Three out of four Californians are currently unable to take advantage of affordable and clean, renewable energy through the state’s renewable power programs’
Daily Democrat
Legislation to provide millions of consumers in California access to clean, renewable energy died in the Assembly Committee on Utilities and Commerce Friday as a result of lobbying from energy companies.
PG&E and Southern California Edison lobbied against the bill but there was broad support for the bill, including that of major investor-owned utility, San Diego Gas & Electric, according to a news release from Sen. Lois Wolk, D-Davis.
“Unfortunately, PG&E and Southern California Edison control the committee,” said Wolk, the author of Senate Bill 843. “There was an agreement between the Assembly Speaker, the Committee Chair, and me that would have scaled the bill down to a pilot program under the Public Utilities Commission’s guidance and oversight. That agreement wasn’t honored and the bill died in committee, depriving the public of innovative energy policy in line with Governor Brown’s initiatives.”
SB 843 would have transformed California’s energy market by allowing all customers in the state’s three major utilities to utilize solar, wind, and other renewable energy sources, according to Wolk. The bill would have given Californians the option of buying a portion of the power generated at an off-site renewable energy facility–and to receive a credit on their utility bill for the clean energy they purchase.
If interested in discussing energy matters, you can contact Court Rich, director of Rose Law Group’s Renewable Energy Implementation Department, crich@roselawgroup.com
