Fillmore council OKs $10,000 feasibility study to explore joining Clean Power Alliance

Fillmore City Council voted 3–2, with one member recorded as opposed, to authorize the city’s participation in a feasibility study to evaluate joining the Clean Power Alliance (CPA) and approved a $10,000 transfer from the general fund to pay for the analysis.

The study will collect local customer and load data, compare projected CPA and Southern California Edison (SCE) rates, and assess operational and customer-notification requirements. Southern California Edison and representatives from CPA attended the meeting to answer council questions and explain how an affiliation would work alongside SCE distribution services.

The council’s decision came after a staff report that summarized outreach to other jurisdictions already served by CPA and after a presentation by Natalie Yanez, a government affairs representative for SCE. Yanez told the council SCE takes a neutral stance toward community choice aggregators so long as reliability and customer protections are maintained: “We are very neutral when it comes to a community choice aggregator. As long as the customers are all treated fairly and greater reliability and the safety are preserved, then we have a neutral stance.”

CPA officials described participation and opt-out mechanics. CPA’s representative said participation rates across CPA service territory average about 93 percent, meaning most eligible customers remain with CPA after automatic enrollment. The CPA representative also explained the “power charge indifference adjustment” (PCIA), a state-mandated mechanism that allocates certain legacy power-contract costs when customers shift away from investor-owned utilities.

Dozens of residents and community groups addressed the council during public comment. Supporters said CPA would expand local access to renewable electricity options, rebates and community reinvestment programs such as resilience centers, EV infrastructure and workforce development. “Joining CPA would be one of the most impactful steps our city can take to reduce carbon emissions while giving residents a real choice where their energy comes from,” said Anna Gonzales, a Fillmore resident. Several grassroots groups and climate organizations urged the council to proceed with the feasibility study.

Opponents raised concerns about the $10,000 study fee and about potential changes to local rates and programs. Council members also debated whether the city should have acted when CPA first formed; one council member questioned paying a study fee now when the city declined earlier opportunities. Council members who supported the study emphasized that it only begins an evaluation and does not bind the city to join CPA.

Under state law, if Fillmore ultimately joins a CCA such as CPA, customers would be automatically enrolled but retain the right to opt out and remain full-service SCE customers. SCE will continue distribution, billing and outage management regardless of a customer’s supplier choice. The staff report and public comments will be used by staff and CPA to shape the feasibility analysis.

The feasibility study is expected to return findings on likely rate impacts, customer enrollment behavior, the availability of renewable supply for a 100% renewable product option, and operational needs. After the study, the council would have the option to decide whether to join CPA, remain with SCE only, or take no further action.