I think we just got lucky. The pg&e rep pushed the TOU plans pretty hard, but we asked to stay on the tiered system, and they didn't say no. Our neighbors, who got a system just six months after we did, were required to switch. This was almost exactly two years ago.
From what I understand, the plan we're on is going to be forcibly retired in 2020. Hopefully by then powerwalls will be cheap enough to get us through the 5-9 hump during summer on the Time of Use system.
Because you get the retail value of the power you push into the grid, the TOU plans aren't that bad because you get more "money" for your excess power. You pay more when you use, but they pay you more when you produce.
From what I understand, the plan we're on is going to be forcibly retired in 2020. Hopefully by then powerwalls will be cheap enough to get us through the 5-9 hump during summer on the Time of Use system.