Power Choice
RMEA is thrilled to announce the Power Choice Program, developed in partnership with Tesla. This program offers residents a unique opportunity to adopt solar energy and battery storage systems at no upfront cost.
How much does it cost?
The CCA Customer Agreement with RMEA customers is currently offered at $0.145 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) with a 1.9% annual escalator for solar. The cost is set at $115.00 per month for the first Powerwall battery and customers can opt to acquire additional Powerwalls at a cost of an additional $75.00 per month per Powerwall.
Already have solar?
We are excited to inform you about an upcoming expansion of our Power Choice program. We will soon be offering a battery-only option, providing you with a convenient set monthly price that will be billed directly on your SCE bill.
If this offering is of interest to you, please let us know, and we will gladly add you to our program waitlist. Once the battery-only offer launches, we will ensure you receive all the necessary details promptly. Email your name, address and phone number to: information@ranchomirageenergy.org
How to sign up?
- Must be a RMEA customer to enroll. Not a RMEA customer? You may be able to return to RMEA if you live in the Rancho Mirage jurisdiction. Contact CustomerService@RanchoMirageEnergy.org
- Have your electric bill ready
- Click the: “Order Now Through Tesla” button or you can Request a Call
- Enter your home address & average electric bill monthly cost
- Choose “Solar Panels + Powerwall” and click the “Next” button
- Under Power Choice Program check the “Participate in Program” box
- Click the “Continue to Order” button
- You will now enter your personal information to set up a Tesla account
- After uploading your utility bill you will be contacted by a Project Advisor
Frequently Asked Questions
You must live in a single family home and you must be a RMEA customer. There are no other qualifications (no FICO score review, etc). If you rent, please have your landlord reach out to marco@participate.energy for our Renters Program. If you live within RMEA jurisdiction, but are not currently a RMEA customer, please call RMEA to enroll at (760) 578-6092.
Through the Power Choice Program, homeowners have the option to move to renewable energy by having solar panels and Tesla batteries installed on their properties without any initial investment. Instead, the participants will purchase the power from the system at a set, affordable, cost per kilowatt monthly payment, making it easier for more residents to access clean, renewable energy and benefit from the advantages of energy storage.
Homeowners and developers who participate in the program will enjoy a host of benefits. These include easy access to affordable solar energy, comprehensive integration with their existing RMEA service, access to back-up power in the event of an emergency or Public Safety Power Shutoff. In addition, participants would be eligible for the $500 rebate through the RMEA Solar and Battery Rebate program, and of course there is an expected savings on most participants electric bills.
One of the unique benefits of this structure is that all residents qualify; there is no consumer credit check. Often, these types of programs are only available to those with the best credit scores. This program will allow all residents access to energy savings and resiliency. This program is another way for RMEA to enhance and encourage renewable energy development in our community and gives our resident another option in moving forward with solar and batteries.
Homeowners and developers who participate in the program will enjoy a host of benefits. These include easy access to affordable solar energy, comprehensive integration with their existing RMEA service, access to back-up power in the event of an emergency or Public Safety Power Shutoff. In addition, participants would be eligible for the $500 rebate through the RMEA Solar and Battery Rebate program, and of course there is an expected savings on most participants electric bills.
One of the unique benefits of this structure is that all residents qualify; there is no consumer credit check. Often, these types of programs are only available to those with the best credit scores. This program will allow all residents access to energy savings and resiliency. This program is another way for RMEA to enhance and encourage renewable energy development in our community and gives our resident another option in moving forward with solar and batteries.
Yes. When you enroll in the Power Choice program you agree to buy the power produced and energy services provided by the system on a fixed long-term basis locking in increasing energy savings over time. Separately, you will agree to allow Tesla to install and service the system.
Yes, but if you opt out of the program after the solar + battery has been installed, you will need to buy out the system.
The installation time (construction crew at your house) is about 1 week, but the total timeline from order to install is about 3-4 months. This includes time to receive all the relevant customer information, design and permit the system, submit for interconnection from the utility and prepare for construction. After the system is installed, it normally takes 2-6 weeks to receive permission-to-operate where the system can freely operate and export extra electricity (not consumed or stored on site) back to the utility.
When you sell your house the contract transfers to the new home buyer without any additional credit score (FICO) review and customer underwriting of any kind. Additionally, if the future owner wants to own the system themselves, they may buy out the system for “fair market value.”
With our Renters Program, with landlord and tenant approval, the landlord will give permission to install and keep the system at the home and the tenant will sign up for electric service with RMEA and select the Power Choice tariff. If interested, please have your landlord email marco@participate.energy.
Your system will be custom designed by Tesla designers based on your annual electricity usage and available roof space. When you submit your initial order on the Tesla.com/energy website, you will approve an initial rough estimate, which will be further refined between you and Tesla.
Tesla will work with you to design the appropriate system size. If you expect to increase your home electric loads (e.g. future EV purchase, new pool pump, new electric appliances, etc), you can work with your Tesla Project Advisor who can submit a justification to the utility for a larger system. Generally, you only want to size your system to your total annual loads, so over sizing a system should be based on expected future loads.
A Tesla specialist will work with you to determine if your roof is suitable for solar. If it is determined your roof is not suitable for solar, then your house will not qualify for the program and your contract will be terminated with no financial penalty.
Minimum of 25 years, but the equipment is generally designed for a 30+ year life.
You are never responsible for solar panel or battery replacement. All future panel and battery replacements are supplied at no additional cost to you, under the Power Choice program.
The solar panels generate electricity that gets used by the house. At any given time, if the solar is generating more electricity than the house is using, then the excess electricity charges the battery for future consumption. Only if the batteries are fully charged and there isn’t enough load on site to consume the solar energy, then the excess energy will be sent back to the utility and credited to the customer under SCE’s then current Net Energy Metering (NEM) program.
Each Tesla “Powerwall” battery is about 30 inches wide, about 46 inches tall, and about 6 inches in depth. When you design your system on the Tesla.com website, it will recommend 1 or multiple “Powerwall” batteries for your home. The batteries will be installed using as little space as required by your Building and Safety department.
Batteries are typically installed on the outside of your house, or inside the garage.
A fund was established to own the system for the benefit of you and RMEA, which is managed by our financial partner Participate.Energy.
The systems are all fully insured as part of the Power Choice program. Any damage to the system from a natural disaster is the responsibility of the fund (managed by Participate.Energy) to replace in coordination with Tesla, you and RMEA.
All systems under Power Choice are serviced by Tesla using the same service staff and platform as any other Tesla system or customer. A Tesla representative will help understand your problem and resolve any issues you have with the system.
In the case that your HOA requires approval prior to installing the system, you will work with your Tesla Project Advisor to submit for and get HOA approval. There are laws established in California to support the deployment of solar, so HOAs can still require pre-approval, but there are multiple laws protecting you from the HOA denying your request to install solar.
No. The system is separately insured within the Power Choice program.
No. The tax incentives go to the owner of the system, which is the fund. The fund uses the tax incentives as part of the financial model to provide you power at a lower price and with no upfront cost.
You can buy out the system from the fund at any time at the fair-market-value.
The battery and solar will either continue to operate or be replaced by the program throughout the term of your contract (at no cost to you). It is anticipated that the batteries will need to be replaced one time over the term of your contract (again, at no cost to you).