Port Hueneme Council opts into Clean Power Alliance, keeps streetlights with SCE

The Port Hueneme City Council voted unanimously Jan. 6 to make the Clean Power tier the city’s default service tier with the Clean Power Alliance, exempt city-owned streetlight accounts from the switch and appoint a city representative and alternate to the CPA board of directors.

City staff said the Clean Power tier provides 50% renewable energy at a rate comparable to Southern California Edison’s standard rate and that streetlight accounts would see a significant cost increase if moved to CPA. Deputy City Manager Charles Peretz told the council the recommendation was intended to increase local renewable procurement without harming the city’s budget.

The council’s decision follows a staff presentation explaining three recommendations: select the Clean Power default tier for Port Hueneme customers; keep city streetlight accounts with SCE to avoid a large budget impact; and appoint a councilmember and an alternate to represent the city on the CPA board. The board meets the first Thursday of each month at 2 p.m.; members may attend in person or remotely and the closest location to Port Hueneme is the Ventura County Hall of Administration.

Council members asked CPA staff several technical questions at the meeting about reliability and rates. Gina Goodhill and CPA’s chief executive, participating by video, answered that CP A is subject to the same California resource adequacy rules as Southern California Edison and that CPA has met its resource adequacy obligations. CPA staff said the organization buys energy in the same competitive wholesale market used by investor-owned utilities and that CPA’s rates have been competitive over its seven-year history.

CPA staff also described outreach and opt-out procedures. According to the CPA presentation, the agency will send four written notices to customers around the transition and will work with the city on local outreach including website posts, social media, bill inserts and community meetings. CPA officials said customers who prefer not to be enrolled may opt out online or by phone; CPA staff said opt-outs generally are processed in under five minutes and there is no cost to opt out within the initial 60 days (after 60 days Southern California Edison may charge a small fee to return). CPA staff said the board set rate comparisons that will remain in effect for at least the first nine months of service and that most customers historically remain after the initial transition.

On the second agenda motion, the council voted unanimously to authorize staff to take steps to exempt city-owned streetlights from CPA service to avoid the higher streetlight rate treatment.

On the appointment question, Council Member Gama volunteered to serve as the city’s primary representative on the CPA board and Mayor Pro Tem Lopez volunteered to serve as alternate. The motions to appoint a representative and an alternate passed unanimously.

City staff said once the council’s selections were made, the city and CPA would begin coordinated public outreach and hold at least two community meetings in Port Hueneme to explain choices and opt-out options. CPA representatives said they would provide fact sheets, social media text, sample press releases and frequently asked questions for the city to share.

Council members and several members of the public asked the city and CPA to monitor local social media and neighborhood platforms so misinformation can be quickly corrected. Deputy City Manager Peretz said the city would assign a staff member to monitor outreach channels and coordinate with CPA for rapid responses.

The council’s formal votes recorded on the Jan. 6 meeting: a unanimous 5-0 vote to adopt recommendations 1 and 2 (default tier selection and streetlight exemption) and a unanimous 5-0 vote to appoint a city representative and alternate to the CPA board.