Tag: Sonoma Clean Power

Julie Johnson, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

The Sonoma City Council overcame its previous division Monday and voted unanimously to join the Sonoma County Clean Power Authority.

The vote is the latest in a series of 11th-hour decisions by cities on whether to join the county’s fledgling public power program. Sonoma became the fifth city to join.

“It gives me great pleasure to vote yes and make this a unanimous vote of the Sonoma city council,” said Mayor Ken Brown, who had previously said he was inclined to vote no.

via Sonoma Council votes unamiously to join clean power authority | The Press Democrat.

Eric Gneckow, NORTH BAY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Several rounds of voting remain before Santa Rosa officially signs on for service from a renewable energy-focused public power agency under development in Sonoma County. But in voting unanimously to solidify its conditions for membership Tuesday, representatives of the county’s largest city said that they plan to be part of the agency’s rollout as it begins serving customers early next year.

Representing nearly 34 percent of power customers countywide, the Santa Rosa decision marks what many consider to be a significant advancement of Sonoma Clean Power‘s goal to ultimately displace Pacific Gas & Electric Co. as the predominant supplier of electricity to Sonoma County.

via With Santa Rosa pact, most ratepayers eligible for Sonoma Clean Power – North Bay Business Journal – North San Francisco Bay Area, Sonoma, Marin, Napa counties – Archive.

Kevin McCallum, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

A last-ditch effort to assuage Santa Rosa’s concerns about the structure of the Sonoma Clean Power Authority succeeded Tuesday, convincing the city to join the launch of the fledgling public power agency.

The tentative, unanimous vote ends the long and at times tense political stand-off over whether the city would allow its residents and businesses to sign up for the program that aims to supplant PG&E as the county’s dominant energy supplier.

via Santa Rosa strikes deal on Sonoma Clean Power | PressDemocrat.com.

Eric Gneckow, NORTH BAY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Energy consultant Geof Syphers will serve as interim CEO for Sonoma Clean Power, guiding the rollout of the countywide public power agency during its formative stages.

The agency’s five-member board of directors appointed Mr. Syphers during a closed-door session Tuesday. It is the first hire for the renewable energy-focused power agency, which would purchase power for its customers and deliver it over the existing grid maintained largely by Pacific Gas & Electric Co.

Mr. Syphers was previously hired as lead consultant for the group developing the proposed agency at the Sonoma County Water Agency in mid-2012, under a $124,000, two-year contract.

via Syphers named interim CEO for Sonoma Clean Power – North Bay Business Journal – North San Francisco Bay Area, Sonoma, Marin, Napa counties – Archive.

Kevin McCallum & Guy Kovner, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

The prospects for Santa Rosa joining the launch of Sonoma Clean Power dimmed Tuesday after the City Council strongly signaled it won’t participate unless several changes to the agency’s governing structure are met prior to a July 9 vote.

The move upped the ante in the high-stakes game of power politics that’s been going on for weeks between Sonoma County and its largest city, which is considered a key to the program’s long-term success.

via Santa Rosa raises Sonoma Clean Power stakes; Sebastopol votes to join | PressDemocrat.com.

Clark Mason, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Cotati on Wednesday became the second city to join Sonoma Clean Power, which seeks to displace Pacific Gas and Electric Co. as the area’s main electricity supplier.

The City Council unanimously voted to join the public power agency, saying it offered an alternative to PG&E.

“There was strong support for choice. We heard it over and over again from the community,” said Cotati Mayor Mark Landman.

Issues that surfaced earlier in the week over governance, voting rules and the amount of influence smaller cities will have in running Sonoma Clean Power are a “bump in the road,” Landman said Wednesday night.

via Cotati joins Sonoma Clean Power | PressDemocrat.com.

Brett Wilkison, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

A tussle for control over the future of Sonoma Clean Power dominated the agency’s first public meeting Tuesday, with county officials rejecting for now a request by smaller cities for more say over how the agency is governed.

The decision was a clear sign of how strongly the county is courting Santa Rosa, the largest urban power market. Under current weighted voting rules, Santa Rosa would retain the ability to join the unincorporated county — the other dominant power market — in pushing through governance changes over the objection of all other cities.

via Cities' clout at issue in first Sonoma Clean Power meeting | PressDemocrat.com.

Derek Moore, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Sonoma County officials made their final clean power pitch Monday night to a mostly receptive audience in Sonoma. With little comment, the Sonoma City Council scheduled a vote in two weeks on a resolution on whether to support the county’s vision of supplanting PG&E as the county’s chief supplier of electricity and provide a greener energy portfolio. Sonoma is on track to meet the county deadline of June 30 for cities to opt-in if they want to participate in the rollout of the power system on Jan. 1.
via Sonoma City Council hears final clean power pitch | PressDemocrat.com.