analysis · Rebates & Incentives

Southern California Edison customers are scheduled for two $36 climate credits this summer

California’s 2026 residential Climate Credit moves to high-bill summer months. Eligible SCE residential customers are scheduled for automatic $36 credits in August and September; the credit is a bill adjustment, not a rate reduction.

By Greener Numbers Editorial Team · Published August 28, 2026

## SCE residential customers should see two automatic credits

Southern California Edison residential customers are scheduled to receive a **$36 California Climate Credit in August and another $36 credit in September 2026**, for a combined $72. The credit is designed to appear automatically on eligible electric bills; customers do not apply for it or need to enroll.

The timing is different this year. California regulators moved the residential electric credit for the state’s three largest investor-owned utilities — PG&E, Southern California Edison (SCE), and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) — into August and September, when summer electricity use and bills are often higher. In prior years, the electric credits were generally delivered in spring and fall.

For an SCE household, the practical check is simple: look for a line item labeled “CA Climate Credit” or “California Climate Credit” on the August and September statements. Billing cycles differ, so a credit may appear on the following month’s statement rather than the calendar month in which it is scheduled.

What the credit is — and what it is not

The California Climate Credit is an on-bill credit connected to California’s Cap-and-Invest program. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) says the residential credit is provided automatically to eligible residential customers of investor-owned utilities and Community Choice Aggregators. It is not a rebate application, a utility promotional offer, or a change to a customer’s underlying rate plan.

That distinction matters. A $36 credit reduces the amount due on a statement by $36, but it does not guarantee that the total bill will be lower than last year’s. A household’s final bill can still rise or fall with electricity use, weather, tariff changes, fixed charges, and other bill components. The credit should be compared with the bill total and kWh use separately.

The 2026 schedule varies by utility

For 2026, CPUC’s published schedule lists the following residential electric credits for the three largest utilities:

- **PG&E:** $36.18 in August and $36.18 in September. - **SCE:** $36.00 in August and $36.00 in September. - **SDG&E:** $49.36 in August and $49.36 in September.

Customers of smaller investor-owned electric utilities have a different calendar. CPUC’s schedule lists April and November credits for Bear Valley, Liberty, and Pacific Power in 2026. Natural-gas residential Climate Credits remain on a different schedule: CPUC says the gas credit is distributed in April during 2026 and is planned to move to February beginning in 2027.

The amount is not based on how much electricity a particular household uses. It is a program credit assigned to eligible customers in a utility territory, so two qualifying SCE households can receive the same $36 credit even if their summer usage differs.

Why the state moved the credit

CPUC approved the scheduling change in April 2026 with the goal of placing the electric credit in months when customers more commonly experience high usage and high bills. The commission describes the credit as funded by California’s Cap-and-Invest program and says the revised timing is intended to make relief more timely for households.

SCE separately reported that its customers would receive the combined $72 in August and September. It also said its average rates had declined 4.3% so far in 2026 compared with the prior December. That rate-change statement is SCE’s utility-level description, not a guarantee of savings for every account, and the Climate Credit should be treated as a distinct, fixed bill adjustment.

What to do if it is missing

First, check whether the bill’s service dates overlap the scheduled credit period; a billing-cycle delay can move the line item to the next statement. If a qualifying active residential SCE account still does not show the credit, contact SCE, which can review the account and correct a billing issue if one exists. CPUC also advises customers to begin with their utility because the utility has access to individual billing records.

Do not confuse this program with utility assistance based on income. Programs such as California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) and Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) are separate discounts with their own eligibility rules. The Climate Credit is likewise separate from energy-efficiency rebates, payment arrangements, and rate-plan choices.

Bottom line

Eligible SCE residential customers should expect two $36 California Climate Credits for summer 2026, normally without taking action. The credits can meaningfully reduce two statements, but they do not replace careful bill comparison: review the credit line, the total bill, and kWh usage together to understand whether changes came from the program, your consumption, or your utility charges.

Sources and limits

This article uses CPUC’s 2026 California Climate Credit schedule and its April 2026 announcement on timing changes, plus Southern California Edison’s August 26, 2026 release. It reports program schedules and utility statements; it does not determine an individual account’s eligibility, billing cycle, or final bill amount. Customers should verify account-specific questions directly with their utility.

Official source: California Public Utilities Commission ↗