The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2020-09-17; Clean Energy Alliance JPA; ; Clean Energy Alliance 2020 Legislative and Regulatory Policy PlatformClean Energy Alliance JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY Staff Report DATE: September 17, 2020 TO: Clean Energy Alliance Board of Directors FROM: Barbara Boswell, Interim Chief Executive Officer ITEM 6: Clean Energy Alliance 2020 Legislative and Regulatory Policy Platform RECOMMENDATION: Review, provide input and approve Clean Energy Alliance 2020 Legislative and Regulatory Policy Platform. BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION: The proposed 2020 Legislative and Regulatory Policy Platform (Platform) will serve as a guide to the CEA Board and staff in their advocacy efforts related to policy matters of interest at the state legislature and California Public Utilities Commission. It allows both Board Members and staff to pursue actions at the legislative and regulatory levels in a consistent manner and with the understanding that they are pursuing actions in the best interest of CEA and its mission, member agencies and customers. It will provide guidance to the Chief Executive Officer on the support or oppose positions that should be taken on legislative and regulatory matters that come before the California Community Choice Association (CaICCA) Board of Directors. The proposed Platform was developed to be consistent with the CEA Joint Powers Authority (JPA) Agreement. Specifically, the JPA Agreement identifies the following purposes of CEA: • Procuring/developing electrical energy for customers; • Addressing climate change by reducing energy -related greenhouse gas emissions; • Promoting electrical rate price stability and cost savings; • Fostering consumer choice; • Local economic development, such as job creation, local energy programs and local power development. The four basic principles were developed to ensure CEA's ability to achieve its purposes as stated above. The Platform is centered around these principles: 1. Protecting CEA's local control for the purpose of preserving the ability to self -procure its power resources, to self -determine its rates and the energy programs it offers its residents, businesses and the communities it serves, through the mechanisms of local governance. 2. Ensuring fair treatment of CEA customers by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and other state agencies. 3. Supporting recognition that electricity is an essential service and that CEA should have the ability to set electric rates that are affordable and competitive to the utilities. Sept. 17, 2020 Item #6 Page 1 of 4 September 17, 2020 Legislative & Regulatory Policy Platform Page 2 of 2 4. Pursuing environmental initiatives that exceed minimum State mandates, promote the growth in renewable energy capacity at the local level, encourage clean energy adoption by CEA customers, and reduce fossil fuel dependency. The Platform establishes the following positions: CEA will support legislation and regulatory actions which enables, protects and enhances the development and expansion of Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) programs, and that supports CCA independence in procurement, program deployment, management and decision making. CEA will support legislation and regulatory actions which allows CEA to develop and procure local energy generation resources to meet the needs of its electric customers. CEA will support legislation and regulatory actions which promote a neutral, fair and competitive energy market. CEA will oppose legislation and regulatory actions that jeopardize CEA's independence to self -procure its power resources, determine its rates and the energy programs it provides to its customers in the present, or could restrict its independence to do so in the future. The Platform is to be returned to the CEA Board for review and update in January each year. FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact by this action. ATTACHMENTS: Attachment A -Proposed 2020 Legislative and Regulatory Policy Platform Sept. 17, 2020 Item #6 Page 2 of 4 Clean Energy Alliance CEA -10 JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY 2020 Legislative and Regulatory Policy Platform The Clean Energy Alliance (CEA) Board of Directors desires to establish the 2020 Legislative and Regulatory Policy Platform to guide the CEA Board and staff in their advocacy efforts and engagement on policy matters of interest to CEA. The Platform allows both Board members and staff to pursue actions at the legislative and regulatory levels in a consistent manner and with the understanding that they are pursuing actions in the best interest of CEA and its mission, its member agencies and its customers. The Platform enables the organization to move swiftly to respond to legislative and regulatory events. The Platform also provides guidance to the Chief Executive Officer on the support or oppose positions that should be taken on legislative and regulatory matters that come before the California Community Choice Association (CaICCA) Board of Directors. Unless otherwise approved by the Board, all CEA positions on individual bills will be presented to the Board for approval. For urgent legislative or regulatory matters where time is of the essence, the Chief Executive Officer, with Board Chair concurrence, will take a position, consistent with the Policy Platform and report the action to the full Board at the next Board meeting. Policy Principles CEA supports legislation and regulatory actions that enables, protects and enhances CEA's priorities and ability to serve its customers as determined by the CEA Board of Directors. The Legislative and Regulatory Policy Platform is centered around four basic principles: 1. Protecting CEA's local control for the purpose of preserving the ability to self -procure its power resources, to self -determine its rates and the energy programs it offers its residents, businesses and the communities it serves, through the mechanisms of local governance. 2. Ensuring fair treatment of CEA customers by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and other state agencies. 3. Supporting recognition that electricity is an essential service and that CEA should have the ability to set electric rates that are affordable and competitive to the utilities. 4. Pursuing environmental initiatives that exceed minimum State mandates, promote the growth in renewable energy capacity at the local level, encourage clean energy adoption by CEA customers, and reduce fossil fuel dependency. CEA will support legislation and regulatory actions which enables, protects and enhances the development and expansion of Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) programs, and that Adopted Legislative and Regulatory Policy Platform September 17, 2020 Clean Energy Alliance JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY CEA - 10 supports CCA independence in procurement, program deployment, management and decision making. CEA will support legislation and regulatory actions which allows CEA to develop and procure local energy generation resources to meet the needs of its electric customers. CEA will support legislation and regulatory actions which promote a neutral, fair and competitive energy market. CEA will oppose legislation and regulatory actions that jeopardize CEA's independence to self - procure its power resources, determine its rates and the energy programs it provides to its customers in the present, or could restrict its independence to do so in the future. The Legislative and Regulatory Policy Platform is to be reviewed and updated every January. Adopted Legislative and Regulatory Policy Platform September 17, 2020