Stop Attack on Community Choice Energy by CPUC

It’s happening again.  This time it is the CPUC that is trying to slow down or stop Community Choice Energy programs across the state.  Without warning, on Dec. 8th, the Commission put forth a Draft Resolution (E-4907) which they say now they plan to vote on at a February 8th (was Jan. 11) voting meeting and they allowed formal legal party comments about it until January 11th (extended from Dec. 29th and Jan 4th). 350 Bay Area got in our legal party comments on Jan. 10th but it is still useful for people to send their ratepayer comments in while the Commission is trying to decide what to do next before they vote at the Feb. 8th mtg.

While the potential impact of this resolution is strongest on any new Community Choice Energy programs starting up now, it is problematic for existing programs. The CPUC proposes a lengthy review process that is not needed and further delays to assure “resource adequacy”, when there is an easier solution for short term resource adequacy that has been used by the private sector and should be available to CCE’s. The resolution, if passed, will likely delay any new programs.  The delay may also unnecessarily jeopardize getting funding during the initial launch period, making CCE’s less feasible.

We ask you to review the talking points and submit your comments to the Commissioners (sample letter format below).  It is not necessary to speak to all the talking points below.  Pick one or two and send your quick response to the Commissioners and/or particularly their Chiefs of Staff.  Please identify yourself as a ratepayer and community choice energy customer rather than as 350Marin as we are part of 350 Bay Area and can only (and have) submit our legal “party” comments.

Calling you legislators is also especially important:  you can use the template for legislators in this excellent Action Alert put out by Clean Power Exchange for what to suggest or send to them to say. There is now links for what to do with legislators.

CPUC Resolution E-4907

Talking Points (from Clean Power Exchange)

Sample Letter 

CPUC Commissioners Contact Information (faxing the Chief of Staffs will get the most attention, next best emailing or sending to Commissioners)

Short Cut, if you want to do something quick without diving into the details in the links above:

We count on you to defend Community Choice and prove again that with each attack, Community Choice Energy becomes stronger. The deadline for comments is now Thursday January 11th (extended twice so let’s not let the bad timing keep us from participating!) To take action, Call: 1-866-849-8390. Email public.advisor@cpuc.ca.gov and cc edtariffunit@cpuc.ca.gov, Suzanne.Casazza@cpuc.ca.gov, Jonathan.Tom@cpuc.ca.gov . If you can fax, a former CPUC official advises us that faxes do get attention: Fax to 415-703-1903. 

A quick script: “I am writing to request that the agenda item related to Energy Division Draft Resolution E-4907 be held or removed from the February 8^th, 2018 agenda as it should be done within a current rule-making or have its own. If not, then Commissioners should vote no on this resolution, as it imposes too significant and unnecessary burdens on newly forming Community Choice agencies.”

The Commission is scheduled (if we don’t get still another extension) to vote on the resolution and the fate of the emerging Community Choice agencies on Thursday, February 8th. Please mark your calendars, and attend this important meeting in San Francisco which will have a Rally and Press Conference before it.