The cities of San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay are joining Monterey Bay Community Power’s (MBCP) community choice energy (CCE) program.
The MBCP board voted unanimously Wednesday to welcome the two cities into the program, which will become the cities’ primary provider of electricity.
The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, invest in renewable energy projects and programs, and lower electricity rates for customers. PG&E will still distribute power to the cities but that electricity will come from renewable sources, such as wind, solar and hydro-power.
In September, city officials voted to approve community choice energy. The original plan was for the cities of San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay to create their own CCE program, but officials say a recent California Public Utilities Commission ruling changed a fee on CCE customers that would have made a new program too costly. Instead, the two cities decided to join the MBCP program.
San Luis Obispo city officials say CCE will help the city reach its goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2035.
“The carbon free electricity provided by Monterey Bay Community Power allows us to achieve our 2020 greenhouse gas reduction targets and will be the foundation for our path to carbon neutrality,” said Chris Read, San Luis Obispo Sustainability Manager, in a statement released Wednesday.
MBCP electricity service will reportedly begin locally in January 2020.
Previous coverage:
City of SLO moves toward becoming carbon neutral with plan to swap energy sources
