight EV price
- TOU-D-PRIME: 26.0¢ summer, 24.0¢ winter per kWh (4–9 p.m. summer: 59.0¢)
- Solar
- Net Billing Tariff, for solar interconnection applications submitted on or after April 15, 2023.
- Fixed charge
- Base Services Charge of $0.79 a day.
- Service upgrade
- SCE project request. SCE starts service upgrades and power requests at sce.com/projectrequest.
- Community choice
- Irvine is in Orange County Power Authority; SCE still delivers the power and sends the bill.
Next: see what charging costs on your plan with the EV charger calculator, or read about electrical work in Mission Viejo.
The SDG&E/SCE line follows the utilities’ own maps, not city limits. Rates: SDG&E tables effective August 1, 2026; SCE prices as published after its June 1, 2026 change. Read Sep 22, 2026.
Same car, same city, two different bills
Mission Viejo is served by both utilities, so two neighbors a few blocks apart can pay very different prices to charge the same car. Take a 2026 Model Y Long Range (27 kWh per 100 miles) driven 1,000 miles a month and charged after midnight in summer:
- SDG&E EV-TOU-5: 270 kWh × $0.13090 = $35.34 a month (rates effective August 1, 2026).
- SCE TOU-D-PRIME: 270 kWh × $0.26 = $70.20 a month (SCE’s published price after its June 1, 2026 change).
Flip it to the 4 to 9 p.m. window and the order reverses: SDG&E’s summer on-peak is 80.2¢ against SCE’s 59.0¢. Both utilities also add a Base Services Charge of about $0.79 a day. Run your own numbers in the EV charger calculator.
Every town, its utility, and how sure we are
“Stated” means a city, utility or community choice agency says it outright. “Inferred” means we pieced it together from SDG&E’s service map and project pages and SCE’s South County rollout list, so check your bill.
| Town | Utility | Basis | Why | Generation (CCA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mission Viejo | Split: SDG&E or SCE, confirm on your bill | Stated | Split. The city lists both SDG&E and Southern California Edison as electric providers, and SCE included Mission Viejo in its 2011 South County smart-meter rollout. | None found |
| San Clemente | SDG&E (confirm on your bill) | Inferred | SDG&E. Its South Orange County transmission project runs through San Clemente, and San Clemente was not among the communities in SCE’s 2011 South County rollout. | None found |
| Dana Point | SDG&E | Stated | SDG&E. The city’s utilities page sends residents to SDG&E for electric service. | None found |
| San Juan Capistrano | SDG&E (confirm on your bill) | Inferred | SDG&E. A 2020 city environmental report places the site it studied inside SDG&E’s service territory, and SDG&E’s South Orange County transmission project runs through the city. | None found |
| Laguna Niguel | Split: SDG&E or SCE, confirm on your bill | Inferred | Split. SCE included Laguna Niguel in its 2011 South County rollout, and SDG&E’s service boundary map runs through the Laguna Niguel area. | None found |
| Ladera Ranch | Not confirmed: check your bill | No official statement found | Not confirmed. We couldn’t find an official statement for Ladera Ranch, and it isn’t on SCE’s 2011 South County list. Check your bill. | None found |
| Rancho Santa Margarita | Split: SDG&E or SCE, confirm on your bill | Stated | Split. The master community association lists both SDG&E and Southern California Edison, and SCE included the city in its 2011 South County rollout. | None found |
| Aliso Viejo | Split: SDG&E or SCE, confirm on your bill | Inferred | Split. SCE included Aliso Viejo in its 2011 rollout, and SDG&E’s service boundary map runs along Aliso Viejo Parkway. | None found |
| Lake Forest | SCE (confirm on your bill) | Inferred | Southern California Edison. SCE included Lake Forest and Foothill Ranch in its 2011 South County rollout; we found no SDG&E service statement for the city. | None found |
| Coto de Caza | Not confirmed: check your bill | No official statement found | Not confirmed. SDG&E’s service boundary map runs along Coto de Caza Drive, and Coto isn’t on SCE’s 2011 list, but we found no official statement. Check your bill. | None found |
| Laguna Hills | Split: SDG&E or SCE, confirm on your bill | Inferred | Split. SCE included Laguna Hills in its 2011 rollout, and SDG&E’s service boundary map runs along Laguna Hills Drive. | None found |
| Laguna Beach | Split: SDG&E or SCE, confirm on your bill | Stated | Split. The city says both SCE and SDG&E may shut off power in parts of Laguna Beach during fire weather. | None found |
| Rancho Mission Viejo | SDG&E (confirm on your bill) | Inferred | SDG&E. Its South Orange County transmission project covers unincorporated county land and feeds a substation named Rancho Mission Viejo. | None found |
| Trabuco Canyon | Split: SDG&E or SCE, confirm on your bill | Inferred | Split. SCE included Trabuco Canyon in its 2011 rollout, while SDG&E’s service boundary map follows Trabuco Creek Road. | None found |
| Irvine | SCE | Stated | Southern California Edison delivers the power and sends the bill. Irvine is a member of Orange County Power Authority, so generation comes from OCPA unless you opt out. | Orange County Power Authority |
| SDG&E | SCE | |
|---|---|---|
| EV rate plans | EV-TOU-5, EV-TOU, TOU-DR1 | TOU-D-PRIME, TOU-D-4-9PM, TOU-D-5-8PM |
| Overnight EV price | EV-TOU-5: 13.1¢ summer / 12.3¢ winter (effective Aug 1, 2026) | TOU-D-PRIME: 26.0¢ summer / 24.0¢ winter (after the June 1, 2026 change) |
| Solar | Solar Billing Plan, SDG&E’s name for the CPUC Net Billing Tariff that covers solar interconnection applications submitted on or after April 15, 2023. | Net Billing Tariff, for solar interconnection applications submitted on or after April 15, 2023. |
| Fixed charge | Base Services Charge of about $24 a month (about $12 on FERA, $6 on CARE), on bills since October 2025. | Base Services Charge of $0.79 a day. |
| Service upgrade | sdge.com/apply-service | sce.com/projectrequest |
| Outage map | outage.sdge.com | SCE outage status |
| Power shutoffs (PSPS) | SDG&E PSPS | sce.com/psps |
| Community choice in South County | None found for SDG&E’s Orange County towns: the SDG&E-area programs we checked (Clean Energy Alliance, San Diego Community Power) list only San Diego County members. | Irvine is in Orange County Power Authority; SCE still delivers the power and sends the bill. |
In 3 steps
- Pick your town or community from the list.
- Read the result. If it says split or not confirmed, grab your latest electric bill: the logo at the top is your utility.
- Use the matching card for your EV rate plan, solar tariff, service-upgrade request and outage map.
Why it matters before you add a charger or a bigger panel
Your utility sets the price of every kWh your EV uses, and the gap is wide. SDG&E’s EV-TOU-5 charges 13.1¢ after midnight and 80.2¢ from 4 to 9 p.m. this summer. SCE’s TOU-D-PRIME is flatter, 26.0¢ overnight and 59.0¢ at the summer weekday peak. On SDG&E, a charger set to start after midnight is what gets you the low number.
The utility is also who you’ll deal with for a service upgrade. SDG&E takes requests through Apply for Service (it says to allow two weeks for review); SCE starts them at sce.com/projectrequest. We do panel upgrades and pull the permits; see panel upgrades and EV charger installation.
Solar works the same way on both: new systems since April 15, 2023 go on the CPUC’s Net Billing Tariff, which SDG&E calls the Solar Billing Plan. In Irvine, Orange County Power Authority buys the power and SCE still delivers it and sends the bill.
Utility finder: common questions
Is Mission Viejo SDG&E or SCE?
Both. The City of Mission Viejo lists SDG&E and Southern California Edison as electric providers, and SCE included Mission Viejo in its 2011 South County smart-meter rollout. Check the logo on your bill to see which one serves your street.
Is San Clemente on SDG&E?
Yes, as far as we can source it. SDG&E runs its South Orange County transmission project through San Clemente, and San Clemente was not on SCE’s list of South County communities. Confirm with the logo on your bill.
Is Ladera Ranch SDG&E or SCE?
We could not find an official statement for Ladera Ranch, and it was not on SCE’s 2011 South County list. Your electric bill or the utility’s app will tell you in a few seconds.
Does any South Orange County city have community choice energy?
Irvine does: it is a member of Orange County Power Authority, which buys the power while SCE delivers it and bills you. The SDG&E-area programs we checked, Clean Energy Alliance and San Diego Community Power, list only San Diego County members.
What solar plan will I get if I add solar now?
The CPUC Net Billing Tariff, which covers interconnection applications submitted on or after April 15, 2023. SDG&E calls it the Solar Billing Plan; SCE calls it the Net Billing Tariff.
Where do I request a service upgrade for an EV charger or bigger panel?
On SDG&E, through Apply for Service, choosing Change to Existing Service (SDG&E says to allow two weeks for review). On SCE, start at sce.com/projectrequest.
Where these numbers come from
- City of Mission Viejo — Utilities & Service ProvidersLists both San Diego Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison as electric utilities (read Sep 22, 2026).
- City of Dana Point — UtilitiesElectric service from SDG&E; customer service (800) 411-7343, emergencies (800) 611-7343 (read Sep 22, 2026).
- City of San Juan Capistrano — EIR section 4.14, Utilities (January 2020)"The project site is within the service territory of SDG&E" (read Sep 22, 2026).
- City of Laguna Beach — Public Safety Power ShutoffsSCE and SDG&E may each shut off power in areas of the city (read Sep 22, 2026).
- SAMLARC — Local Rancho Santa MargaritaLists both SDG&E and Southern California Edison (read Sep 22, 2026).
- SCE newsroom — smart meters in South Orange County (Sep 29, 2011)SCE communities: Aliso Viejo, Foothill Ranch, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, Silverado, Trabuco Canyon (read Sep 22, 2026).
- SDG&E — South Orange County Reliability EnhancementProject in San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente and unincorporated Orange County; seven substations including Rancho Mission Viejo (read Sep 22, 2026).
- SDG&E — Orange County service territory boundary map (Oct 8, 2015)Boundary detail along Aliso Viejo Pkwy, Laguna Hills Dr, Coto de Caza Dr, Trabuco Creek Rd and the Niguel area; "not survey grade" (read Sep 22, 2026).
- Orange County Power Authority — FAQMembers are Buena Park, Fullerton and Irvine, with Fountain Valley starting soon; SCE continues to send the bill (read Sep 22, 2026).
- Clean Energy AllianceMembers: Carlsbad, Del Mar, Escondido, Oceanside, San Marcos, Solana Beach, Vista, all in San Diego County (read Sep 22, 2026).
- San Diego Community Power — AboutServes six San Diego-region cities and unincorporated San Diego County (read Sep 22, 2026).
- CPUC — Net Billing TariffApplies to interconnection applications submitted on or after April 15, 2023; adopted in D.22-12-056 (read Sep 22, 2026).
- SDG&E — Electric vehicle pricing plansEV-TOU-5, EV-TOU and EV-TOU-5-P, prices effective Aug 1, 2026; "Solar Billing Plan" (read Sep 22, 2026).
- SDG&E — Schedule EV-TOU-5 total rates, effective 8/1/2026Super off-peak 13.090 ¢ summer, 12.332 ¢ winter; on-peak 80.205 ¢ summer (read Sep 22, 2026).
- SDG&E — Base Services ChargeAbout $24/month standard, $12 FERA, $6 CARE, starting October 2025 (read Sep 22, 2026).
- SDG&E — Apply for Service"Change to Existing Service" through My Project Center; allow 2 weeks for review (read Sep 22, 2026).
- SDG&E — Public Safety Power ShutoffsPSPS process and link to the outage map at outage.sdge.com (read Sep 22, 2026).
- SCE — Electric vehicle rate plansTOU-D-PRIME eligibility: EV or plug-in hybrid, home battery, or electric heat pump (read Sep 22, 2026).
- SCE — Time-of-use residential rate plansTOU-D-4-9PM, TOU-D-5-8PM and TOU-D-PRIME prices; Base Services Charge $0.79/day (read Sep 22, 2026).
- SCE — Rates advisoryLatest residential rate change effective June 1, 2026 (read Sep 22, 2026).
- SCE — Power requests and upgrades"Begin your request at: www.sce.com/projectrequest" (read Sep 22, 2026).
- SCE — Public Safety Power ShutoffsPSPS process and outage status map (read Sep 22, 2026).
Last reviewed . This tool is general information for planning, not a design or a permit document — your inspector and the code edition your city has adopted have the final word. Spot something wrong? Text Shane at (949) 702-0385 and it gets fixed.
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