Ten Southern California Municipalities Commit to 100 Percent Renewable Electricity

VENTURA, CA -- A total of nine cities and one county have opted to power their communities with 100 percent renewable electricity through Clean Power Alliance, a new Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties.

The cities of Culver City, Ojai, Oxnard, Rolling Hills Estates, Santa Monica, South Pasadena, Thousand Oaks, Ventura, and West Hollywood, as well as unincorporated Ventura County, have each set a 100 percent renewable electricity default through the CCA. This means all residential, business, and municipal customers will be automatically powered entirely by clean, renewable electricity in 2019 when service begins.

The ten municipalities constitute one-third of the 31 jurisdictions that will be served by Clean Power Alliance. Together, the cities and county are the largest group, with a combined population of approximately 750,000, to set a 100 percent renewable default tier to date. Additionally, Ventura County is the first county in the U.S. to set a 100 percent renewable default.

“With Ventura County and majority of its cities choosing to go with 100 percent renewable energy as the default, this region may leap ahead to become among the greenest regions in the United States next year. Cities like Oxnard know the pollution impacts from fossil fuel power plants firsthand. This move will reduce carbon emissions, pollution, increase clean energy jobs and help save the planet,” said Katie Davis, Vice-Chair of the Sierra Club Los Padres Chapter.

“The Sierra Club thanks our local leaders for their vision and courage to make our communities healthier and more resilient by being powered with 100 percent renewable energy. We look forward to continuing to work with residents and community leaders to build an equitable energy future that creates clean air and a strong local economy for all,” said David Haake, chair of the Sierra Club West Los Angeles Group.

“The decision by these ten communities to draw all of their electricity from 100 percent renewable sources (unless an individual customer chooses dirty energy for their own account) is truly ground-breaking. Overnight, they are virtually eliminating the production of harmful greenhouse gases from their energy supplies. They are setting a new standard for how local governments can respond to our climate crisis by taking immediate action to dramatically cut emissions as early as next year, with such a simple yet profoundly impactful decision. I am excited to see how this will inspire other communities that have the opportunity to participate in Community Choice Aggregators throughout California, and beyond. I look forward to a tidal wave of renewable energy coming out of this,” said Michelle Ellison, Clean Power Alliance board member representing the City of Ojai.

Last week, Mayor Kevin Faulconer of San Diego also announced his intent to move forward with a CCA to meet his city’s 100 percent clean energy goal, demonstrating Southern California’s leadership in pursuing Community Choice as an alternate energy model to traditional investor-owned utilities.

Clean Power Alliance will supply electricity to three million people across 31 communities in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. The CCA procures electricity on behalf of customers in member jurisdictions, while Southern California Edison (SCE), the local investor-owned utility, will transmit the electricity and handle billing. Customers are automatically enrolled in their city’s default plan but can choose another plan at any time. In those jurisdictions with a default of 100 percent renewable, CARE and other low-income customers will have the plan benefit at no additional cost. All customers have the option to “opt down” to a 50 percent or 36 percent renewable product, or opt out altogether and return to SCE.

These ten municipalities will be among the earliest communities powered entirely by renewable electricity when Clean Power Alliance launches in 2019 -- a full 26 years before California’s deadline of being powered by 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2045. With the addition of these jurisdictions, now 97 cities nationally are committed to being powered by 100 percent clean, renewable electricity, as well as 11 counties and two states. The full list can be viewed here.