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CCA News & Notes
Greetings Friends of LEAN Energy and CCA
Welcome to LEAN Energy's inaugural edition of CCA News & Notes.
March and April were busy months for energy aggregation in the United States. Big headlines are the explosion of municipal aggregation in Illinois (243 cities and towns passed supporting referenda) and efforts to green the grid in Massachusetts and Ohio. In California, Sonoma County voted to move ahead with its CCA formation, the Marin Energy Authority increased its minimum renewable energy supply to 50 percent, and LEAN Energy US formed the California CCA Regulatory Alliance to push for a fair code of conduct for utilities and a level playing field for CCA formation.
Scroll down for details and links.
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CCA on the Rise: Spotlight on Illinois
On March 20, about 85 percent of nearly 300 Illinois towns and counties approved municipal aggregation referendum measures. Residential and small business customers in these municipalities stand to save a minimum of 25 percent on their electricity bills. Thesecustomers represent about 10 million MWh of electricity demand. READ ON 1 READ ON 2 Recently signed power contracts are in the range of 4.5 to 5 cents per kWh; the current default rate is 7.7 cents. Reflected in the new contracts is a reduced capacity charge, which takes effect June 1. The Illinois default rate resets every year and will drop to about 7 cents per kWh. As a result, Illinois customers in municipalities with CCA will save about 2 cents per kWH for a total per-household savings of about $200 annually. The Illinois Commerce Commission lists the towns and cities that passed CCA as well as notes a few contracted energy rates.
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Greening the Grid through CCA
MASSACHUSETTS:
The Cape & Vineyard Electric Cooperative (a partnership of Cape Light Compact and Barnstable County) has awarded a contract for the design and installation of 44 small-scale solar PV systems, representing nearly 50 MW, in communities along the Cape and Martha's Vineyard. These projects are expected not only to increase energy efficiency and reduce area utility bills but also to open the door for additional energy projects in the CVEC service area. Congratulations to Cape Light Compact for pursuing this important project. READ ON
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OHIO:
After Cincinnati voters passed a CCA ballot initiative in April, they gave their city a renewable energy mandate. The result? The winning supplier, First Energy, will purchase 100 percent renewable energy credits, a portion of which will come from local renewable sources to green Cincinnati's predominantly coal-based supply. Sweetening the deal is the ratepayer benefit: the average Cincinnati household will save $133 a year on its electricity bill. Cincinnati's groundbreaking move signals Ohio's growing interest in cleaner energy sources. READ ON
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ILLINOIS:
A consortium of seven northwest Chicago suburbs that are members of the Illinois CCA Network (ICCAN) have inked a deal with Integrys Energy that will allow ratepayers to realize a 42 percent savings over the current per kilowatt-hour price--and the supply includes 100 percent renewable energy credits. READ ON
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CALIFORNIA:
In Marin County, the board of the Marin Energy Authority passed a resolution authorizing Marin Clean Energy to increase its Light Green default power supply to 50 percent renewable energy. MCE already offers a 100 percent renewable energy option, Deep Green, for a small premium. In July, the MEA will increase its customer base to approximately 95,000, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 120,000 metric tons in 2012. READ ON
In Sonoma County, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to move forward on a multi-jurisdictional Joint Powers Authority that will ultimately house Sonoma's Clean Power CCA program. READ ON
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LEAN ENERGY US:
In a recent interview by Sustainable City Network, LEAN Energy Executive Director Shawn Marshall elaborated on CCA's advancement of a greener grid. READ ON
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Regulatory Action: Spotlight on California
In California, where PG&E has attempted to stymie CCA formation, LEAN Energy US spearheaded establishment of the California CCA Regulatory Alliance to participate in CCA-related proceedings at the California Public Utilities Commission. The Alliance is comprised of cities and towns, environmental groups, consumer advocacy organizations, and several forward-thinking energy companies. Its first action in March was to provide detailed comments on OIR 12-02-009, an order implementing rule making pursuant to Senate Bill 790, which passed late last year. The comments are aimed at clarifying ambiguities in the proposed rules that could allow IOUs to undermine CCA expansion across the state and interfere in the formation and operation of individual CCAs. Special thanks to our friends at the Illinois Commerce Commission, whose regulations governing functional separation were used as a model in the CPUC filing. READ ON 1 READ ON 2Â
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Share Your CCA News
CCA News & Notes has a national reach. If you would like LEAN Energy to consider publishing your CCA updates and accomplishments, please email us at information@LEANenergyus.org. Don't forget to include links to your news-related documents, press releases, and news articles.
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LEAN Energy US / leanenergyus.org / 415-888-8007655 Redwood Hwy / Suite 345 / Mill Valley / CA 94941
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