From a stack of bills to verified savings
You send bills. We do the reading, the math, the paperwork with SCE and the follow-up. Here’s every step, what we need from you and what sets the pace.
- 1
Email your bills A few minutes
Email up to 12 months of recent SCE bills for each account to hello@wattbounty.com. PDF downloads from SCE My Account are best; clear phone photos of paper bills also work. Tell us the building type and whether you have solar or storage. No login or spreadsheet needed.
- 2
Free quick check Typically within a week
We check every line item, rebuild the charges from the SCE rate schedule in effect for each billing period and flag anything that doesn’t match or could be improved. Findings are checked against the tariff and escalated to a specialist when needed. You get a short written summary: what we found, whether each item is a refund or a forward saving, and a rough range of what it’s worth.
- 3
Findings call and agreement
We walk you through the findings in a short call. If you want to go ahead, you sign our engagement agreement and SCE’s Customer Information Service Request (Form 14-796), which lets SCE release your account data to us and lets us act as your agent for the accounts you list. SCE requires your written consent before it shares your data with anyone.
- 4
Full audit
With your authorization we gather up to 36 months of bills (the refund look-back for SCE billing errors is up to three years) and your 15-minute interval data. For solar and storage sites we also review interconnection documents and battery telemetry. Every bill is shadow-billed with our proprietary analysis, and each finding is documented with the tariff sheet it relies on.
- 5
Recovery and rate changes
With your approval, we file billing disputes with SCE, submit rate-change requests in writing and follow up until the credit posts or the new rate appears on your bill. If SCE won’t correct a clear billing error, SCE’s Rule 10 provides an appeal to the CPUC’s Consumer Affairs Branch.
- 6
Verification and invoicing
We invoice only on verified savings: a refund once SCE issues it, and forward savings as they show up on your bills, each with a savings report showing exactly how the number was calculated. After the first 12 months, our fee stops and the savings are all yours.
What sets the pace
Some timing is set by SCE’s tariff rules, not by us. We plan around them from the start.
Rate changes
SCE changes rates on the customer’s written request, generally no more than once every 12 months, effective after the next regular meter read. We time recommendations so you don’t spend that change on the wrong option.
Refunds
Overcharges from SCE billing errors can be refunded for up to three years. Credits take time to post, and we keep following up until they do.
Tax claims first
Utility users tax refunds follow the local ordinance, and some windows are short (one year for LA County claims). We check taxes first so a deadline isn’t missed.
Less than you’d think
For the quick check, just bills. Everything else comes later, and only if you decide to go ahead.
| Item | When | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 12 months of SCE bills | Quick check | Rate, charges, demand history |
| Signed agreement + SCE Form 14-796 | Full audit | Lets us get data from SCE and act for you |
| Up to 36 months of bills | Full audit | Matches SCE’s three-year refund look-back |
| 15-minute interval data | Full audit | Recompute demand, compare rate options |
| Solar/storage documents | If applicable | Permission-to-operate date, system size, export setup |
| Battery telemetry export | If applicable | Check dispatch against each demand peak |
Once you’ve authorized us, we can request bill history and interval data from SCE directly.
Every line checked against the tariff.
Every line captured
Every charge, billing determinant and rate on your bills is captured, and each value is checked against the bill’s own totals before it’s used.
Exact tariff math
Charges are recalculated from the published rates in effect for each billing period, so every number traces back to the tariff.
Expert judgment
Findings are checked against the tariff and escalated to a specialist when needed. Nothing goes to SCE without your approval.
Common questions
What counts as “savings”?
Only money that shows up: refunds or credits SCE actually issues, and lower charges that actually appear on your bills after a change. For a rate change, we compare what your old rate would have charged for the same usage against what you were actually billed. Projections don’t count.
Could an audit increase my bill?
It can happen: an audit occasionally uncovers an undercharge, such as a meter set up wrong in your favor. We screen for this and tell you before anything goes to SCE. Nothing is filed without your written approval.
How far back can refunds go?
Under SCE’s Rule 17, overcharges caused by SCE billing errors can be refunded for the period of the error, up to three years. Choosing a cheaper optional rate only saves money going forward. Tax refunds follow the taxing agency’s rules and can have shorter windows (for example, one year for LA County utility users tax claims).
How do you check my bills?
Our proprietary audit process rebuilds every charge from SCE’s published tariff sheets, and findings are checked against the tariff and escalated to a specialist when needed.
Find out what your SCE bills could be costing you.
Send up to 12 months of bills. The quick check is free, and if we find nothing, you owe nothing.