Residents Eligible for Solar, Wind, Hydropower Options
Beginning next month, San Jose Clean Energy will provide more than 300,000 residential and commercial electricity customers with clean carbon-free power options at competitive prices.
SAN JOSE—Beginning next month, San Jose Clean Energy will provide more than 300,000 residential and commercial electricity customers with clean carbon-free power options at competitive prices, from sources such as solar, wind and hydropower. San Jose Clean Energy is the new electricity generation nonprofit service provider for San Jose residents and businesses. The nonprofit is governed by the city council and operated by the San Jose Community Energy Department/SJCE.
At the August 29, 2017 city council meeting, the city council approved the SJCE implementation plan discussing the funding strategy to obtain power supply contracts, established the SJCE operating fund, and approved the establishment of various revenue estimates and expenditure appropriations for city departments including the Community Energy Department to facilitate the initial operations of SJCE. On January 30, 2018, the city council approved revisions to the launch schedules, reducing the number of launches from three to two. Phase I launch (city accounts) began September 1, 2018 and Phase II (residential and commercial accounts) was set to begin on March 1, 2019, now revised to February 1, 2019.
On February 27, 2018, the city council approved the professional services agreement for data management and customer call center services with Calpine Energy Solutions LLC for SJCE for a period of two years from the date of execution. On March 27, 2018, the city council approved the scheduling coordinator, portfolio management and optimization service agreement with Northern California Power Authority. On May 1, 2018, the city council approved the risk management policy for the supply contracts entered into by the city.
On June 12, 2018, the city council adopted a resolution authorizing the director of community energy to negotiate and execute energy supply contracts for Phase I using the WSPP agreement in an amount not to exceed $3 million in aggregate, approved initial electric generation rates for Phase I and approved 2017-2018 budget adjustments to fund these energy supply contracts in the San Jose Clean Energy Fund. During the June 12, 2018 update to the city council, the next steps were outlined to successfully launch Phase II including the approval of energy supply contracts for Phase II (residential and commercial accounts).
On August 14, 2018, the city council authorized the director of community energy or her designee to enter into contracts for November 2018 through December 2019, using the WSPP and EEI agreements in an amount not to exceed $35 million, subject to approval of the risk oversight committee for contracts of more than $1 million.
On September 18, 2018, the city council authorized the director of community energy or her designee to negotiate and execute contracts for calendar year 2019 for renewable energy and RECs, to meet San Jose Clean Energy’s minimum compliance obligations pursuant to the California Renewable Portfolio Standard using the EEI agreement or the WSPP agreement in an amount not to exceed $32 million in aggregate.