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Stanton council hears extensive public comment urging membership in Orange County Power Authority
Summary
Public commenters, including OCPA customers and climate advocates, urged the Stanton City Council to direct staff to evaluate joining the Orange County Power Authority, citing potential generation savings (about 3% at the basic tier), local control, and cleaner energy; council asked staff to research next steps and return for consideration.
Stanton City Council members heard more than a dozen public comments urging the city to pursue membership in the Orange County Power Authority, a community choice electricity program that commenters said can provide cheaper, cleaner and locally governed power.
Dave Martinez, who identified himself as a resident of Costa Mesa, told the council there are "three main reasons to join OCPA. It's affordable, it's sustainable, and it's controllable." Tomas Castro, an organizer with Climate Action Campaign, said the "most important benefit OCPA can bring to working families in Stanton is lower rates" and described programs that could be funded locally, such as appliance rebates and rooftop solar. Several speakers, including Braden, a current OCPA customer, said they had opted for OCPA's 100% renewable tier and urged Stanton to give residents the same choice.
The comments included technical and equity claims: Casey Gallagher, a climate activist, said Stanton "shoulders a disproportionate amount of the pollution in Orange County" and urged the council to prioritize cleaner energy for public-health reasons. Speakers also repeated figures about potential savings: several commenters said the basic tier could save roughly 3% on the generation portion of residents' bills; one commenter asserted OCPA had built about $60 million in reserves. The clerk reported the city received 20 emailed public comments on the item, with 18 in favor and two opposed.
Council members asked staff practical questions during and after public comment. Staff confirmed that franchise fees would continue to be collected by Southern California Edison and remitted appropriately, and that OCPA board members receive a stipend (stated in the presentation as $315 per meeting). Following discussion, the council directed staff to research OCPA membership and return with more detailed analysis for a future meeting, including financial and implementation implications.
The council did not adopt an ordinance on OCPA membership at this meeting; instead members asked staff to prepare materials so the council can evaluate next steps at a subsequent meeting.
