Pioneer Community Energy outlines October 2027 launch for Willows

Pioneer Community Energy representatives told the Willows City Council on July 28 that the agency has secured power purchases and expects to begin serving Willows on Oct. 27, 2027. "The CPUC approved an October 2027 launch of service date," Lisa Rhodes, community outreach manager for Pioneer, said, adding that the joint powers authority has procured power for Willows, Glenn County and Orland.

City staff framed the presentation as the next stage after the city’s earlier decision to pursue community-choice aggregation. Rhodes said Pioneer is a nonprofit JPA that seeks rate savings for customers while reinvesting locally; she pointed to past procurement deals such as a 10-year, $37 million hydro contract with El Dorado Irrigation District and told the council Pioneer has saved its customers about $145 million since 2018.

Rhodes described a phased local outreach plan running through 2027 that includes town halls, direct mail and advertising, and highlighted early-access programs for new member agencies, an AC tune-up rebate ($75 per household/$150 per business), a GridGen no-upfront-cost solar-plus-battery option and a clean-fleet renewable-credit program for EVs and chargers. "We will be ramping up extensive outreach and advertising," Rhodes said. "If you have any questions, I'm here to answer those today."

Council members thanked Pioneer and emphasized consumer choice; Councilmember Gary Hanson said competition with PG&E can help residents save money. The presentation concluded with no council action required; staff and Pioneer said more community engagement and informational materials will follow in coming months.