New energy provider starts April 1 in Oside, Vista

Supervisor Jim Desmond holds town hall explaining new power provider; clean energy options for ratepayers; CEA rates currently higher than SDG&E

Ratepayers in Oceanside and Vista will be automatically enrolled with the Clean Energy Alliance, North County’s biggest power provider, starting April 1. Steve Puterski photo

NORTH COUNTY — A one-hour virtual town hall hosted by San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond outlined the offerings from the Clean Energy Alliance.

Desmond and CEA Chief Executive Officer Greg Wade explained the options for ratepayers and took questions from residents. About 150 people attended the virtual meeting and asked about rates, solar programs, energy sources and more. (Video of the town hall is below)

CEA is an independent power provider and will launch service in Oceanside and Vista on April 1, according to Wade, although customers won’t officially be on board until the end of their current billing cycle with San Diego Gas & Electric. Customers are automatically enrolled (per state law) but can opt out through the CEA website.

Customers can opt out during a 60-day window starting April 1. After the 60 days, those who opt out must wait six months to return to SDG&E and pay an administrative fee of less than $1, according to former CEA CEO Barbara Boswell.

Wade said ratepayers in both cities will be enrolled in the Clean Impact Plus tier, which consists of a portfolio of 50% renewable energy and 75% carbon-free products. Residents and businesses can opt up to the Green Impact, a 100% renewable portfolio, or opt down to Clean Impact, which is 50% renewable energy.

As for ratepayers with solar panels, those enrolled in Net Energy Metering (1.0, 2.0 and 3.0) will remain in place, Wade said.

“This was created as a mechanism for local government entities to aggregate their electricity,” Wade said of the history of CCAs. “Oceanside and Vista joined to achieve Climate Action Plan goals … to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Local control is a benefit of CEA. We don’t have shareholders. Revenues are reinvested into local programs to benefit CEA communities.”

As for billing, Wade said SDG&E will continue to handle those operations and CEA rates for Oceanside and Vista are currently about $3 higher per month for the default option. Wade said SDG&E customers are paying less due to recent rate decreases, although he said the average CEA time-of-use customer saved about $6 per month before the rate decrease.