Santa Rosa, CA – The Climate Protection Campaign today applauded the news that Sonoma Clean Power’s projected rates for greener power will be competitive with PG&E’s. This news comes from the Sonoma County Water Agency’s preliminary analysis of eleven bids submitted by private energy service companies that want to supply power to Sonoma County.
“Sonoma County will have a choice!” said Ann Hancock, Executive Director of the Climate Protection Campaign. The Santa Rosa-based organization has worked to advance Sonoma Clean Power since 2005 when the organization’s analysis identified Community Choice as the most powerful tool under local control for significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions
According to the new information, a typical business paying $2542 per month under PG&E will pay an estimated $2462 to $2555 with Sonoma Clean Power. A typical resident paying $96.56 with PG&E will pay an estimated $94.83 to $97.58 with Sonoma Clean Power. These estimates fall well within the acceptable threshold for most consumers, according to market surveys about Sonoma Clean Power conducted last year with businesses and residents.
“This should put to rest the myth that clean energy can’t be affordable. It is extremely gratifying to see it all coming together,” she added.
Sonoma Clean Power is an emerging not-for-profit local electricity service provider that for the first time in years will offer businesses and residents of Sonoma County a choice for electricity service.
If the program is launched in early 2014, as is currently projected, electricity bill-payers in participating cities and the unincorporated portion of Sonoma County will be enrolled into the program. They can choose to stay with Sonoma Clean Power by doing nothing or choose PG&E by opting out of Sonoma Clean Power.
“This bodes very well for Sonoma Clean Power’s prospects for success and its ability to offer Sonoma County residents a cleaner mix of power at about the same rate,” said Hancock. “Our mission is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Sonoma County, and happily, we find that doing so in the electricity sector also offers opportunities for the business community and other local economic benefits like jobs, as long as the program includes a robust local energy resource development component,” she continued.
Woody Hastings, Renewable Energy Implementation Manager for the Climate Protection Campaign, pointed out, “The Request for Proposals from the Water Agency was carried out in order to provide these rate estimates to Sonoma County cities who asked for this information. It is now up to each city to adopt a resolution to join the Sonoma Clean Power Authority. By doing so, cities enable their constituents to make their own choice about their electricity provider.”
April 18, 2013
For further information, contact Woody Hastings
707-525-1665, ext. 117
