On Dec. 11, the Pioneer Community Energy (Pioneer) Board held a public hearing and then approved an electric generation rate package that reduces rates by 3% below current PG&E electric generation rates. Residents and businesses within Auburn, Colfax, Lincoln, Loomis, Rocklin and unincorporated Placer County that currently receive electric generation from PG&E will receive the benefits of Pioneer’s lower rates starting with their February 2018 billing cycle.
At the public hearing, the Pioneer Board determined, after review, that a rate reduction of 3% below PG&E rates provides a fiscally prudent starting point for Pioneer when it begins providing electric generation supply in February 2018.
“The Pioneer Board has made the commitment to reducing rates for Placer County residents,” said Peter Gilbert, Mayor of Lincoln and Pioneer Board member. “We have taken a conservative approach to ensure that Pioneer Community Energy has a solid financial foundation to ensure our success in serving residents and businesses in the future.”
Through Pioneer’s cooperative relationship with PG&E, customers will receive only one bill for their electric service. Pioneer will be added to the PG&E utility bill, and PG&E’s higher electricity generation rates will be removed from the bill for Pioneer customers. PG&E’s charges for transmission and delivery will remain on the bill. All payments will continue to be sent to PG&E. PG&E will continue to transmit and deliver the electricity, which will be provided by Pioneer, and they will continue to maintain the power lines and poles, and respond to all service needs, such as power outages. Customers will continue to contact PG&E in the event of a service outage.
Customers enrolled in CARE/FERA/Medical Baseline will remain enrolled in these programs and continue to receive full benefits as a Pioneer customer.
Net Energy Metering customers will not be enrolled in February, but are slated to start receiving the benefits of Pioneer near the anniversary of their solar generation start dates to ensure no disruption of their true-up. In addition to receiving the lower rates during non-generation hours (after sundown), the Pioneer Board also voted to set the surplus generation compensation rate at $0.03 per kilowatt hour, slightly above PG&E’s current rate.
To ensure fair and equal access to the benefits of Pioneer electricity rates and programs, all ratepayers will be automatically enrolled beginning February 2018. All residents and businesses in the service territory then have the choice to continue receiving the benefits of Pioneer Community Energy, or to remain with PG&E. For more information please contact your Pioneer Community Energy team by email at info@pioneercommunityenergy.org or by phone at (916) 758-8969 or 1 (844) YES–PIONEER.
