Use Green Electricity

It is automatic in SLO with CCCE!

This article explains what Community Choice Aggregation is and provides you answers to frequently asked questions about enrollment in green power.

Community Choice Aggregation (CCA), also known as Community Choice Energy (CCE), is an alternative to the investor owned utility energy supply system in which local entities in the United States aggregate the buying power of individual customers within a defined jurisdiction in order to secure alternative energy supply contracts.

Residents of San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay began service from our local CCA on January 1, 2020. Most other cities in the county as well as other neighboring counties join CCCE on January 1, 2020.

The CCA chooses the power generation source on behalf of the consumers. By aggregating purchasing power, they are able to create large contracts with generators, something individual buyers may be unable to do. The main goals of CCAs have been to both lower costs for consumers and to allow consumers greater control of their energy mix, mainly by offering “greener” generation portfolios than local utilities.

Central Coast Community Energy (CCCE) is our local aggregator. Resources such as wind, solar, and hydroelectric which do not produce greenhouse gases are considered carbon free, and the power generated from these resources is considered carbon-free energy. Nuclear power is also classified as carbon-free. However, CCCE is not including it in its portfolio.

Using green electricity immediately removes up to 20% of your current carbon footprint. Under state law, you are automatically opted into this program, however, you may chose to opt-out and remain with the traditional utility. Once established, CCAs become the default service provider for the power mix delivered to customers. In a CCA service territory, the incumbent utility continues to own and maintain the transmission and distribution infrastructure, metering, and billing.

CCAs have set a number of national green power and climate protection records while reducing power bills nationwide.

You may have questions such as whether your special rate programs are affected. They aren’t. You can find answers to many questions here: https://3cenergy.org/#faqs

Here’s the document produced by the city which explains the timeline of how this program is developing. http://www.slocity.org/home/showdocument?id=21572

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