Public Takeover of PG&E: A Radically Common-Sense Proposal

By Johanna Bozuwa | January 17, 2019 | Truthout
 
California’s large investor-owned utility, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), announced it would be filing for bankruptcy by the end of the month after being faced with $30 billion in damages related to a series of fires over the past two years, including last fall’s deadly Camp Fire, which was allegedly sparked by the utility’s old, faulty transmission lines.
 
That fire killed 86 people, destroyed 14,000 homes in the town of Paradise, and stands as the deadliest and most destructive fire in the state’s history.

Jessica got a Roddenberry Fellowship!

Local Clean Energy Alliance organizer, Jessica Tovar, is a 2019 Roddenberry Fellow! Jessica and Local Clean Energy Alliance are being recognized for our groundbreaking work in establishing East Bay Community Energy,  Alameda County’s brand new public energy service provider. Jessica’s fellowship project is to ensure East Bay Community Energy meets its commitment to developing local clean energy resources to provide environmental, economic, and social justice benefits to our community. 
 
The Roddenberry Fellowship supports 20 activists, organizers, leaders, and changemakers who are working to make the US a more inclusive and equitable place to live. 

Energy Democracy Tour Wraps Up

For climate justice advocates, democratizing energy—not just decarbonizing it—is key to an equitable, sustainable future. This is why we organized the Energy Democracy National Tour last year to highlight the work local communities are doing to take in their own hands the responsibility of building a cleaner and more equitable future.
 
The Tour has now concluded! We are thrilled to invite you to take a minute to review the Tour’s report on our organizing efforts and accomplishments

KPFA: Activists' Efforts to Make PG&E More Accountable to the People of California

According to the Clean Power Exchange website, 17 counties in California have community energy programs that are launched and serving customers. And many more counties have taken steps to move in the direction of community energy. On the Talkies on January 9, we talked about community energy, what it's all about, PG&E, and activists' efforts to make PG&E more accountable to the people of California... 

State Threatens Viability of East Bay Green Energy Program

By Jean Tepperman | January 9, 2019 | East Bay Express
 
Just as Alameda County was launching a new, publicly owned electricity service offering greener electricity at lower prices than PG&E, state regulators put a big new obstacle in its path. A little-noticed decision in October by the California Public Utilities Commission will raise the monthly "exit fee" that customers of East Bay Community Energy and other "community choice" programs have to pay to utility companies like PG&E.

Community choice aggregation can accelerate local solar growth in cities and counties

By |

When people buy a new home in a different city, they’re typically given the phone number of the investor-owned utility (IOU) that will serve them. They know they must call this one provider, supply payment information and set up service if they want the lights to turn on in their new home.

But in seven states, homeowners could instead have a menu of different local, green energy options to choose from instead of one IOU.

Launch of a People Powered Solar Cooperative

The Local Clean Energy Alliance has been working closely with the Sustainable Economies Law Center alongside other community organizations to design a cooperative that engages everyday people – like YOU – to co-own, develop, and steward our community’s critical assets: permanently-owned renewable energy. 

Alameda County is officially powered by East Bay Community Energy

East Bay Community Energy (EBCE) is now the official electricity provider for Alameda County*, soon serving over 1.5 million people! EBCE joins the ranks of nearly 20 public, non-profit Community Choice energy agencies now serving residents and businesses across California.

CPUC Attacks Community Choice

On October 11 the five Commissioners of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)—in a move that directly undermines Community Choice energy programs in California—unanimously approved a dramatic increase in the on-going departing load charge (the PCIA) levied on Community Choice customers.  
 
Before a full house of speakers opposed to the measure (except for a couple representatives of a utility front group), the Commissioners not only rejected the results of a year-long CPUC proceeding, but also rejected a storm of protest that led up to their decision. The protest included a letter signed by over 120 elected officials and over five hundred letters of protest written to the Commissioners and California legislators.

Energy Democracy Tour Concludes

The Energy Democracy National Tour 2018 has concluded! This inaugural Tour weaves various energy democracy efforts into a fabric that represents a national political current of historic significance. Tour events began in April and continued through October, with 20 stops from Portland, Oregon to Atlanta, Georgia. 
 

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