HomeMy WebLinkAbout1276 - A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE STUDYING OF COMMUNITY CHOICE ENERGY (CCE) AS AN OPTION FOR COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE OF COLORADO RESOLUTION 1276
A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE STUDYING OF COMMUNITY CHOICE ENERGY
(CCE)AS AN OPTION FOR COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE OF COLORADO
FINDINGS
The Boulder Community has commited to climate action efforts in support of a global effort to address
climate change,prioritizing efforts to draw down carbon from the atmosphere and accelerate adaptation
and resilience strategies in preparation for intensifying climate impacts.
The City of Boulder is joined in acting on climate change by a global coalition of city, state and
national governments and community and private sector leaders who recently declared or officially
acknowledged the existence of a global climate emergency and recognize the importance of actions to
protect and enhance the well-being of current and future generations.
Addressing climate change equitably requires a transition from fossil fuels to emissions-free,
renewable energy that is ecologically sustainable for all people, especially those most impacted by
climate change today and those who will be most impacted in the future.
Governor Polis'policy initiative, entitled "Roadmap to 100%Renewable Energy by 2040 and Bold
Climate Action", supports local commitments to one hundred percent renewable energy.
Boulder has long been a national leader in the pursuit of clean and renewable energy and in 2016,
made a community-wide commitment to supply all of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.
The ability of the majority of Colorado communities to achieve their clean energy targets within their
desired timeframes is currently limited by the energy supply and decarbonization timeline of the
electric utility that serves that community. The ability to procure electricity from alternative wholesale
suppliers may enable communities to achieve their energy goals substantially faster and more cost-
effectively than the status quo.
A local energy model called Community Choice Energy (CCE, also commonly known as Community
Choice Aggregation or CCA) is a potential strategy to expand consumer choice, lower electricity rates,
and meet state and local environmental goals.
With CCE, communities may choose their wholesale electricity suppliers while the electricity
continues to be delivered by the incumbent utility which, in turn, continues to own and operate its
transmission and distribution system, thereby allowing communities to choose among wholesale power
suppliers without interfering with non-procurement-related utility operations.
CCE is an innovative concept, which some states have already implemented, giving Colorado the
opportunity to identify best practices and lessons learned from their experiences.
A bill to require the study of CCE was approved by the Colorado General Assembly's Investor-owned
Utility Review Interim Study Committee and is expected to be introduced early in the 2020 legislative
session. The bill would authorize two independent studies: (1) a financial and technical feasibility
study conducted by an independent consultant and overseen by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC),
and (2) a PUC informational proceeding that hears expert testimony and invites input from all
interested stakeholders.
A formal study of CCE would answer key questions and illuminate the potential benefits and
challenges of adapting the CCE model for use in Colorado.
The City of Boulder supports the CCE Study Bill while acknowledging that a majority of the Boulder
voters have requested that city staff continue to explore the creation of a local electric utility. CCE
could also result in more choice for all communities in Colorado and could ultimately accelerate our
state's ability to achieve its clean energy goals.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BOULDER, COLORADO,
THAT:
1. The City of Boulder hereby declares, it is in the public interest to better understand the potential for
Community Choice Energy(CCE) in the State of Colorado, and indicates its support for the CCE
Study Bill expected to soon be introduced in the the state legislature.
2. The City of Boulder urges its representatives, and all Colorado legislators, to pass this legislation
so that we may obtain the information needed to determine whether CCE has promise for
Colorado's energy and economic future and is worthy of being considered for implementation in
the future.
3. The adoption of this Resolution should in no way suggest that the City of Boulder would commit to
participating in Community Choice Energy should it become an option in the future.
APPROVED this 7th day of January, 2020.
Sam Weaver '
Mayor
ATTEST:
Lynnette Beck
City Clerk