Orange County Power Authority Invites Laguna Beach to Join
“Now is an ideal time for Laguna Beach to join OCPA [Orange County Power Authority], whether independently or alongside several other cities considering membership. OCPA has proven its financial stability and successfully procures renewable energy for its ratepayers while offering cost-effective options. By partnering with OCPA, Laguna Beach can provide its residents and businesses access to cleaner energy and potential savings, furthering the city’s well-established commitment to environmental stewardship.”
So wrote Dr. Kathleen Treseder to me a few days ago. Treseder is a nationally prominent biologist and climate science professor at UC Irvine. This brilliant scientist and civic leader is also on the city of Irvine’s City Council and serves on the board of directors of the Orange County Power Authority. Our City Council should invite her to speak very soon to our staff, local officials and citizenry in Laguna Beach about Community Choice Aggregation/Energy (CCA/E). Readers, please join me in requesting this.
I was told by one of our council members last year that City Hall would be sponsoring lectures on this timely topic and related ones. So far, nothing has happened. Perhaps because of this, our city’s possible membership in OCPA has been postponed by at least a year because a one-year wait period is required after our council would apply for membership in the cleaner energy, non-profit consortium serving our county. Meanwhile, I’m pleased to say, the City of Fountain Valley has just successfully completed its first reading of a measure to join OCPA.
I spoke with Dr. Treseder and other OCPA officials yesterday (Oct. 3) at the agency’s new headquarters in Irvine. The occasion was a celebration of about two years of the energy consortium’s work. Approximately 150 guests, including mayors, other officials in the county, and community activists attended. CEO Joe Mosca provided an inspiring overview of OCPA’s work. He mentioned its 175,000 customers. “Basic Choice” is one of three energy options offered; accordingly, OCPA procures for its customers at least 44 percent clean (non-fossil fuel-generated electricity) at a saving of 3 percent LOWER than Southern California Edison’s rates. In the aggregate, Basic Choice customers have saved $2.5 million in their electricity bills in recent years and have prevented 2 billion pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. Mosca said that that was equivalent to removing 221,000 petroleum-fueled vehicles from the road.
Accolades for the agency have been pouring in. Here’s a sampler. For the second year in a row OCPA has been recognized as one of the nation’s top procurers of green energy by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Other recognitions include: an Environmental, Social, Governance Honoree (Orange County Business Council); Sustainability Advocate of the Year (Asian Business Association of Orange County); and OCPA CEO Joe Mosca has been recognized among the 125 Most Influential People in Orange County. And on and on.
The key point is that OCPA is in the vanguard of combatting climate change by procuring for customers affordable, cleaner energy. Much of California—reputedly, America’s most environmental state—is currently being powered by agencies like OCPA. This includes many cities in San Diego and Los Angeles counties. Orange County cities have been “the hole in the donut.” The good news is that Irvine, Fullerton, and Buena Park (with Fountain Valley in the queue) have wisely chosen Community Choice Aggregation/Energy to meet the challenges of a warming world.
Laguna Beach, long regarded as an environmental leader in Orange County, should get onboard with CCA/E, in effect, engage in “best practices,” as climate change-induced drought and wildfires repeatedly remind us to quickly move to renewables. Because municipalities greatly impact carbon emissions, please contact our City Council members and urge them to accept OCPA’s invitation to join.
Tom Osborne is an environmental historian who chaired the work group that wrote Laguna Beach’s Climate Protection Action Plan (2009). With his wife, Ginger, he co-leads the Laguna chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby. tomosborne@cox.net
