Anyone else moving to "Clean Power Alliance"?

[insaneoctane]

My city (Moorpark) decided to source their power starting in February 2019 thru "Clean Power Alliance". SCE will still be my provider including billing. The expectation is that CPA is cleaner and the same or cheaper. I've used their calculator and it looks to save me <1%. I'm also worried about messing my NM 1.0 up in some way, because I'm pretty happy. I'm thinking of just opting out and was wondering if anyone else has any info on this topic

[J.P.M.]

In all probability, the power will be just as clean (or dirty) at the busbar as before CPA got into the picture. There are perhaps some billing/admin. things that may change or hiccup things.

If it wasn't broke before, why mess with it ?

Maybe I'm a terminal skeptic, but I think I've seen enough to know that the 3d (and mostly and allegedly green) party providers I'm aware of seem to prey on user's ignorance of, and often good will toward, alternate energy to fatten their own wallets.

[Ampster]

When I was living in LA County I attended a number of meetings during the formation of Clean Power Alliance. It is a non profit organization formed by the County of Los Angeles. it operates as a Joint Power Authority run by the County and the cities that have joined. Not all cities in the county have joined. I still have investment properties in LA County and will choose to move to CPA when those properties become eligible. One of those properties is on NEM and it will close out my true up period and restart one automatically with Clean Power Alliance. Depending on the timing and balance of charges, I may shift the timing to when it is optimum.

Clean Power Alliance is a Community Choice Aggregation entity (CCA) and is only one of many operating in the state of California. When I moved to Sonoma I was automatically enrolled in Sonoma Clean Power. I chose not to opt out. Through SCP I got a number of benefits in addition to slightly cheaper rates. One of those was a subsidized EV charging station. I also get a $5 credit each month all for just letting PG&E turn off my charging station when the grid is stressed. I can choose a mix of power that is similar to PG&E or I can opt into a higher rate that provides a cleaner mix. I am still waiting to make that decision once I get a full year of production from my PV.

[FFE]

I ran my last years usage using the different rates. My system covers 60 percent of my usage. The lean power was the best rate for me and has a slightly higher renewable energy mix than the SCE average. Everyone has a different situation and may be different. Of course SCE and CPA will constantly adjust their rates so who knows what the future holds.

What I find criminal is that CPA has higher rates for those that are defaulted into 100 percent rates than those that choose to opt in to the 100 percent rate.

[Ampster]

............

What I find criminal is that CPA has higher rates for those that are defaulted into 100 percent rates than those that choose to opt in to the 100 percent rate.

I am not sure I understand. As far as I know each member city chooses the default rate. In California most CCAs rates are typically lower than the POCO rate. Are you in unincorporated LA County or one of the cities that has joined CPA? Ironically there are scenerios where a NEM user can benefit from higher rates.

A user has a choice about going up to a higher rate. The mission of most CCAs is to deliver cleaner power at lower rates. CCAs are non profits and accountable to the local elected officials who serve on their Boards. To me that is a superior model to the POCOs who are accountable to their shareholders and employe many attorneys to lobby for them at the Public Utilities Commission.

What I find criminal is the neglected maintenance, especially in PG&E territory.

[FFE]

I went to the CPA website and navigated to their full rate schedules link. Maybe I understood it incorrectly. The schedule has different rates for default jurisdictions. Upon checking maybe it means the 100 percent rate for cities that chose that as their default allows their constituents to pay more for the same energy. Maybe not criminal but strange that cities would approve that.

[Ampster]

........... Upon checking maybe it means the 100 percent rate for cities that chose that as their default allows their constituents to pay more for the same energy. Maybe not criminal but strange that cities would approve that.

Yes, there are cities in LA County that have a very green agenda. Santa Monica is an example of one that has chosen the 100% Green tier.I am sure their constituents are cheering them on. The good news is we have a choice about where we live. If I ever have a complaint about Sonoma Clean Power I know I can go there and complain and I would much rather do that than go to Sacramento and attend a CPUC hearing about PG&E rates.

[Ward L]

I live in a city that has opted into CPA's lowest power rate and initially I thought I would go along with the default opt-in. The problem with this is the way I will be credited/debited for my power during the SCE relevant period, which ends in May. Since the conversion starts tomorrow, I would have to pay SCE $90 to true up my power use 3.5 months early. Normally, over the next 3.5 months I would be a net exporter and owe less money at the end of my 12 month period in May.

That is not the worst of it! If you go with CPA, CPA will create a new relevant period starting in February and credit/debit your account just for power charges. SCE will still be billing you for the distribution charges. The problem comes with SCE's distribution charges. They amount to about half of my current monthly bill and they will be due each month to SCE. No relevant period to balance out the solar impact on the distribution charges over 12 months. I may have this all wrong, but this is what I understand. I've decide to stay with SCE for another 12 months and see what happens. Either way, SCE is a fairly "clean" supplier and I don't see the big advantage of CPA's offer. Hopefully others know more about this and can chime in.

[sabersix]

I live in a city that has opted into CPA's lowest power rate and initially I thought I would go along with the default opt-in. The problem with this is the way I will be credited/debited for my power during the SCE relevant period, which ends in May. Since the conversion starts tomorrow, I would have to pay SCE $90 to true up my power use 3.5 months early. Normally, over the next 3.5 months I would be a net exporter and owe less money at the end of my 12 month period in May.

That is not the worst of it! If you go with CPA, CPA will create a new relevant period starting in February and credit/debit your account just for power charges. SCE will still be billing you for the distribution charges. The problem comes with SCE's distribution charges. They amount to about half of my current monthly bill and they will be due each month to SCE. No relevant period to balance out the solar impact on the distribution charges over 12 months. I may have this all wrong, but this is what I understand. I've decide to stay with SCE for another 12 months and see what happens. Either way, SCE is a fairly "clean" supplier and I don't see the big advantage of CPA's offer. Hopefully others know more about this and can chime in.

This is exactly what I'm concerned with as San Diego moves forward with their own CCA. As a NEM 1.0, I'll likely have to stay with SDG&E to keep my current arrangement.

[Ampster]

.........
I may have this all wrong, but this is what I understand. I've decide to stay with SCE for another 12 months and see what happens. Either way, SCE is a fairly "clean" supplier and I don't see the big advantage of CPA's offer. Hopefully others know more about this and can chime in.

You are correct as far as the reset of your relevant period. You have it wrong as far as the credit for distribution charges.
The distribution charges work as a credit just like the bundled rate that you are on now. The best strategy for you might be to opt out until your relevant period is zero or ready to restart. Long term I believe that CPA will deliver a better value.

[Ampster]

This is exactly what I'm concerned with as San Diego moves forward with their own CCA. As a NEM 1.0, I'll likely have to stay with SDG&E to keep my current arrangement.

Current Arrangement?
I have two parcels on NEM 1.0 in a city that may go with CPA in the future. The current arrangement which you are grandfathered into under NEM 1.0 is that you will continue to be compensated without the Non Bypassable which are the charges allowed under NEM 2.0. Under NEM 1.0 or Nem 2.0 The actual rates can change and the time windows for peak rates can change.but you are grandfathered to receive compensation and that will not change if a CCA is implemented in your city.

Keep an open mind as San Diego moves forward because there are a number of programs and incentives that a CCA can implement that can save you money. I now live in Sonoma which has Sonoma Clean Power (a CCA started 5 years ago). I received a subsidize charging station and get a $5 a month credit because I allow them to turn off my charging station when the grid is stressed. Because a CCA is a nonprofit it can offer benefits that the POCOs cannot offer..

[slrcapt]

I'm in the same boat. Look like existing SCE NEM customers can decide to opt out until March 31. I know there was a rush to for everyone to lock in the older TOU rates before the March 1 change over. For those that did make the cut, how does the switch to CPA affect that?

I dont want to move to CPA and lose out on the 5-year grandfather for the old TOU rates.

[Ampster]

I'm in the same boat. Look like existing SCE NEM customers can decide to opt out until March 31. I know there was a rush to for everyone to lock in the older TOU rates before the March 1 change over. For those that did make the cut, how does the switch to CPA affect that?

I dont want to move to CPA and lose out on the 5-year grandfather for the old TOU rates.

Don't confuse your grandfathered TOU rates with the automatic opt into CPA.

I was actively involved and attended many of the formation meetings of the Clean Power Alliance when I lived in LA County. So I am speaking from the standpoint of someone who is somewhat informed about CCA's (Community Choice Aggregators). I no longer live in LA but have investment property that has house meters so I continue to try to be informed. As I mentioned earlier, I am currently living in Sonoma County which has had a CCA ( Sonoma Clean Power) for five years and have already benefited from being in SCP. For example I purchased a $500 EV charging station through SCP and paid $100 for shipping and handling. In addition, I chose to let them turn off my charger remotely when the grid is stressed and for that I get a $5 credit each month. The grid is usually only stressed in the late afternoons and early evenings so that is not a problem since I only charge my cars late at night and early mornings when rates are the cheapest.

You are automatically opted into CPA unless you choose not to. That has nothing to do with the rates you are on. If you look on your existing bill you will see there are charges for generation and charges for distribution. When you are opted into CPA the only thing that changes is that CPA becomes the provider of the generation portion of your bill. SCE will continue to prepare your bill. Visit the CPA website and you will see their commitment to keeping their basic rate lower that SCE's rate for generation.

There is one thing you do need to pay attention to and that is the default mix of power that your particular city has chosen. Some cities like Santa Monica have chosen a 100% renewable rate as the default which will be a higher rate.
Also as I mentioned to WardL, You may want to pay attention to where you are at as far as your relevant period is concerned, If you have solar tell me where you are with regard to your relevant period and what your cumulative charges are and I can help you sort that out and make the optimum decision. CPA also has a helpline that can answer those kind of questions.

[slrcapt]

There is one thing you do need to pay attention to and that is the default mix of power that your particular city has chosen. Some cities like Santa Monica have chosen a 100% renewable rate as the default which will be a higher rate.
Also as I mentioned to WardL, You may want to pay attention to where you are at as far as your relevant period is concerned, If you have solar tell me where you are with regard to your relevant period and what your cumulative charges are and I can help you sort that out and make the optimum decision. CPA also has a helpline that can answer those kind of questions.

My area has chosen the "Clean" tier for service. We received PTO from SCE on 3/1, we technically came in under CPA.

[FFE]

Finally received my first Lean Power TOU-D-A bill from SCE/CPA. Wow, the rates changed Mach 1st. That didn't take long! My bill shows the published generation charges for the billing in February for Off-peak and On-peak ($0.04562,$0.10608) but they increased significantly in March ($0.0908,$0.17204). Fortunately I am a net generator for those periods and the rate increase helps me. As for Super Off-Peak it was $0.2642 and increased to the published price in March ($0.03967). I received a good deal on nighttime rates for half my bill. Of course I received the delivery charge rate change from SCE. It looks like they raised their delivery charges March 1st on and off peak but lowered it for super off-peak. All said and done I probably saved $4 compared to SCE rates assuming they did not change their generation rates March 1st also.