CCA-JPA May Reduce Cost of Energy and Increase Green Energy Production
Enabled by California legislation in 2001 (AB 117), CCA allows cities and counties to pool their residential, business, and municipal electricity loads to purchase and generate power. The distribution system and customer service would be retained by PG&E.
This is the only multi-county project of its kind in California and one of the largest CCA projects nationally. “This project has tremendous potential for our region in terms of contributing to the community’s economic vitality, while providing significant environmental benefit,” said Santa Cruz County Supervisor Bruce McPherson, whose office has led the CCA effort. “This could really help our region become more self-sufficient while giving us local control over the type and cost of the energy we use.”
The Monterey Bay Community Power partners have developed climate action plans that indicate 18 percent of the region’s greenhouse gas comes from electricity consumption. Substantially increasing renewably generated electricity usage and lowering the demand for energy consumption with increased efficiency have the most potential for significant and relatively quick greenhouse gas reduction. Diverting ratepayer revenues to a local energy agency can provide tremendous benefit to the regional economy and create local green energy jobs.
California has two regions that have formed Community Choice Aggregation agencies. Marin Energy Authority now serves more than 80% of both residential and commercial customers and charges the same rates as PG&E. Sonoma County has just started providing energy to customers at 5% below PG&E rates.
For more information regarding the project and its supporters, please visit the website at www.montereybaycca.org.