MCE (community choice aggregator)

MCE (community choice aggregator)
Name	MCE (community choice aggregator)
Type	Public-benefit corporation
Founded	2010
Headquarters	Marin County, California
Area served	Contra Costa County, Marin County, Napa County, Solano County, Sonoma County
Industry	Electricity supply

MCE (community choice aggregator) is a public electricity provider formed to procure electrical energy and related services for participating San Rafael and neighboring jurisdictions including Marin County, Napa County, Sonoma County, Contra Costa County and Solano County. It operates within the regulatory frameworks established by the California Public Utilities Commission, the California Energy Commission, the California Air Resources Board, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and local municipal partners such as the County of Marin. MCE coordinates with investor-owned utilities like Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Southern California Edison, and San Diego Gas & Electric for transmission, distribution, and billing integration.

Overview

MCE functions as a community choice aggregator created under the State of California's assembly laws to enable local jurisdictions such as Richmond, Berkeley, Santa Rosa, Napa and Vallejo to authorize procurement of electricity while continuing to rely on utilities like Pacific Gas and Electric Company and Southern California Edison for grid operations, metering, and safety. Its services include default power supply options, opt-up renewable products, customer enrollment strategies used by entities like CleanPowerSF and Sonoma Clean Power, and coordination with market participants including CAISO and California Independent System Operator counterparties. MCE emphasizes local control, renewable energy procurement, greenhouse gas reduction targets aligned with California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 policies, and programmatic collaboration with agencies such as the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

History and Formation

MCE was established following municipal deliberations among jurisdictions influenced by precedents set by earlier CCA programs and legislative actions like AB 117. Founding members included counties and cities from the North Bay region, informed by experiences of Lancaster, California energy programs, consultations with Rocky Mountain Institute, and technical analyses by firms such as Black & Veatch and Navigant. Initial launch phases involved negotiations with Pacific Gas and Electric Company, filings with the California Public Utilities Commission, and pilot enrollments that mirrored approaches used by Marin Clean Energy and CleanPowerSF. Over time MCE expanded service territories through ordinances adopted by local boards and city councils, coordinated procurement solicitations, and partnerships with developers of projects like Tolowa Renewable Energy and regional solar and wind initiatives.

Governance and Organizational Structure

MCE is governed by a board of directors composed of elected officials and designated appointees from participating jurisdictions such as representatives from Marin County Board of Supervisors, Napa County Board of Supervisors, and city councils of San Rafael, Petaluma, and Sonoma County municipalities. Administrative leadership consists of an executive director and senior staff who manage relationships with contractors including Pacific Gas and Electric Company for distribution operations, energy traders, and consultants like Energy and Environmental Economics, Inc. Board governance follows policies shaped by statutes like Public Utilities Code (California) sections authorizing CCAs and is subject to oversight by entities such as the California Public Utilities Commission and auditing by county controllers and external firms like Deloitte or KPMG when contracted.

Service Areas and Customer Enrollment

MCE serves residential, commercial, and municipal customers in jurisdictions that adopted enabling ordinances, with enrollment mechanisms modeled on opt-out default strategies used by other CCAs such as Sonoma Clean Power and CleanPowerSF. Customer classes include bundled supply customers and direct access participants, coordinated with Pacific Gas and Electric Company for meter reads, outage response, and consolidated billing. Enrollment campaigns have engaged municipal staff, community organizations like Local Clean Energy Alliance, and outreach partners including GRID Alternatives to target multifamily, low-income, and municipal accounts. Expansion phases were implemented through coordinated countywide board actions, public hearings, and regulatory filings.

Energy Procurement and Resource Mix

MCE's procurement portfolio includes long-term power purchase agreements for renewable resources such as utility-scale solar, wind, geothermal projects, and distributed generation paired with storage developed by firms like NextEra Energy, EDF Renewables, and regional independent power producers. MCE participates in CAISO markets and contracts for Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) to meet California Renewables Portfolio Standard targets overseen by the California Energy Commission. Resource planning aligns with state policy instruments including the California Renewables Portfolio Standard and Senate Bill 100 (2018), and integrates energy storage projects similar to those developed by Tesla, Inc. and Fluence to manage intermittency and peak demand.

Rates, Billing, and Financial Structure

MCE sets generation rates distinct from transmission and distribution charges collected by utilities like Pacific Gas and Electric Company and subject to financial oversight, budgetary approvals, and credit arrangements with banks such as Wells Fargo or Bank of America when issuing revenue bonds or entering loan agreements. Rate design includes default service tiers with opt-up premium renewable products, net energy metering integration for customer-sited solar following NEM policies, and low-income rate assistance coordinated with programs like California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE). Financial reporting follows accounting standards and audits performed by external auditors and is overseen by the board's finance committee and county treasurers.

Programs and Initiatives (Renewables, Electrification, Demand Response)

MCE administers programs promoting rooftop solar, community solar projects, fleet electrification in coordination with Tesla, Inc., ChargePoint, and municipal transit agencies, building electrification incentives aligned with statewide targets from the California Energy Commission and California Air Resources Board, and demand-response initiatives compatible with CAISO wholesale market signals. Additional initiatives include low-income solar and energy efficiency partnerships with GRID Alternatives, electrification rebates for multifamily housing, vehicle-to-grid pilots with automakers like Nissan and utilities, and workforce development collaborations with community colleges such as Marin Community College District.

Category:Community choice aggregation Category:Electric power companies of the United States