Central Coast Community Energy updates San Benito supervisors on renewables, storage and local programs

Central Coast Community Energy briefed the San Benito County Board of Supervisors Sept. 23 on the agency’s progress toward supplying renewable electricity and expanding customer programs.

3CE Community Relations Manager Sofia Schwartzke told the board that the public power agency supplies clean and renewable energy to about 1.2 million people across 30 cities and five counties, representing roughly 94% of eligible customers. She said 3CE already has contracts to supply about 69% of its total load with renewable energy by October 2028 and is pursuing additional contracts to raise that share further.

Schwartzke said battery storage is a central part of keeping renewable power reliable and affordable. She cited recent heat-wave days to show how batteries capture solar during the day and discharge in the evening to avoid higher fossil‑fuel use and reduce the need for flex alerts. She said 3CE invests only in outdoor, containerized systems built to National Fire Protection Association codes and local fire marshal oversight and highlighted new technologies such as the Willow Rock compressed‑air storage project, which 3CE expects will provide 200 megawatts for its customers once online.

The presentation listed projects 3CE has funded or contracted (Athena, Atlas and Victory Pass solar-plus-storage among them) that together will supply renewable power enough for about 263,003 customer homes, and noted that last year 3CE delivered enough renewable energy to power roughly 350,000 homes and avoided CO2 emissions equivalent to taking about 105,000 gas-powered cars off the road. Schwartzke said the unincorporated parts of San Benito County have received nearly $80,000 through 3CE programs to date.

3CE also described customer-facing incentives: an Electrify Your Ride rebate of up to $4,000 toward an electric vehicle purchase, programs to lower costs for home electrification and appliances, and annual funding (up to $300,000 per member agency) for fleet electrification and charger installs. Schwartzke said 3CE’s customer service line supports more than 150 languages and that 3CE has expanded bilingual staffing and translated outreach for underserved communities. She named Anna Capstick as a member‑agency programs analyst working with county staff on fleet and charger assistance.

Board members asked about federal policy and timing. Schwartzke warned of pending changes in federal tax credits, saying that some federal vehicle and home energy credits are scheduled to lapse at federal deadlines this year: EV credits after Sept. 30 and home energy credits after Dec. 31 (as stated in her remarks). She urged residents considering electrification to act promptly to combine federal and 3CE incentives and said 3CE would continue outreach to ensure residents know what rebates are available.

Supervisors also pressed for a county‑level accounting of 3CE program dollars; Schwartzke agreed to provide a full breakdown of investments and to work with county staff on public outreach. Supervisors discussed resource adequacy charges, which 3CE staff said make up about one‑third of energy costs and are a priority issue for 3CE advocacy in Sacramento and Washington, D.C.

Why it matters: 3CE supplies electricity for San Benito customers and manages programs and investments that affect local electrification, resilience and rates. The conversation highlighted battery storage as a resilience tool and underscored near‑term federal deadlines that could affect local take‑up of rebates and upgrades.

Looking ahead: Supervisors asked for a countywide summary of 3CE program benefits and follow‑up outreach to promote incentives such as fleet funding, EV rebates and home electrification offers.