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Central Coast Community Energy

Flipping the Switch on Renewable Energy Monterey Bay Community Power Press Conference, March 2018
CCCE-color-web-logoMonterey Bay Community Power is Central Coast Community Energy (CCCE) as of Sep., 2020. CCCE is a locally-controlled public agency supplying clean and renewable electricity for residents and businesses in Monterey, San Benito, parts of San Luis Obispo and Santa Cruz Counties. CCCE is based on a local energy model called community choice energy that partners with the local utility (in our case PG&E or SCE) which continues to provide consolidated billing, electricity transmission and distribution, customer service and grid maintenance services. PG&E accounts within CCCE’s service area will be enrolled in CCCE’s default electric program, 3Cchoice unless they choose to opt-up to 3Cprime, 100% renewable energy or they opt-out and return to PG&E or SCE bundled service. CCCE provides a customer bill savings on electric generation rates, inclusive of any exit fees, when compared to your utility provider.
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LOCAL CHOICE – Finally you have a choice when it comes to your electricity provider
  • Fosters regional resilience because energy decisions are made locally
  • Strengthens accountability and transparency through local governing body
  • Retains reliable service through PG&E delivery and maintenance
CLEAN ENERGY
  • Enables region to address climate action goals
  • Provides carbon-free energy
  • Reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions significantly
ECONOMIC VITALITY
  • Keeps ratepayer money local
  • Supports local future investment
  • Returns profits to customers through annual 3% rebate
  • Self-sustaining – uses no taxpayer funds
May 2017 - Monterey Bay Community Power Launches
Monterey Bay Community Power (MBCP) is a new energy agency made up of local governments that will provide an alternative to PG&E power for all ratepayers in Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey Counties. Up to this point, energy ratepayers have had one option when it comes to energy providers, but MBCP will give ratepayers a choice about where they want their power to come from.

Given the climate challenges we are currently facing, this is a critical issue as the standard PG&E energy rate consists of 30% renewable energy, while MBCP is projected to double that and offer 60% renewable energy with no increase in rates.

The goal of MBCP is to increase utilization of renewable power, create local sustainable energy sources , and create green jobs. MBCP will still partner with PG&E for usage of the PG&E energy grid, repair and billing services. In fact, MBCP customers will still receive a PG&E bill with the only difference being that there will be a MBCP line item. This is a critical point because all of the revenue that MBCP receives from ratepayers will be used for local renewable energy projects or decreasing energy rates rather than used out of the area as determined by PG&E.

Every city and county in the tri county area, with the exception of King City and Del Rey Oaks, is a member of MBCP. The MBCP boards will begin meeting in May of 2017 to begin making critical decisions about financing, staffing, and energy procurement choices that need to be made now in order to begin offering energy to customers in early 2018.

Over the next several months, you will most likely see a mailer(s) introducing MBCP and informing you that if you do not “opt out” of the program, you will become a customer of MBCP. The reason you need to “opt out” in order to stay with PG&E is that California law states that the local provider is the default energy provider, which in this case would be MBCP. Up to this point, PG&E has been the only option, so no choice was possible.

To become an MBCP customer, no action is necessary on your part, simply do not opt out (and stay with PG&E) when you are contacted by mail