The San Diego City Council voted Tuesday to ratify a proposal to provide electricity to residents in five cities via a joint-powers authority and appointed Councilwoman Monica Mongomery as director of the JPA board.
The council first approved an ordinance implementing public sector energy service on Sept. 17, as well as a resolution authorizing Mayor Kevin Faulconer to establish the JPA, formally titled the San Diego Regional Community Choice Energy Authority. A second ratifying vote on the ordinance was required, per the city charter.
The council voted 7-1, with Councilman Scott Sherman absent, to approve the ordinance and 8-0 to appoint Montgomery and Councilwoman Jennifer Campbell as director and alternate director, respectively. Their terms will run through Oct. 1, 2020.
“The most important goal is to put into practice our city’s climate action plan,” Montgomery said. “I also want to ensure that all communities, including communities of concern, benefit environmentally and economically from the (SDRCCEA).”
The five cities involved in the JPA intend to submit the proposal for the SDRCCEA to the California Public Utilities Commission by the end of the year to remain on schedule to provide energy by 2021. The board is scheduled to meet for the first time later this month and, later this year, will select a banking partner and a vendor from which to buy energy.
City officials have estimated the program could have a total net income of $1.75 billion from 2020 to 2035, with an average annual income of roughly $110 million. The city also estimates that it could reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 50% by 2035 through the community choice program.