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Home My WebLink About2021-02-18; Clean Energy Alliance JPA; ; Approve Clean Energy Alliance Customer Outreach StrategyOW- CLEAN ENERGY ALLIANCE Staff Report DATE: February 18, 2021 TO: Clean Energy Alliance Board of Directors FROM: Barbara Boswell, Interim Chief Executive Officer ITEM 6: Approve Clean Energy Alliance Customer Outreach Strategy RECOMMENDATION Approve customer outreach strategy. BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION In anticipation of its May/June 2021 launch, Clean Energy Alliance (CEA) is developing a customer outreach strategy designed to inform customers about the benefits of being a customer of CEA, its goals, options available to customers and how CEA compares to SDG&E. There are two elements to the outreach: •Regulatory Compliance •Communicating Benefits of CEA Regulatory Compliance Customers are automatically enrolled in a California Choice Energy Authority (CCA) as directed by Public Utilities Code Section 366.2. In order to ensure customers are aware of the automatic enrollment and the customer's right to opt out and stay with San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), four (4) notices are required to be provided to the customers. The timing of these notices is: 15t within 60 days of enrollment, 2"d within 30 days of enrollment, 3rd within 30 days after enrollment and 4t" within 60 days after enrollment. Attached (Attachment A) is the draft of the 1st notice to go out in March to customers being enrolled in May 2021. The r d and forth mailer will contain the same information in a smaller black and white version. The 3rd mailer will be in a form of a welcome letter to customers who have been enrolled. The content of the mailers is largely dictated by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), and the terms and conditions portion was approved as part of CEA's CCA Registration process in March 2020. While the mailers meet regulatory requirements, they do not do a great job of communicating the benefits of being a CEA customer, with the goal of reducing opt outs. In recognition of this shortfall of the required mailers, CEA is developing an outreach strategy. February 18, 2021 Customer Outreach Strategy Page 2 of 2 At its special meeting on February 4, 2021, the CEA Community Advisory Committee (CAC) focused on the customer outreach strategy and provided their input, which is reflected in the proposed strategy below: •Monitor Social Media for CEA discussions and address misinformation o Develop talking points on typical areas of misinformation and confusion for CEA Board and CAC •Beginning in March post regular topics to CEA's social media outlets that touch on benefits of CEA, including: o Key initiative in meeting Green-House Gas Reduction goals in Climate Action Plans •Minimum 50% renewable energy increasing to 100% by 2035 o Local Control •Decision making by local elected officials o Economic Development Opportunities I Investment of available revenues in local projects and programs o Development of local programs designed to meet local community's priorities and needs o Competition •Alternative to SDG&E where currently there is none •Hold Town Hall style meetings (virtual) led by Board Member to answer questions from public regarding CEA •Hold virtual "house parties" with key community groups o Groups such as Sierra Club o School Districts o Other community groups on an as requested basis •Meet 1:1 with top customers •Other activities as identified and directed by the CEA Board The strategy as proposed is intended to increase the awareness of CEA, its mission, and inform customer decision making. FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact from this action. ATTACHMENTS Clean Energy Alliance Customer Notice #1 \ / ENERGY ODD \.]0 111P_ 11 1°T1- CLEAN ENERGY. MORE CHOICES. LOCALLY CONTROLLED. On May 1,2021, residents of Carlsbad, Del Mar and Solana Beach will have a new default energy provider: Clean Energy Alliance (CEA). CEA, a locally controlled not-for-profit entity also known as a Community Choice Energy program, will offer clean power at competitive rates. CEA was formed by the cities of Carlsbad, Del Mar and Solana Beach to help meet the goats of each municipality's Climate Action Plan.The program will be locally managed and available exclusively to residents and businesses within the three cities. The program is governed by the CEA Board of Directors, made up of elected officials from each city. Clean Energy Alliance O purchases power directly from power providers and/or builds energy generation sources. For more information, please visit our website at CleanEnergyAlliance.org or call. (###) ###—####. Si le gustaria recibir este aviso en espanot, visite TheCteanEnergyAttiance,orgiespana! a [lame (###)###-#### How it Works CEA buys electricity and San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) continues to deliver it to your home. Local control over buying energy allows CEA to make better investments in clean power. SDG&E wilt continue to handle bitting and delivery to homes and businesses. Benefits Because CEA is a locally managed, not-for-profit entity, any excess revenue generated by CEA will be reinvested in the community through innovative energy projects, rebate programs and other incentives. CEA is designed to empower the local community through local control, clean power, competitive rates, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and more. By default, customers will be enrolled in a base 50% renewable energy plan with the option to opt up to a 100% renewable energy plan. Customers may also choose to opt out and remain with SDG&E. For more information on how to opt up or opt out, please visit thecteanenergyaltiance.org or call • SDG&E delivers energy, 0 handles billing and serves customers. You receive energy k.:.*_•.," at competitive rates. Si le gustaria recibir este aviso en espanol, visite TheaeanEnergyAlliance.org/espanol o !lame Clean EnergyAlliance will become the Default Electric Provider in the cities of Carlsbad and Del Mar (Beginning May 2021) Attention Carlsbad and Dei Mar Residents & Businesses In May 2021, Clean Energy Alliance (CEA) will replace San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) as your default provider for the power generation portion of your electric service. CEA is a local power supply program that will work in partnership with SDG&E to bring you electricity from renewable sources. SDG&E will continue to deliver power to your home or business, maintain the grid and all equipment, open and close accounts, provide billing and collection of payments, and provide customer service and field service (including during power outages). There will be no change to automatic payments or level rate pay plans. ENROLLMENT: Beginning May 2021, CEA will become the default electric power provider within the cities of Carlsbad and Del Mar. You will be automatically enrolled in CEA's default program on that date. If you would like to continue as an SDG&E customer for energy and do not want to be automatically enrolled with CEA, you must opt out of the automatic enrollment. To opt out,without penalty, you must call or visit our website at www.TheCleanEnergyAlliance. org by within 60 days of starting service with CEA. You may also call or visit our website for additional information. You only need to take action if you want to opt out and remain an SDG&E customer. OPT OUT: You have the right to opt out of CEA. If you decide to opt out and return to SDG&E after the 60-day opt out period, SDG&E will charge a one-time account processing fee. By opting out, you will also be subject to SDG&E's then current rates and terms and conditions of service. For details on SDG&E's rates and terms and conditions, please visit SDG&E.com.You will not be charged any fees if you opt out within the first 60 days after your automatic enrollment with CEA or if you cancel electric service altogether (for example, if you move). If you opt out, you will still be charged for all electricity you used before the transfer of electric service. Accounts will be transferred on the day the electric meter is read and cannot be transferred during the middle of a billing cycle. In order for your request to be processed on your next meter read date, your request must be received at least 5 business days prior to the date on which the meter is read. To opt out, please call CEA or visit TheCleanEnergyAlliance.org. Have your electric bill handy so that we can process the request. BILLING: Each month, CEA customers receive a single monthly bill from SDG&E. This bill includes all recent electric charges, including CEAs power generation charges. For your convenience, SDG&E forwards the power generation portion of the payment to CEA. SDG&E will continue to charge you for the transmission and delivery services they provide. FAILURE TO PAY: CEA may transfer your account back to SDG&E upon 14 calendar days' written notice to you if you fail to pay any portion of the CEA charges on your bill. If your service is transferred, you may be subject to additional requirements by SDG&E. CLEAN ENERGY ALLIANCE 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive Carlsbad, CA 92008 CARE PROGRAM: If you are currently enrolled in the California Alternative Rates for Energy (CARE) program, you will continue to receive all CARE benefits and discounts upon enrollment in CEA. If you are interested in joining the CARE program for low-income adults, please visit SDG&E.com TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE: CEA electric generation rates can be reviewed at TheCteanEnergyAlliance.org or by calling (ttit#) #titi-uitita. Any changes to CEA rates will be adopted at duty noticed public meetings of the Clean Energy Alliance. SDG&E also charges CEA customers authorized fees for delivering power to your home or business and for providing other services. These components of your electric bill are the same whether you buy electricity from CEA or SDG&E. PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE 'PAID MINUTEMAN PRESS