What?
Community Choice Energy (CCE), also referred to as Community Choice Aggregation (CCA), is the practice of pooling consumer electricity demand within a region for the purpose of procuring energy and selling it to customers. The existing energy utility (PG&E) remains responsible for transmission, distribution, and billing. The most common reason for jurisdictions to pursue CCA is to promote electricity generation from renewable energy sources and offer consumers a choice in purchasing electricity with potential opportunities for cost savings.
Currently 14 cities and the County of Contra Costa (representing only the 185,000 people in unincorporated CC) have until June 30 (deadline has been extended from May 31) to make a decision as to whether they will choose to join East Bay Community Choice (EBCE, the new Alameda County CCA program, or MCE Clean Energy as an energy supplier (offering 50% or more renewables) to their residents and businesses. The other energy option is stay with PG&E the current supplier which offers only 30% renewable energy. The County and the 14 cities have partnered to commission a Technical Study of CCE in Contra Costa County. The study is now complete and the report is available here. In December 2015 three information workshops were conducted on Community Choice Energy in Contra Costa County. Here is a line to a CCE presentation given at the workshops: Click here.
Why?
This is one of the most important things we can do to keep fossil fuels in the ground. Cities are taking advantage of this timely opportunity to reduce their Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG). Please make sure YOUR City is providing you with the best choice! Residents will still be allowed to choose PG&E but to do nothing means having no choices.
Who?
- Numerous cities in Contra Costa County already have given their residents a choice for renewable energy: Danville, El Cerrito, Lafayette, Moraga, Richmond, San Pablo, and Walnut Creek, as well as Unincorporated Contra Costa County.
- The remaining Contra Costa cities have to take some action or remain with PG&E as their only energy provider choice. Their two choices are EBCE and MCE. You can learn more about these two companies on their respective websites:
o MCE – www.mcecleanenergy.org
o EBCE – www.ebce.org
Where?
- The remaining cities have a number of meetings coming up. Please attend these! Let them know that they should learn more about EBCE and MCE and which is the best choice for their residents, but to do nothing would limit their residents to PG&E as their only choice.
- Several Contra Costa cities have not put it on their agenda for consideration for their residents! Those cities are: Brentwood, Clayton, Hercules, and Orinda.
- Please take the next opportunity to go to the public comment period at the start of their City Council Meeting and ask for CCE to be placed on their next agenda! For a complete list of City Council Meetings, visit us at www.cccclimateleaders.org
- Upcoming Meetings are (please check current meeting agendas for confirmation):
If you can not attend a meeting, write or call your elected officials to share your opinion.
Date |
Time |
Location |
Link to Check Agenda/Address |
05/09/17 |
6:30 pm |
Oakley |
|
05/15/17 |
7:00 pm |
Pittsburg |
|
05/16/17 |
6:00 pm |
Pinole |
|
05/23/17 |
5:30 pm |
Antioch |
|
05/23/17 |
6:30 pm |
Concord |
To receive notifications about upcoming workshops and meetings, please click on the link below. Click here to receive CCE email notifications or visit www.cccounty.us/cce.