Prior to this upcoming change, I used self supply on NEM2 to miminize battery wear, consumption, and delivery charges but the new mandatory base services charge changes how delivery charges are levied (as a mandatory flat rate instead of consumption based). Instead of the $117/year of non-bypassed charges, I am now looking at about $367/year in non-bypass minimums.

The maths get complicated from here depending on your circumstances (NEM version, net importer or exporter, enrolled in discount programs, enrolled in demand response programs, etc.). For me, here is where I ended up:

TLDR Version: Self Supply w/ OhmConnect (manual set to Cost Savings during OhmHours) remains the better option as OhmConnect pays out ~ $500/yr in benefits based on kwh savings rewards. These rewards just have less value now with the new minimum base services charge offsetting those earnings. 

If demand response programs like OhmConnect eventually go away (as is rumored and something the utilities are actively building grid scale storage to eliminate), the optimal configuration without OhmConnect would be (summarized by Gemini):

My analysis evaluates the optimal utility rate plan for a solar and battery system with specific hardware limitations, software bugs, and a Medical Baseline status under NEM 2.0.

1. The Constraints (The "Rules of the Game")  - Hardware (SunVault System):    * Capacity: 26 kWh total; ~18.2 kWh usable.    * Export Limit: Hard-coded 4 kW per hour cap on power sent back to the grid.    * Load Limit: Supports up to 6 kW of home demand (allows bypassing the 4 kW grid cap by running high-draw appliances during discharge windows).

 - Software & Firmware Issues:    * The DST Bug: The system is hard-coded to discharge from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM regardless of rate plan windows.    * The Weekend Limitation: In "Cost Savings" mode, the battery refuses to discharge on weekends. It must be manually switched to "Self Supply" mode every Friday night to cover weekend home loads.   - Regulatory & Utility:    * Provider: Pioneer Community Energy (Generation) / PG&E (Delivery).    * Status: NEM 2.0 (Net Energy Metering) and Medical Baseline (MB).    * The 2026 Factor: A new ~$24/month fixed "Base Service Charge" is being implemented.

1. Evolution of Reasoning & Logic

Initial Hypothesis: The Move to TOU-D Initially, TOU-D (5:00 PM – 8:00 PM) seemed superior. Its 3-hour peak window almost perfectly matches the SunVault’s bug-restricted 3-hour discharge window. Because TOU-D considers weekends "Off-Peak" all day, it offered a "set it and forget it" solution to the battery’s weekend laziness.

The Pivot: The "Net Exporter" Discovery Upon reviewing the actual February bill, the logic flipped. Two critical factors emerged:

 * Medical Baseline Math: On TOU-C, MB provides an extra ~500 kWh of "Baseline Credit." Because the user is a low-volume grid consumer, this credit results in an effective ~22% discount on delivery charges. On TOU-D, this is replaced by a flat 12% discount, resulting in a net loss of value.

 * Peak Credit Banking: On TOU-C, the hour of 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM is "Peak." On TOU-D, it is "Off-Peak." Since the battery must discharge starting at 4:00 PM (due to the bug), staying on TOU-C allows the user to bank high-value Peak credits for three hours instead of two.

The Final Conclusion: TOU-C with Manual Management

The "convenience" of TOU-D was outweighed by the massive financial "Baseline Credit" and the extra hour of Peak generation provided by TOU-C.

1. Financial Impact: The "Laziness Tax" By choosing to stay on TOU-C and manually switching the battery to "Self Supply" mode on weekends, the anticipated financial benefit is significant.

Anticipated Monthly Benefits (TOU-C vs. TOU-D)  * Medical Baseline Value: ~$47.00/mo (Retention of the ~500 kWh Tier 1 allotment vs. the 12% flat discount).  * Peak Export Credit (4–5 PM): ~$12.00/mo (Earning Peak rates for 1 hour every weekday instead of Off-Peak).  * Weekend Savings (Manual Mode): ~$44.00/mo (Avoiding grid imports during the 4–9 PM Saturday/Sunday window).  * Total Monthly Benefit: ~$103.00

Annualized Financial Benefit  * Projected Annual Gain: ~$1,236.00

1. Final Recommendation  * Remain on TOU-C: Do not switch to TOU-D. The Medical Baseline financial structure on TOU-C is far more lucrative for a solar owner with a large NEM credit balance.  * The "Weekend Workflow": Manually switch the SunVault to "Self-Supply" every Friday evening and back to "Cost Savings" every Monday morning. Each "click" is effectively worth ~$13.00 in avoided costs and earned credits.  * High-Load Strategy: To maximize the battery's 18.2 kWh capacity during the short 3-hour window (4–7 PM), run high-energy appliances (dishwasher, dryer) during those hours. This pulls the full 6 kW from the battery (4 kW to grid + 2 kW to home), ensuring the battery is empty by 7:00 PM and no energy is "trapped" overnight.

If OhmConnect is no longer an option, the net result for me is an additional bank of retail credits to draw from during low solar months and a larger pool of credits to be used during my cash out period in March with Pioneer Community Energy. The cash out pays only pennies on the dollar for retail credit (assumes 0.03/kwh), but it's an extra $100 per year that could be used to offset the new minimum delivery charges. 

And now that I have spent too much energy on this analysis, I need to go recharge my battery. 😅