PG&E Direct Access Notice Timing for New Cannabis Buildouts

Direct Access is a calendar, not a switch

California restructured retail electricity but capped Direct Access (DA) load at 11,393 gigawatt-hours systemwide for PG&E [pge-direct-access] [cpuc-pge-da-decisions]. Non-residential customers enroll by submitting Form 79-1117, Six-Month Notice to Transfer to Direct Access Service, during a five-day June lottery window (June 8-12, 2026, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PDT) [pge-direct-access].

PG&E randomizes accepted notices and assigns wait list numbers by mid-August. Load space availability determines whether you transfer six months later or wait on the list for the following calendar year [pge-direct-access].

Cannabis cultivation facilities are eligible commercial loads (not residential). A new Humboldt greenhouse or Central Valley indoor build must plan DA before permit issuance if ESP supply is part of pro forma economics.

Parallel path: utility construction vs DA notice

New build timeline typically runs:

Phase	Lead time	DA interaction
Service application	3-12+ months	Need SAIDs for lottery
June lottery	5 days	Submit 79-1117 + SAID list
Six-month notice effective	~6 months post acceptance	ESP supply start
Energization	Variable	Must match notice
Title 24 acceptance	At permit	Lighting load fixed

PG&E requires active Electric Service Agreement Identification Numbers (SAIDs) on Form 79-1117 [pge-direct-access]. You cannot lottery a paper site without service agreements. Apply for service early enough to have SAIDs before June 8.

If energization slips past notice effective date, you may remain on bundled service until next lottery year.

June 2026 lottery already passed; plan for June 2027

The June 8-12, 2026 window is the current cycle [pge-direct-access]. Facilities that missed it target June 2027 unless wait list numbers from 2026 clear during 2027 [pge-direct-access].

Effective September 1, 2026, lottery participants receive wait list numbers valid twelve months for the following calendar year [pge-direct-access]. Annual re-entry is required; wait list does not roll automatically [pge-direct-access].

Document rescission rules: notices may be rescinded within three business days of PG&E receipt by calling 1-800-468-4743 [pge-direct-access].

When to sign ESP supply

Electric Service Providers (ESPs) price commercial load similarly to other states' suppliers:

• Fixed or index energy
• Pass-through of PG&E non-bypassable charges (NBCs)
• Adders for CAISO imbalance

Sign supply when:

1. SAIDs exist on active or pending service agreements PG&E will recognize
2. Energization date confidence is high within six months of DA effective date
3. Connected load estimate from Title 24 lighting and HVAC calcs is final [ca-title24-lighting]

Premature signing without SAIDs risks material change in usage clauses when actual load differs.

Bundled PG&E service remains the fallback. California average commercial rate was 22.41 cents/kWh in June 2026 [eia-epm-5-6-a], among the nation's highest. DA is pursued for price, green content, or contract structure, not assured cost reduction.

Title 24 and DCC rule changes on new builds

Permits pulled after January 1, 2026 face 2025 Title 24 horticultural lighting rules: efficacy minimums, lighting power density, controls, acceptance testing [ca-title24-lighting]. Fixture choices lock connected load before ESP pricing.

DCC rules effective July 1, 2026 removed annual electricity usage reporting and carbon-offset purchase requirements at renewal for many cultivators [ca-dcc-reporting-2026]. Reporting relief does not remove Title 24 or utility service sizing obligations.

Return to bundled service commitment

DA customers returning to PG&E bundled portfolio service must submit Form 79-1011 with six months notice and a minimum 18-month bundled commitment before DA eligibility returns [pge-direct-access]. New builds should treat DA as semi-permanent unless economics clearly favor return.

Worked timeline: target energization March 2027

• September 2025: PG&E service application, load study 400 kW
• January 2026: SAIDs issued, construction starts
• June 8-12, 2026: Submit Form 79-1117 in lottery [pge-direct-access]
• August 2026: Receive wait list number
• September 2026: ESP contract with March 2027 start contingent on DA transfer
• January 2027: Title 24 acceptance testing [ca-title24-lighting]
• March 2027: Energize; ESP supply active if DA transfer approved

Slip any step and ESP may start late while bundled PG&E rates apply.

CCA vs DA

Many counties offer Community Choice Aggregation. DA lottery is separate from CCA opt-out. Compare ESP DA offers to local CCA generation rates plus NBCs before assuming DA wins.

See California cultivation energy and new facility buildout FAQ.

SCE and SDG&E: same cap concept, different utilities

This article focuses on PG&E Form 79-1117 [pge-direct-access]. Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric operate their own DA programs under CPUC decisions with separate load caps [cpuc-pge-da-decisions]. A cultivation project in Salinas vs Desert Hot Springs follows different utility lottery rules. Confirm territory before copying PG&E dates.

Non-bypassable charges and DA economics

DA customers pay non-bypassable charges (NBCs) for programs and grid costs [pge-direct-access]. NBC increases in 2026 reduced net savings from DA for some commercial customers (see sibling DA lottery article on site). Model NBC line items in pro forma, not only ESP energy rate.

Community Choice Aggregation alternative

Many California counties operate CCAs that procure generation while PG&E delivers [cpuc-pge-da-decisions]. Compare CCA generation rate plus PG&E delivery plus NBCs to ESP DA offer before lottery effort.

Title 24 load impacts ESP pricing

2025 Title 24 horticultural rules set minimum efficacy and controls for permitted buildouts [ca-title24-lighting]. Lower connected load from efficient DLC fixtures improves ESP quote if peak kW drops.

Coordinate Title 24 acceptance test schedule with energization so ESP start date matches production ramp.

DCC reporting relief does not remove build discipline

July 1, 2026 DCC rule changes removed annual electricity reporting and carbon-offset purchase requirements at renewal for many license types [ca-dcc-reporting-2026]. Operators still face local permit energy compliance and utility service agreements.

Wait list discipline

Wait list numbers expire at calendar year end; annual re-entry required [pge-direct-access]. Assign one owner to submit each June until DA transfer completes or business chooses bundled service.

Risk: 18-month bundled commitment on return

Returning to bundled service requires Form 79-1011 and minimum 18-month bundled commitment [pge-direct-access]. Treat DA as strategic, not experimental, unless economics clearly favor exit.

Pre-construction meeting agenda with PG&E

1. Expected peak kW and voltage
2. SAID issuance timeline
3. June lottery eligibility
4. Interconnection for optional solar
5. Rate schedule after energization

Engineer stamp on load letter

PG&E service applications for cultivation loads often trigger engineering review [pge-direct-access]. A stamped one-line from a licensed engineer with phased kW schedule speeds SAID issuance before June lottery window.

California new builds fail on coordination, not on single tariffs. File the six-month notice in June, size service in winter, sign ESP when SAIDs are real, and match energization to notice effective date.

NBC line items that change Direct Access break-even math

Direct Access customers remain subject to non-bypassable charges (NBCs) for public purpose programs, grid costs, and other CPUC-mandated fees [pge-direct-access] [cpuc-pge-da-decisions]. ESP energy rate comparisons that ignore NBCs overstate savings versus bundled PG&E service.

California average commercial rate was 22.41 cents/kWh in June 2026 [eia-epm-5-6-a], among the nation's highest. A Humboldt indoor build comparing ESP fixed offers must model:

Component	Bundled PG&E	Direct Access
Generation energy	Portfolio rate	ESP contract
NBCs	Included	Still billed [pge-direct-access]
Delivery	PG&E tariff	PG&E tariff
Exit commitment	N/A	18-month minimum if returning [pge-direct-access]

Form 79-1117 requires active Electric Service Agreement Identification Numbers during the June 8-12 lottery window [pge-direct-access]. Load space under the 11,393 GWh systemwide cap is allocated by randomized acceptance and wait list numbers issued by mid-August [cpuc-pge-da-decisions]. Miss the window and you wait until the following June unless a wait list number clears.

Permits pulled after January 1, 2026 face 2025 Title 24 horticultural lighting efficacy and controls requirements [ca-title24-lighting]. Lower connected load from efficient fixtures improves ESP quotes if peak kW drops. DCC rules effective July 1, 2026 removed annual electricity usage reporting at renewal for many license types [ca-dcc-reporting-2026], but Title 24 acceptance testing and utility service sizing obligations remain.

Returning to bundled service requires Form 79-1011 with six months notice and a minimum 18-month bundled commitment before DA eligibility returns [pge-direct-access]. Treat Direct Access as a strategic choice, not a one-year experiment, unless pro forma NBC math clearly favors exit.

Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric operate separate DA programs under CPUC decisions with distinct load caps [cpuc-pge-da-decisions]. A Salinas project cannot copy PG&E June lottery dates for Desert Hot Springs. Confirm utility territory before scheduling Form 79-1117.

Many counties offer Community Choice Aggregation as an alternative to DA lottery [cpuc-pge-da-decisions]. Compare CCA generation rate plus PG&E delivery plus NBCs to ESP DA offer before investing in lottery paperwork. PG&E service applications for cultivation loads often trigger engineering review; a stamped one-line with phased kW schedule speeds SAID issuance before the June 8-12 window [pge-direct-access].

Wait list numbers expire at calendar year end; annual re-entry is required [pge-direct-access]. Assign one owner to submit each June until DA transfer completes. Notices may be rescinded within three business days of PG&E receipt by calling 1-800-468-4743 [pge-direct-access]. Coordinate Title 24 acceptance testing [ca-title24-lighting] with energization so ESP supply start date matches production ramp, not just construction completion.