Customers Have Received $5.3 Million Since 2018 for Excess Solar Generation
ROCKLIN, CA – Pioneer Community Energy (Pioneer), a locally owned, not-for-profit electricity provider headquartered in Rocklin, California, announced today that more than 26,000 solar customers will receive an estimated $1.25 million in checks and bill credits as part of its annual cash-out cycle.
The annual solar cash-out cycle tracks customers’ solar generation and usage for the previous 12 months during the March-April billing cycle. Customers whose systems produce more energy than they consume during those months are considered net surplus generators and receive payment per kilowatt hour (kWh) of energy generated each spring. Pioneer pays its solar customers a half-cent ($0.005) more than PG&E per kWh for net surplus generation. Since 2018, Pioneer’s cumulative NEM cash-outs total $5.3 million.
“Pioneer is pleased to provide a half-cent premium per kWh compared to the investor-owned utility in our area,” said Alice Dowdin Calvillo, Auburn City Councilmember and Pioneer Board Chair. “For many households, this is an opportunity to save on energy costs while gaining more control over electricity bills at a time when affordability matters more than ever.”
Pioneer currently serves nearly 51,000 solar customers – a significant increase from 2025. Customers receiving checks were notified via email to expect the payment through Pioneer’s third-party vendor, Bill.com. Customers with Net Surplus Compensation (NSC) balances less than $50 will receive bill credits, allowing more customers to receive the full benefit of their solar generation.
For customers who do not have solar or wish to expand their current solar system to include a battery, Pioneer offers its GridGen solar and storage program with zero upfront costs. Interested customers can visit PioneerCommunityEnergy.org/GridGen.
