In most Central Valley communities, there’s only one electric and gas utility. For most of the San Joaquin Valley, it’s Pacific Gas and Electric; if you live in the southeast region, the utility might be Southern California Edison. And unless you have solar panels to offset some of the cost, you have no control over the rates set, which are proposed by the utility and approved by the California Public Utilities Commission. Over the last few months, the City of Fresno has been considering an alternative to PG&E called community choice aggregate energy, or CCA.
Fresno Councilman Luis Chavez has already voiced his support for the program, which allows municipalities to have more control over where energy comes from, and how much it costs. However, the council is a long way from making a final decision on whether to adopt the program.
First the council has to complete a technical study, which will help determine the costs of CCA.
Listen to the interview above to hear an overview of CCA, and how Fresno lawmakers are considering if it’s right for the city.
