Reso 2026-033 Ava Community Energy - Bright Choice

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RESOLUTION THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LEANDRO RESOLUTION NO. 2026-033 RESOLUTION SELECTING BRIGHT CHOICE AS THE DEFAULT PRODUCT FOR SAN LEANDRO CUSTOMERS SERVED BY AVA COMMUNITY ENERGY WHEREAS, the San Leandro City Council demonstrates its commitment to an environmentally sustainable future through its policy goals and actions, including energy reduction, clean energy programs, and the expansion of local renewable power supply; and WHEREAS, in November 2016, the City of San Leandro City Council adopted Resolution No. 2016-160 authorizing San Leandro’s participation in Alameda County’s Community Choice Energy program known as East Bay Community Energy (EBCE); and WHEREAS, in October 2023 EBCE announced and began operating under its new name, Ava Community Energy (Ava); and WHEREAS, Ava offers two product choices with different emission-related profiles to customers: Bright Choice and Renewable 100, with the latter priced at a premium to Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) pricing and the former priced at a discount to PG&E prices; and WHEREAS, in 2021 the San Leandro City Council selected Renewable 100 as the default choice for residents and businesses, with an exception for San Leandro customers that are income-qualified and enrolled in the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE), Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA), and Medical Baseline programs remained at the Bright Choice rate; and WHEREAS, the less expensive Bright Choice product was only 55% and 60% carbon-free in 2020 and 2021, respectively; and WHEREAS, a September 18, 2024 resolution adopted by the Ava Board of Directors will result in Bright Choice being over 90 percent carbon-free in 2025 due to the addition of nuclear power into the Bright Choice power mix; and WHEREAS, the significant improvement of Bright Choice’s carbon-free profile, combined with the material deficit of San Leandro median household income when compared to the Alameda County median household income, make it in the public interest to replace Renewable 100 with Bright Choice attribute the default service plan provided by Ava to its customers based in San Leandro; and WHEREAS, if approved, this would save the average residential customer approximately 45 dollars per year, or in aggregate approximately one million dollars per year for residents; and WHEREAS, San Leandro Ava customers will continue to have the choice to change their enrollment to the higher-priced Renewable 100 product and also have the ability to opt out of purchasing electricity from Ava altogether.