"Community Choice Energy -- A California Transformation in One Decade" 

At a conference March 4, 2016, in San Jose, the Center for Climate Protection's (CCP) Executive Director Ann Hancock characterized with these words the transformation occurring across California. 

As explained here, CCP estimated the impact if communities currently considering Community Choice proceed.  Their analysis:

"The combined population of areas ...considering Community Choice programs, is about 17.6 million. If all of these had operational Community Choice programs by 2020, and ...subtract(ing) ... (those) ineligible... then about 60 percent of eligible Californians would be able to select Community Choice. This transformation would happen ten years from the time Marin Clean Energy went live."

In short, the movement has major momentum. Within view of our actions today lies a future in which Investor Owned Utilities (IOUs) become minority providers.  And community-accountable, clean energy programs become the norm, the majority and the future. 

As more evidence of this transformation, here's the status of the community choice efforts expected to launch in 2016:

• CleanPowerSF -- Launching in May 2016, CleanPowerSF has begun pre-enrollments to enthusiastic support.  CleanPowerSF will be administered by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, long-time providers to the City of San Francisco. 
• Silicon Valley Clean Energy Authority -- By March 2016, all 12 communities in the "Silicon Valley CCE Partnership" had voted to form SVCEA as a Joint Powers Authority (JPA), creating a local non-profit public agency to operate the Community Choice program.  Pending CPUC acceptance their Implementation Plan, SVCEA plans to launch fall 2016. 
  
• Peninsula Clean Energy Authority -- Encompassing the 20 communities and unincorporated areas of San Mateo County, Peninsula Clean Energy has also seen 100% of its towns pass resolutions to join the JPA. PCEA will hire its CEO by May and launch as soon thereafter as practicable. 

---

Launch dates are anticipated in 2017 for Community Choice programs in San Jose, Alameda County and towns, and MCE is likely to add communities from Contra Costa and Napa Counties.  For more information about community choice formation efforts around the state, check out the map hosted by our friends at Center for Climate Protection (CCP) in Sonoma County.  CCP hosts "Clean Power Exchange" (CPX), an awesome library of community choice progress and resources.  Check CPX's interactive map for CCA status statewide.  

Update: 2016 Projections have been exceeded by 2017's Realities.