About Us

Choosing our Future Together

Letter from Don Eckert, Executive Director

Dear Pioneer Community Energy Customers:

Being a community-owned, not-for-profit utility means putting our customers and community at the heart of everything we do. Providing our customers with electricity that supports grid reliability while maintaining stable and competitive rates is our top priority at Pioneer Community Energy.

In 2021, we took steps to ensure the long-term success of Pioneer Community Energy. First, our Board adopted a Three-Year Strategic Plan with a clear roadmap to success. The Board then approved a series of financial policies to ensure our sustainability. Finally, in response to customer requests, we launched the Community Programs Advisory Committee composed of residents of our service territory, to recommend future programs.

Pioneer welcomed 2022 as the start of providing electric services for most of unincorporated El Dorado County and the City of Placerville. These residents and businesses can now access the same great benefits found in Placer County. Pioneer will continue to work with our customers on projects to benefit the community, ranging from biomass projects that benefit the environment and reduce fire hazards to customer advocacy at the California Public Utilities Commission and state level.

Change occurs in every business. In the utility world, we are seeing significant change related to electric vehicles, solar and battery storage systems and statewide requirements for more large-scale renewables. Through all this change, Pioneer’s purpose will not shift. We exist to enhance the quality of life for our customers and the community. We are embracing our future with confidence, united in serving the evolving energy needs of our customers and our member communities in an exceptional, environmentally responsible and competitively priced manner.

Sincerely,

Don Eckert, Executive Director

Learn More About Pioneer

Pioneer's Mission

Pioneer Community Energy is a locally owned provider of electricity — powering the communities we serve with competitive rates, exceptional service and a choice in energy options.

Pioneer's Vision

A community partner in reliable energy solutions and positive local impact, powering today and empowering tomorrow.

Pioneer's Values

Our organizational values define how we behave in the delivery of our mission and in the achievement of our vision. We believe it is important to stand for something and be accountable to those we serve. The following four values guide the way we prioritize and deliver our work and help shape a dynamic culture where our people thrive.

Community First

We are powered by the communities we serve — not corporate shareholders. From the local Board of Directors representing our region to local customer service representatives who are a phone call away, we provide energy for the community, by the community.

Reliable

We know our customers depend on us, and we go above and beyond to provide stable and competitive rates. The communities we serve can rely on us to be a transparent and ethical source of power.

Excellence

We instill excellence throughout our service. This means delivering a professional customer service experience and focusing our work on providing dependable sources of electricity. Powering what matters most in our community is our priority.

Independence

This distinguishes Pioneer from investor-owned PG&E. Because we are community-owned, we advocate for the region and offer a choice in energy. Pioneer invests in local businesses, grid resiliency and community well-being — not corporate payouts.

History of Pioneer Community Energy

Pioneer Community Energy is a local not-for-profit provider of electricity — we power the communities we serve with competitive rates, exceptional service and a choice in energy options.

Pioneer was formed in 2017, joining the other California Community Choice Aggregators (CCAs) in providing energy to more than 11 million customers across the state. We started providing electricity services in 2018 to Auburn, Colfax, Lincoln, Rocklin, Loomis and most of unincorporated Placer County, achieving status as an independent entity in 2021 with the payoff of debts and the hiring of necessary operational staff.

In response to our customers’ requests to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, in 2021, we began offering Green100, a 100% renewable rate option unique to the area.

In 2022, we started providing the same stable and exceptional electric service to most of unincorporated El Dorado County and the City of Placerville.

Our Governing Board consists of local elected representatives from ten member agencies including El Dorado County and Placer County Board of Supervisors and the City Councils of Auburn, Colfax, Lincoln, Placerville, Rocklin, Nevada City, Grass Valley and the Town of Loomis.

For more details about Pioneer, please visit our events page for videos from past events and webinars.