Yuba City Council votes to join Pioneer Community Energy CCA

The Yuba City Council voted to adopt an ordinance establishing a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program and to add Chapter 27, “Community Choice Aggregation Program,” to Title 5 of the Yuba City Municipal Code.

Councilmember Michael Pasquale moved the ordinance “to adopt A and B,” referencing adoption of the resolution and the ordinance by title only; the motion received a second and the council adopted it by voice vote. After the vote the mayor declared, “Ayes have it. Motion carries.”

The council’s action directs staff to begin the procedural steps needed for the city to participate in Pioneer Community Energy, a regional CCA. City staff stated Pioneer representatives were available by videoconference to answer questions, and Pioneer representatives said they stood ready to help with community outreach and customer education.

Supporters on the council said they expect participation in a CCA to produce modest savings for many customers and to offer a local procurement path for cleaner energy. At the meeting, a member of the public urged caution, saying household savings may be small — “maybe between $5 and $7.50 a month” for average households based on Pioneer promotional materials — and called for clear customer education on bill impacts.

Councilmembers and staff agreed to coordinate educational outreach to answer typical customer questions about solar roofs, net energy metering and how existing arrangements with PG&E will be handled. Pioneer staff said customers’ existing solar billing arrangements would transfer over and that Pioneer pays a small premium for customer-generated energy, and that they will work one-on-one with customers who need bill explanations.

The council gave the ordinance final introductory approval by voice vote; next steps are administrative: staff coordination with Pioneer and community outreach before the CCA starts service.