Wednesday: Portola Valley may go with 100% renewable sources for electricity

Posted by David B
a resident of Portola Valley: Central Portola Valley
on May 24, 2016 at 9:45 pm

Here's a letter I just sent to the Town Council:

Although I've come to support a "yes" vote, please know that this whole thing sits very badly with me. With full understanding that residents can opt-down or opt-out of this program, the idea that the Town would make the decision of where I get my electricity, to your preferred-but-unproven vendor, at increased costs, which I should be happy about "because it's renewable", just feels wrong.

I had to research on my own to learn that the California law enabling CCEs has set up this opt-out process, so it's not really under your control. I expect that SOME town residents will be thrilled to join PCE, and in order for you to enable that, the town must join PCE and then the rest of us can opt out. I recommend you make very clear to residents that this whole process is not your idea, but is what you need to do. Right now, the way it's been presented doesn't make that point... you've positioned it like it's something you are very excited to bring to all of us.

I also fear that PCE is still very speculative, and isn't yet generating any green electricity; like the disaster of High Speed Rail, I bet that the end result will take longer, be less renewable, and be more expensive, than the optimistic promises on the web site.

As of now, I intend to opt out of PCE the moment I can. But after learning how the process works, and only on the assumption that I will forever be able to 100% opt out, I do support a vote to join the Town to PCE.