City reviews Pioneer Community Energy study; council directs staff to draft joining ordinance and resolution

Pioneer Community Energy presented results of a jointly commissioned impact assessment to the Willows City Council and recommended the city consider joining the community choice aggregator (CCA) with a target service launch in October 2027.

The study, conducted by Pacific Energy Advisors and presented by Gina, Director of Communications for Pioneer Community Energy, found that joining Pioneer would likely protect and, in many rate scenarios, increase savings for customers compared with Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) rates. Gina said the study used two years of PG&E data, modeled 2024 rates (showing about 7% average savings) and 2025 rates (projecting about 10% average savings after rates that take effect March 1). She told the council Pioneer currently serves counties including El Dorado and Placer and that expanding to Glenn County and the City of Willows would add roughly 2% to Pioneer’s energy load.

The study addressed three questions: whether joining Pioneer makes financial sense, whether Pioneer can procure sufficient power resources for the additional load, and the optimal timing for a launch. The study found the economics “penciled out,” that energy is available and renewable procurement constraints are easing, but that resource adequacy (RA) market tightness and contract timing favor a fall 2027 launch to preserve savings. Gina said, “the study is recommending an October 2027 launch,” and described the procedural steps: the City would adopt an ordinance and a resolution, Pioneer would file an implementation plan in March, the CPUC would take roughly 90 days to act, and the council would have a final opportunity to withdraw before Pioneer begins procuring power.

Council members questioned the size of projected savings in particular examples and asked how opt-outs, solar customers, transmission outages and long-term contracting are handled. Gina said Pioneer uses an auto-enrollment model with an opt-out window, that customers who keep behind-the-meter solar would see their arrangements carry over, and that Pioneer both buys long-term contracts (up to 20 years) and procures short-term supply when needed. She also said Pioneer must comply with state renewable portfolio standards and CPUC resource adequacy rules.

After discussion the council gave direction to staff to proceed with preparing the required ordinance and resolution and to return the item to the council for formal consideration; staff said it would aim to bring the ordinance and resolution back at the February 11 council meeting. No final vote to join was taken at the meeting; the council’s direction was procedural—authorize preparation of draft implementing documents to allow the council to consider formal action at subsequent meetings.

Why it matters: joining a community choice aggregator would change who procures generation on behalf of Willows customers, could affect local reinvestment and long-term electricity costs for residents and municipal operations, and requires multiple regulatory approvals before service begins.