EL CERRITO -- A Marin-based clean energy supplier is getting ready to expand its alternative program to PG&E electricity here in less than three months. Marin Clean Energy will be contacting residents this month with the first in a series of five monthly mailings telling them they will be switched automatically to the program on May 1 unless they take action to opt out and remain with PG&E, said Maria Sanders, El Cerrito's interim division manager for public works.
The City Council voted to adopt the program in December.
Marin Clean Energy will also be meeting with residents in a series of public meetings to explain the program and customer options. The agency so far has a meeting scheduled at 11:30 a.m. March 9 at Christ Lutheran Church Senior Center, 780 Ashbury Ave., and another at 1:15 p.m. April 22 at the Open House Senior Center, 6500 Stockton Ave.
Marin Clean Energy provides customers with 50 percent of their electricity from bioenergy, geothermal, biogas, solar energy and wind power sources. A much smaller group of customers receive 100 percent of their electricity from wind energy.
El Cerrito customers will initially be enrolled in the 50 percent renewable program, with the option for them to switch to 100 percent wind power immediately or 100 percent solar power at the end of the year. Under current rates, the average Marin Clean Energy customer pays $80.14 per month for 50 percent renewable electricity compared with $81.58 a month for a PG&E ratepayer using the same amount of energy, according to the agency.
At current rates, the average MCE electricity customer using the wind power-only option pays $84.77 per month and the average solar-only customer pays $107.92 per month. All four figures include the same $36.26 cost for PG&E energy delivery.
The rates are subject to change based on shifts in MCE and PG&E pricing.
The move to an alternative provider is part of the city's effort to address climate change at a local level. MCE estimates it has provided a reduction of about 60,000 tons in greenhouse gas emissions since its inception. About 22 percent of PG&E electricity comes from renewable sources. Its other sources include hydroelectric, natural gas and nuclear energy.
The MCE program, which started in Marin in 2010, will be serving 165,000 customers by May 31 in 11 Marin County areas, along with Richmond and San Pablo in Contra Costa County, Benicia and unincorporated Napa County, according to MCE spokesman Alex DiGiorgio.
About 84 percent of Richmond residential and commercial customers are taking part in the program and 16 percent opted out.
Residential customers who opt out of MCE service after receiving it for 60 days or more will be charged a $5 administrative fee, while commercial customers will pay a $25 fee.
Customers who switch back to PG&E after 60 days will not be allowed to return to MCE service for a year under PG&E rules.
Customers can sign up for 100 percent renewable or opt out by calling MCE at 1-888-632-3674. Details are available online at mcecleanenergy.org/ elcerrito.
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