The public is invited to hear a presentation about a new option for electricity service – Community Choice Aggregation– at the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, August 8.
Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) allows local governments to purchase and/or generate electricity on behalf of their residents and businesses. The first CCA program in California, Marin Clean Energy, launched in 2010 and now there are 25 CCA programs throughout the state.
The presentation is intended to educate the public about CCA and the Rocklin-based, not-for-profit utility, Pioneer Community Energy.
Pioneer launched in 2018 and serves Auburn, Colfax, Lincoln, Rocklin, Loomis, Placerville, and other area communities. Pioneer will serve Grass Valley and Nevada City beginning in 2024. Pioneer is governed by a Joint Powers Authority with a board comprised of an elected representative from each of the current member agencies with each getting equal voting power.
Pioneer manages where and how local electricity is generated. However, PG&E continues to deliver the power through its transmission lines and remain responsible for customer billing. Currently, Pioneer provides its customers with an average monthly savings of $20. Pioneer also offers a 100 percent renewable energy option. Profits from electricity service are invested back into the local community.
Staff research shows that potential benefits of CCA could include customer savings, customer choice, job creation (profits are invested back into the community instead of paid out to shareholders), cleaner energy opportunities, and transparency in rate setting. More information on Pioneer is at www.pioneercommunityenergy.org.
The Board of Supervisors meeting begins at 9am in the Eric Rood Administration Center, 950 Maidu Ave., Nevada City. Should the Board direct staff to further evaluate whether joining Pioneer would be a good choice for unincorporated Nevada County, the issue could come to the Board for a decision in mid-October. This presentation is scheduled to start at 10:15AM. Viewers may watch online here.