Redondo Beach to join regional power program
Despite the efforts of Councilman Nils Nerhenheim, the Redondo Beach City Council will move ahead with a plan to join a regional electrical power program.
The City Council’s 4-1 vote came as the only significant item on the night’s Open Meeting agenda, and was a hold-over from the Council’s Jan. 17 meeting.
At issue was Mayor Bill Brand’s veto of a 3-2 decision to join Clean Power Alliance of Southern California, formerly known as Los Angeles Community Choice energy, an LA County-developed program intended to offer member communities the option to purchase utility services other than from Southern California Edison. Advocates of the program, and similar Community Choice Aggregation programs say customers will have lower rates due to competition with investor-owned utilities such as SCE. Customers will also be given the choice to purchase power from renewable generators in greater amounts.
Twenty-five cities have joined the program, which will also include unincorporated areas of LA County, and LA County government buildings. Redondo’s membership automatically enrolls all residents into the program, with the option to opt out and continue buying power from SCE.
Brand’s Dec. 21 veto of the Council’s resolution to join came following a letter to the Manhattan Beach City Council, warning of potential effects from a resolution proposed by the California Public Utilities Commission. The resolution would have altered rules for new and expanding CCA programs, delayed CPASC’s start date, and set in place additional financial concerns regarding exit fees for member governments.
In response to feedback, including a letter of opposition sent by the City of Redondo Beach, the CPUC amended the resolution to allow for CPASC to start rolling out to member cities before 2019.
Nehenheim has been a vocal opponent of the concept since its first discussion, citing a distrust of the group’s large board of directors.
“Where are we going to have local control when we’re on such a huge regional board with so many other seats?” Nehrenheim asked.
His extensive comments and questions appeared almost as a sparring session with CPASC representative Bill Carnahan, in which Nehrenheim again expressed his favor for the collapsed South Bay Clean Power regional CCA effort.
Planning Commissioner Rolf Strutzenberg, speaking as a resident, wasn’t a fan of the plan, either.
“A common term in business is ‘getting the other side pregnant’ in the deal. Once you’re pregnant, you’re in,” Strutzenberg said. “This may be a good idea in the future, but CCAs are like classic Mormon polygamists — get as many pregnant as they can. If you want to be a sister-wife, go ahead. I don’t think you should.”
However, their vehemence, and arguments that the City was taking undue risk with the power agency, found no audience with other members of the Council. Nehrenheim was the lone dissenting vote.