You may have already received a mailing from Central Coast Community Energy (CCCE) about electricity service beginning this October. You will now have additional options about the source of electricity that is provided to your home or business. The City of Goleta wants to help CCCE in their efforts to make this a smooth transition. Central Coast Community Energy (CCCE) will bring clean and renewable energy to customers in Goleta, Carpinteria, and Unincorporated Southern Santa Barbara County beginning October 2021.
CCCE is a not-for-profit, locally-controlled, public agency currently providing competitively priced electricity from clean and renewable energy resources to residents and businesses across 31 communities throughout the Central Coast. CCCE has a commitment to reaching 100% renewable electricity through long-term renewable energy and storage contracts by 2030. That’s 15 years before the 2045 100% carbon-free electricity goal set by the State of California.
CCCE works in partnership with Southern California Edison (SCE), who is still responsible for billing, transmission, and distribution of energy.
As a community choice energy program, CCCE offers:
- More local control and decision making with energy projects and programs
- More local economic development and investment
- More choices and greater amounts of renewable energy and carbon free energy
No action is needed on your part. CCCE service will begin on your normal meter-read date during the month of October, with all new customers enrolled in their 3Cchoice service offering. However, customers may choose to opt-out and maintain SCE service at any time. Learn more at 3CEnergy.org/2021-
CCCE electric generation rates will be competitive with SCE electric generation rates. For more information, visit the CCCE billing webpage.
FAQ’s
What is ‘Community Choice Energy’?
With Community Choice Energy (CCE), communities can purchase electricity on behalf of residents and businesses, in place of investor-owned utilities. These are local programs that prioritize the environment by buying clean and renewable energy on our behalf and then reinvest it into the community. There are over 20 operational Community Choice Energy programs in California serving over 30% of Californians.
How is this different from our current energy system?
Central to the concept of Community Choice Energy is local choice. It gives the communities themselves the power to make choices about who buys our power. It also empowers communities to reinvest locally with programs that address economic, social, and environmental goals. That means some of the money you spend on electricity bills will come back to you in the form of economic and environmental benefits for your home or business – and for your own community.
What benefits does CCCE give me and my community?
Central Coast Community Energy provides customers with a choice for clean and renewable energy, and community reinvestment through rate benefits and local GHG reducing energy programs for residential, commercial, and agricultural customers.
Joining a CCE program allows the City of Goleta to support the City Council adopted 100% renewable energy goal outlined in the Strategic Energy Plan. It also allows the City an opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and invest in our local community. CCE providers introduce competition and choice in the electricity markets, providing customers with options about their power supplier and level of clean energy they wish to support.
Does CCCE replace SCE?
No. Central Coast Community Energy works in partnership with SCE. Central Coast Community Energy assumes responsibility for the purchasing of electricity (electric generation services) and purchases clean and renewable electricity for homes and businesses. However, SCE continues to deliver the power to your location, provide customer billing, receives payments, performs power line maintenance and resolves outages. SCE stops charging you for electric generation and Central Coast Community Energy takes over this service upon the City’s enrollment.
How will my bill change with Central Coast Community Energy?
Starting in November, you will continue to receive one SCE bill with Central Coast Community Energy Electric Generation Charges taking the place of SCE’s charges for electric generation. You will see a new line item on the first page of your bill, and a new Central Coast Community Energy page. Rest assured, these are not new or extra charges. Central Coast Community Energy is simply taking the place of your utility provider as your electricity generation provider.
Customers will receive their CCCE rate benefits directly on their monthly bill through a competitive electric generation rate that already takes into account SCE’s charges to CCCE customers for a Power Charge Indifference Adjustment (PCIA) and a Franchise Fee Surcharge.
For more information, please view the following videos:
What are my options to participate?
Do Nothing. 3CE will become the default electricity service provider for customers in Goleta. No action is required to join 3CE.
Opt Up. All new 3CE customers are enrolled in the 3Cchoice service offering, which will reach 60% clean and renewable electricity sources by 2025 and 100% clean and renewable sources by 2030. Customers who would like to receive 100% renewable energy can opt up to 3Cprime. Customers can opt up or back down at any time.
Opt Out. Customers can opt-out at no charge 60 days prior to initial service and 60 days after enrollment. After 60 days, customers may still opt out but there will be a $5 administrative fee charged for residential accounts, or $25 for commercial accounts. See CCCE’s Opt Out webpage for more information.
For more information, please visit https://3cenergy.org/2021-
We also encourage all community members to join the Central Coast Community Energy e-newsletter and board meeting notification list here.