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Sustainable Westchester briefs council on Westchester Power CCA and opt‑out options
Summary
Sustainable Westchester updated the council on the Westchester Power community choice aggregation (CCA) program, enrollment counts in Peekskill, fixed‑rate supply choices (50%/100% renewable), and outreach requirements under updated Department of Public Service rules; staff said about 4,700 Peekskill accounts were enrolled as of February.
Dan Welsh of Sustainable Westchester presented the Westchester Power community choice aggregation program to the council, describing the program as an opt‑out, fixed‑rate supply platform that gives municipalities a community‑selected default supplier and an avenue to increase renewable supply uptake. "It's a fixed rate program...we can never say that we can guarantee or we know you're going to save money because we don't know what the future will bring for the utility rates," Welsh told the council, noting fixed‑rate contracting trades off month‑to‑month utility variability.
Welsh said the program serves about 26 municipalities and roughly 130,000 participating customers; he reported about 4,700 Peekskill residents and small businesses were enrolled as of the end of February. The program offers 50% and 100% renewable supply options and supports related initiatives — community solar, demand response (Grid Rewards), and building‑energy outreach and assistance. He also described a pending Public Service Commission proposal for an opt‑out community solar pilot that could allow municipality‑level targeted opt‑out enrollment while maintaining opt‑out ease for qualifying customers. Councilmembers asked about enrollment counts, opt‑out rates, potential monthly savings and program outreach, and Welsh said enrollment and outreach materials are bilingual and that program staff will provide additional data on opt‑out numbers for Peekskill.
