The Marin Energy Authority this week locked in the wholesale price that it will pay Shell Energy North America over the next five years for the electricity that it will sell to its Marin customers.
At the price Shell is charging, the authority will be able to fulfill it promise to offer customers electricity that comes from 25 percent renewable sources for the same amount that Pacific Gas and Electric Co. is currently charging, said Dawn Weisz, the authority's interim director
To understand what's wrong with California's initiative process, all you need to do is look at Proposition 16 on the June 8 ballot. This outrageous measure is funded by more than $25 million from PG&E, and its sole purpose is to protect PG&E profits.
Richard Halstead, Marin IJ
The Marin Board of Supervisors on Tuesday rejected most of the findings contained in a civil grand jury report that recommended pulling the plug on the Marin Clean Energy initiative.
The initiative, a program of the Marin Energy Authority, aims at reducing greenhouse gases by offering Marin residents the opportunity to purchase electricity generated from a higher percentage of renewable sources than offered by Pacific Gas and Electric Co.
The CSAC Board of Directors voted today to oppose Prop. 16, the initiative that would limit local government’s ability to expand local energy programs. While the board was presented with both sides of the argument, their decision was relatively quick and easy. CSAC’s Agriculture & Natural Resources Policy Committee and Executive Committee had both already recommended an “oppose” position.
It was an unhappy anniversary that passed without public fanfare. But nine years ago last week, Pacific Gas & Electric Co., ravaged by the energy crisis, plunged into bankruptcy.
Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/04/11/2668460/dan-morain-pge-flips-the-switch.html#ixzz0kttFHqCa
The lead sentence in last Friday's San Francisco Chroniclearticle (headline: "PG&E Must Stop Threats To Public Power Agencies") hints at the dilemma Peter Darbee's political recklessness has created for his company and its heretofore guardian angels, the California Public Utilities Commission:
California energy regulators delivered a rare rebuke to Pacific Gas and Electric Co. on Thursday, banning some of thehardball tactics the utility has used in its efforts to derail Marin County's new public power agency.
Sacramento-area voters, responding to a Sacramento Bee-led crusade, voted in 1923 to divorce themselves from On Monday night the Belvedere City Council voted 4-1 in favor of moving the City to 100% Deep Green with Marin Clean Energy. In doing so, the Council made a statement that this is an important issue. Belvedere became the second municipality in Marin to go 100% Deep Green as part of its ratepayer choice.
On average, SMUD rates are nearly 30% lower than PG&E – in the medium commercial rate structure, SMUD rates are nearly 36% lower
SMUD has guaranteed an immediate 2% rate reduction during the time that the acquisition costs are recovered – anticipated to be five to ten years
Ed Mainland -
I was chatting with a nice Marin lady at Joe Nation's PG&E-funded "Common Sense Coalition" February 27. She doesn't believe all this global warming stuff. "There's always been carbon dioxide in the air," she said. She knows what she knows and doesn't want to know more.
Peter Darbee's Dog of an Initiative: 3 Tapeworms Eating Away at the Internal Logic of Prop. 16
On February 25, I had the privilege of testifying on Proposition 16 before the joint hearing of the California Senate Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications Committee and the California Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee. This is what I said:
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Vote no on Proposition 16
Written by Long Beach Press Telegram
Thursday, 25 March 2010 19:28
To understand what's wrong with California's initiative process, all you need to do is look at Proposition 16 on the June 8 ballot. This outrageous measure is funded by more than $25 million from PG&E, and its sole purpose is to protect PG&E profits.
Voters must say no. If they do, it will show what's right with the initiative process - and it could discourage other corporations from spending millions on transparently self-serving initiatives that in no way serve the public interest.
Former California Energy Commissioner John Geesman has been tearing it up on his blog, "PG&E Ballot Initiative Factsheet."
He just posted an excerpt from a March 1 PG&E shareholders meeting in which PG&E Corporation's CEO Peter Darbee tells the origin story of Proposition 16, the "Taxpayers Right to Vote Act." That's the June ballot measure which would make it a lot tougher for people to form or expand local public power utilities.
In his remarks, Darbee says pretty plainly that it was SMUD and the campaign for public power inYolo County that made the PG&E honchos think there must be a better way. You'll recall that in 2006, several cities (Woodland, Davis and West Sac) in Yolo invited SMUD to take over providing electricity there, hoping they could get cheaper rates and greener power.
PG&E Urging Customers to Opt Out of Marin CCA - Is it legal?
Written by Mark Nero, with California Current
Tuesday, 23 March 2010 14:40
Pacific Gas & Electric is denying charges that it's offering its Marin County customers perks like free appliances and reduced rates in exchange for not leaving the utility for a new community choice aggregation (CCA) program.
Some utility customers in Marin County say that they've received mailers and phone calls in recent weeks offering lower rates, free appliances, home weatherization, and other services from the utility. These communications have come at the same time that PG&E has started a mailer and phone campaign to encourage people to opt out of a new, county-run CCA that's expected to begin service May 7.
Several Energy Experts Call on the CPUC to Demand PG&E Return of Ratepayer Money to Rightful Owners
Written by Jeff Shields
Sunday, 21 March 2010 12:40
SSJID Vows to Make Its Case in PG&E's CPUC General Rate Case Proceeding
MANTECA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--South San Joaquin Irrigation District (SSJID) General Manager Jeff Shields testified at a March 17 California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) hearing addressing the District's concerns with the Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) funded Proposition 16 initiative on the June ballot which would require a publicly-owned electric utility to obtain a two-thirds voter approval prior to expending funds to provide or expand electric delivery service.
Last month, SSJID's board of directors joined AARP, League of Cities, League of Women's Voters and many other utilities and irrigation districts who have passed resolutions opposing Proposition 16 including: the Northern California Power Authority, and the Cities of Palo Alto, Lompoc and Redding.
Date: 3-17-2010. Topic: PG&E's Prop 16. Place: The steps of the California Public Utilities Commission. A press conference co-sponsored by the Local Clean Energy Alliance and the Greenlining Institute featuring David Room and Colin Miller. A rally sponsored by the Local Clean Energy Alliance. Song, signs and get-em-there organizing by Megan Matson of Mainstreet Moms. Speakers: TURN representative Mark Toney; San Francisco Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi.