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Paradise approves joining Pioneer Energy community choice program; service planned for 2027
Summary
Council gave final approval to join Pioneer Energy, a community choice aggregation (CCA). Staff and the Pioneer representative said customers will be given notice and opt‑out rights; generation savings vary year to year and are affected by the PCIA, so precise savings will be known closer to service start in 2027.
The Town Council voted to join Pioneer Energy, a community choice aggregation (CCA), a step staff said will allow the town to participate in a pooled generation procurement that has produced generation savings in other nearby jurisdictions.
Staff told the council that the study conducted by Pioneer Energy showed potential savings on the generation portion of rates for wholesale power compared with PG&E’s generation charges in recent years, but cautioned that the Power Charge Indifference Adjustment (PCIA) and other variables change year to year and will determine the net outcome in 2027 when service would begin. The Pioneer representative reported year‑to‑year results showing an average generation savings of about 10% across its current service area for the current year, with larger savings in some jurisdictions (for example, Grass Valley and Nevada City cited at roughly 24% for the current vintage year).
Staff confirmed in writing from PG&E that customers’ rooftop solar and net‑metering status would remain under the current regulatory framework regardless of CC A participation and that Pioneer would pay an additional half‑cent for net surplus compensation compared with standard rates, staff said.
Councilors discussed outreach and the opt‑out process; staff and the Pioneer representative said communities that have joined undertake multi‑year outreach plans to notify residences and businesses well before service begins, and that customers who wish to avoid automatic enrollment may opt out within a specified enrollment window. Staff emphasized that any transitional rate customers might face if they opt back to PG&E after the initial enrollment window is a function of PG&E's process and is not imposed by the town or Pioneer.
Council approved the ordinance and associated resolution to join Pioneer Energy; staff and Pioneer said service initiation would be scheduled for 2027 and that the town and Pioneer would follow a community outreach plan prior to enrollment.
