Marin Energy Authority files complaint against PG&E
By Jenna V. Loceff, Business Journal Staff Reporter
SAN RAFAEL (Updated 10:30 a.m. today with PG&E comment) — The Marin Energy Authority filed a complaint with the California Public Utilities Commission today claiming that PG&E Corp. is violating state law by “pouring millions of dollars into a special interest lobbying group that is aggressively seeking to kill a local program designed to provide residents and businesses with twice the renewable energy as the giant utility for the same price.”
The Marin Energy Authority is proposed to be the agency providing the renewable energy alternative to PG&E’s current offerings through the Marin Clean Energy program.
“We have been and will continue to be in compliance with all CPUC’s laws and requirements,” said PG&E spokeswoman Katie Roman.
The authority was created in December 2008 to address climate change by attempting to reduce energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. Also, the authority intends to address issues relating to securing energy supply, price stability and energy efficiencies.
Former Assembly member and PG&E consultant Joe Nation represents the Common Sense Coalition, an organization formed in opposition to the plan.
According to its Web site, it was formed to “educate voters about the risks associated with the costly energy scheme being proposed by a new governmental entity: The Marin Energy Authority.”
The coalition claims that “Marin voters will not have the opportunity to vote before hundreds of millions of dollars are spent on this new government bureaucracy.”
The complaint the Marin Energy Authority filed with the CPUC reads: “PG&E has demonstrated no intent to cooperate fully” and has engaged in “hostile marketing, threats, lawsuits and misrepresentations” in its bid to quash Marin Clean Energy.
PG&E has provided at least $8.5 million to the group Coalition for Reliable and Affordable Electricity, according to 2008 IRS tax forms for the organization. Under the name Common Sense, the lobbying group has sent more than a half-dozen glossy mail pieces and staged other activities to discourage Marin residents from participating in Marin Clean Energy, MEA said.
It continues saying “the group is waging a similar effort in San Francisco, where City Attorney Dennis Herrera filed the original complaint against PG&E.” That complaint was filed Jan. 11 of this year.
“We will continue to communicate with customers to ensure they have accurate information to make informed decisions about their energy bill and that they know they have options and can opt out of MEA’s risky plan,” said Ms. Romans.
California Assembly Bill 117, passed in 2002, gave cities and counties the authority to procure electricity on behalf of customers within their jurisdictions.
Under this plan, PG&E would deliver the electricity to customers and would continue to read the electric meters and issue monthly bills to customers.
Unlike traditional utility service, the source of the electric supply and the price paid by customers for the generation services procured by the CCA program would be determined locally. Customers would have the choice of being automatically enrolled in the Marin Clean Energy program or remaining with PG&E.
“The law is clear, PG&E is breaking the law and we are requesting that the CPUC tell them to stop,” said Dawn Weisz, interim Director of the Marin Energy Authority.
According to the complaint, the MEA is arguing that PG&E is violating Public Utilities Code Section 366.2(c)(9) which reads:
“All electrical corporations shall cooperate fully with any community choice aggregators that investigate, pursue, or implement community choice aggregation programs. Cooperation shall include providing the entities with appropriate billing and electrical load data, including, but not limited to, data detailing electricity needs and patterns of usage, as determined by the commission, and in accordance with procedures established by the commission. Electrical corporations shall continue to provide all metering, billing, collection, and customer service to retail customers that participate in community choice aggregation programs. Bills sent by the electrical corporation to retail customers shall identify the community choice aggregator as providing the electrical energy component of the bill. The commission shall determine the terms and conditions under which the electrical corporation provides services to community choice aggregators and retail customers.”
The PUC has not set a date when it will respond to the complaint.
Related to CCA’s, the CPUC announced a public meeting to be held March 17 about Prop. 16. The ballot initiative supported by PG&E Corp. would create a constitutional amendment requiring a two-thirds voter approval before local governments provide electricity service to new customers or establish a community choice electricity program using public funds or bonds.
Copyright © 1988–2012 North Bay Business Journal
View the policy for linking to website content.
[...] more on North Bay Business Journal Filed under Internal Revenue Service Tags: against, Authority, complaint, Energy, files, Marin, [...]
by Marin Energy Authority files complaint against PG&E | Tax Advice
[...] on the story here. Share this [...]
by California: Marin Files Complaint Against PG&E over CCA | BIOMASS INTEL
PG&E shows its true colors attacking Marin County, San Joaquin communities and San Francisco as if it were operating in a foreign country. PG&E’s behavior reminds one of the robber barons of the 1920s until you remember that they led the energy crisis and bailout capitalism from 1998 to the collapse of Wall Street. Having gotten away with everything so far (including efforts of California’s former Attorney General to prosecute them) and clearly believe they are untouchables that can spend tens of millions of ratepayer funds to make them captive to a new monopoly. Prop 16 would revise history and give them a monopoly after $20B of ratepayer bailouts.
by Paul Fenn
This is unacceptable! The PG$E Company is subject to all the rules and should not be allowed to refuse to comply, period! We demand immediate compliance! We pay more for energy than any other county in Northern California! People of Novato look out for privatization of our water department! This is what happens when you allow a utility to be privately run!
by Michael Schmale
[...] But can lobbying be too aggressive? The Marin Energy Authority thinks so: http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/19228/marin-energy-authority-files-complaint-against-pge/?tc=... [...]
by The Energy of Lobbying « The Bearded Monk