Brad Kilger offers residents Q&A information on energy supplier switch

City Manager Brad Kilger, who regularly publishes a public report on Benicia’s operations, has used his Feb. 10 report to give residents information about the upcoming change in electricity supplier.

The city has joined Marin Clean Energy, a community choice aggregation agency that will give customers a choice of having the utility buy 50 percent or 100 percent renewably sourced energy on their behalf.

Bills, electricity transmission and line maintenance still will be the responsibility of the city’s current supplier, Pacific Gas and Electric Company.

Companies and individual customers may remain with PG&E, but must state that preference by May 15.

In his report, Kilger explained that MCE is a not-for-profit community-based organization, rather than an investor-owned utility. MCE has formed a partnership with PG&E to provide electricity service, and purchases renewable energy generated by solar arrays, wind, bioenergy, geothermal and hydroelectric sources at rates that are competitive with or lower than those of PG&E.

MCE was formed in 2010, and has been supplying energy to Marin County since its founding. Richmond has been a member since 2013.

Kilger’s report said MCE’s rates currently are lower than PG&E’s, though Benicia’s rates won’t be effective until April.

The report said based on current rates, MCE service would save a residential customer about $1.44 a month, based on a PG&E electricity monthly bill of $81.58.

Commercial customers may save about $10.83 a month, based on a $258.63 monthly bill from PG&E.

Discount PG&E programs, such as CARE, FERA and Medical Baseline, won’t be affected by the change, he wrote: MCE customers would receive the same discounts they do with PG&E.

Electrical customers will be enrolled automatically in MCE unless they request to remain with PG&E, and they will have that opportunity starting Feb. 19.

Customers will receive five mailers — two letters and three folded fliers — beginning this month and through June, advising them of the change and the process to opt out. Once the switch is made in May, those who have not notified MCE they have chosen to remain with PG&E will be switched to the new company.

Those who are switched can choose to return as PG&E customers after the enrollment period ends.

Customers also have the choice of signing up for the 50-percent renewable energy purchases or the “Deep Green” 100-percent renewable energy. To indicate which the customer chooses, the person will need a copy of their PG&E account information.

Those interested may call 888-632-3674, a call center in operation around the clock through Aug. 1 to process opt-out requests, and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday to answer other questions. Operators who speak Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Tagalog and Laotian will be available.

For more information customers can visit the website www.mceCleanEnergy.org or email info@mceCleanEnergy.org.

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