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Peninsula Clean Energy outlines local electrification work, EV chargers and name change to Westlight Energy
Summary
Peninsula Clean Energy (soon to be Westlight Energy) told the City Council it delivered EV chargers and customer savings in East Palo Alto, outlined home electrification and multifamily charging initiatives, and asked for joint communications around a rebrand.
Shalini Swaroop, chief operating officer of Peninsula Clean Energy, told the City Council on March 17 that the agency had delivered community investments in East Palo Alto and would seek the city’s help communicating a planned rebrand to "Westlight Energy."
Swaroop said PCE has completed 116 EV charging ports in East Palo Alto, including 92 at Woodland Creek HOA and eight at Cesar Chavez Middle School, and reported about $4.6 million in customer savings for East Palo Alto customers and $467,000 in community reinvestment. PCE said it is serving 97% of San Mateo County and currently offers energy at about a 10% discount to PG&E.
Swaroop described partnerships for home electrification under the Equitable Building Decarbonization Fund and said income-qualified residents can receive state funds covering two-thirds of electrification costs while PCE would cover the remainder, enabling more installations in East Palo Alto. She said installations could begin in May or June. She also described a planned residential solar-and-storage offering and ongoing multifamily-charging strategies to make charging available in apartment parking.
Council members asked how the agency will support low-income and senior residents in accessing incentives, and some members urged closer outreach so residents know how to access the programs. A public commenter questioned whether the program increases taxes; councilors and staff clarified that PCE provides a discount to customers and reinvests locally. Swaroop asked the city to coordinate joint communications and outreach about the rebrand and program rollouts.
