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Home My WebLink About09-03-2019 Item 01 - Monterey Bay Community Power Update Department Name: Administration Cost Center: 1005 For Agenda of: September 3, 2019 Placement: Business Item Estimated Time: 30 Minutes FROM: Greg Hermann, Deputy City Manager Prepared By: Chris Read, Sustainability Manager SUBJECT: MONTEREY BAY COMMUNITY POWER UPDATE AND NEXT STEPS RECOMMENDATION Receive and file the Monterey Bay Community Power - Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo Community Outreach Plan (Attachment A) and a presentation from Monterey Bay Community Power about the Enrollment Process for the January 2020 Launch. DISCUSSION Background Community Choice Energy (CCE), authorized by Assembly Bill 117, is a state law that allows cities, counties and other authorized entities to aggregate electricity demand within their jurisdictions to purchase and/or generate electricity supplies for residents and businesses within their jurisdiction while maintaining the existing electricity provider for physical transmission and distribution services. CCEs are typically created to provide a higher percentage of renewable energy electricity, such as wind and solar, at competitive and potentially cheaper rates than existing investor owned utilities, while giving consumers local choices and promoting the development of renewable power sources and local economic development. The City Council has been supportive of the research and development of a viable regional CCE program for the City of San Luis Obispo and surrounding communities for the last several years. In December of 2018, the City of San Luis Obispo joined an existing CCE, Monterey Bay Community Power. Since then, staff has worked closely with Monterey Bay Community Power staff on a community outreach and program launch approach. The presentation by Monterey Bay Community Power staff will outline Monterey Bay Community Power’s operational approach, discuss the Community Outreach Plan (Attachment A) and outreach events planned for Fall 2019 and early 2020, and describe the enrollment and program launch process, and deliver an overview of the budget, procurement strategy, and programs process. Packet Pg. 9 Item 1 Community Outreach Strategy The purpose of MBCP’s community outreach strategy is to reach eligible customers, including a demographically and socio-economically diverse collection of neighborhoods, to provide information necessary to make informed decisions about electric service. MBCP will educate the general customer base including residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal account holders through communitywide outreach. The MBCP Community Outreach Plan combines strategies used successfully for previous enrollments, recognizing the unique characteristics and different information channels and platforms based on the unique qualities of each community. MBCP will work with municipal staff to identify key community organizations, stakeholders, city commissions, boards and local school districts to offer a presentation (at a meeting or community event), provide information for newsletters or websites, and/or to inform their audience about MBCP’s service. Enrollment Notifications Enrollment notices will be sent to every eligible customer in the cities of Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo, per California law, which requires that four such notices be sent each account postal address. The notices, mailed in English and Spanish, will inform customers of the January 2020 enrollment, along with MBCP’s Terms & Conditions of Service, with instructions on how to opt out for those who would like to stay with PG&E’s electricity supply. The notices will include a referral to the website, which is available in English and Spanish. Two notices will be mailed before enrollment and two will be mailed after service starts. The first and second notices will be sent within 60 days prior to the start of service. Service is anticipated to begin the first or second week of January, depending on customer account type. Depending on the date of MBCP service start for each account, notices will be sent the first week or second week of November. The third and fourth notices will be sent within 60 days after starting service. If a customer opts out, they will not receive additional enrollment notices. MBCP will also collaborate with the San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay water agencies to include two bill slip inserts in customer water bills over the course of the enrollment. Program Outreach Low-income customers are typically defined as those who qualify for standard energy discounts. According to the 2015 census, approximately 17.9% of the population in the City of San Luis Obispo live below the poverty line. Discount programs such as the California Alternative Rates for Energy (CARE), Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA), Medical Baseline and Low- Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) are unaffected by MBCP service and continue to be administered by PG&E or local entities. MBCP will focus outreach to low-income residents by collaborating with community-based organizations that work specifically with low- income residents. Some senior citizens live on fixed incomes or have special electricity discounts, so MBCP makes outreach to seniors an additional focus. Packet Pg. 10 Item 1 For solar customers, MBCP has a Net Energy Metering (NEM) program. For any excess electricity a solar system produces, MBCP credits the customer at $0.06135/kWh (2.2x) versus PG&E’s $0.028/kWh. NEM customers will be made aware that when a NEM account enrolls with MBCP, PG&E performs an automatic “true-up” and bills that account for all electric charges incurred since their last “true-up” statement. To educate solar customers, MBCP will send customized enrollment notices, discuss NEM account considerations during public presentations, and distribute NEM-specific outreach materials at community events. MBCP will also contact solar businesses to ensure that they are aware of MBCP’s NEM program. MBCP plans to enroll NEM customers over three months near their true -up date in order to limit any financial impacts from enrolling in MBCP service. Public Forums MBCP plans to hold two public forums in San Luis Obispo: one in November 2019 prior to service launch, and a second in February 2020 after service launch. Public Forums will provide attendees with an in-depth look at MBCP’s service. The forums will be presentation format and last approximately 1 hour. Attendees will learn about the Community Choice Energy model, how it would work in San Luis Obispo, billing details, available energy programs and plans for future renewable energy opportunities. Stakeholder Engagement MBCP will conduct direct outreach to a broad group of community stakeholders such as service clubs, environmental organizations, business incubators, education, social service non-profits, chambers of commerce, homeowner associations, community foundations and local utility and school districts. These targeted organizations will be contacted to determine if an opportunity to present or share information exists. Formats and content will be adapted to each organization and may include PowerPoint presentation and information kits. Goals for this strategy are to make presentations to willing organizations in San Luis Obispo who represent the diversity of the community. Packet Pg. 11 Item 1 SCHEDULE The September 2019 through March 2020 schedule is provided in the table below: Month Activity September 2019 Presentations to City Councils of San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay, • Recruitment for local staff, Outreach to key commercial customers, Outreach to key community groups, Media outreach October 2019 Hiring of local staff, Weekly MBCP staff office hours at City Hall for San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay, Outreach to key commercial customers, Outreach to key community groups, Begin paid advertising, PSAs November 2019 Notice #1 mailed to Customers, MBCP Public Forums in San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay, Weekly MBCP staff office hours at City Hall for San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay, Outreach to key commercial customers, Outreach to key community groups, Advertising, PSAs December 2019 Notice #2 mailed to Customers, MBCP bill slip flyer included in City of San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay Water Agency Bills, MBCP Letter to Net Energ y Metering Customers, Weekly MBCP staff office hours at City Hall for San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay, Outreach to key commercial customers, Outreach to key community groups, Advertising, PSAs January 2020 Enrollment Month, Net Energy Metering Customer Enrollment, Weekly MBCP staff office hours at City Hall for San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay, Outreach to key commercial customers, Outreach to key community groups, Advertising, PSAs February 2020 Notice #3 mailed to Customers, MBCP Buckslip flyer included in City of San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay Water Agency Bills, MBCP Public Forums in San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay, Weekly MBCP staff office hours at City Hall for San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay, Outreach to key commercial customers, Outreach to key community groups, Advertising, PSAs March 2020 Notice #4 mailed to Customers, Weekly MBCP staff office hours at City Hall for San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay, Outreach to key commercial customers, Outreach to key community groups, Advertising, PSAs Previous Council Direction 1. December of 2013 - Council CCE Study Session 2. March of 2015 - Council approved Resolution No. 10609 confirming City participation in the exploration of Community Choice Aggregation. 3. June of 2017, CCE included as work item in 2017-19 Financial Plan City 4. December of 2017, City Council CCE Study 5. May of 2018 – Council direction to develop new CCE 6. December of 2018 -Council decision to join Monterey Bay Community Power Policy Context Monterey Bay Community Power was founded for the purpose of providing clean and affordable energy for purposes of local economic development, climate action, and cost savings. The program currently serves Monterey Bay, Santa Cruz, and San Benito counties and will begin serving the City of San Luis Obispo and City of Morro Bay beginnin g in 2020. The City joined MBCP to further its climate action and local economic development goals. Packet Pg. 12 Item 1 PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT Staff will work with Monterey Bay Community Power to implement the Community Outreach Plan as described above. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW The California Environmental Quality Act does not apply to the recommended action in this report, because the action does not constitute a “Project” under CEQA Guidelines Sec. 15378. FISCAL IMPACT Budgeted: Yes Budget Year: 2019-20 Funding Identified: Yes Fiscal Analysis: Funding Sources Current FY Cost Annualized On-going Cost Total Project Cost General Fund $0 $0 $0 Total $0 $0 $0 Enrollment and outreach efforts will be supported by staff at key events. This work task is included in the 2019-21 Climate Action Major City Goal and staff time is budgeted as such in the Financial Plan. ALTERNATIVES 1. Direct staff to provide additional information via Council Memorandum or at a future Council meeting. 2. Provide requests to Monterey Bay Community Power for additional information and detail. Attachments: a - MBCP San Luis Obispo Outreach and Launch Plan Packet Pg. 13 Item 1 Morro Bay & San Luis Obispo Community Outreach Plan Packet Pg. 14 Item 1 COMMUNITY OUTREACH STRATEGY 2 Table of Contents Overview ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Current MBCP Service Area & Statistics ............................................................................................................................................. 4 Enrollment & Service Options ............................................................................................................................................................ 4 MBCP Customer Service .................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Required Enrollment Notices ............................................................................................................................................................. 5 Outreach Activities ............................................................................................................................................................................ 5 Customer Segments ............................................................................................................................................................................... 5 MBCP-Hosted Public Forums ............................................................................................................................................................. 7 Community Organizations ................................................................................................................................................................. 7 Press .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 9 Press Releases ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 9 Media Protocol & Response ................................................................................................................................................................... 9 PSAs (Public Service Announcements) ................................................................................................................................................... 9 Media Outlets ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 9 Social Media .................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Email Newsletters (E-News) ............................................................................................................................................................ 11 Advertising & Sponsorships ............................................................................................................................................................. 11 Preliminary List of Action Items ........................................................................................................................................................... 11 Outreach Timeline ........................................................................................................................................................................... 12 Potential Additional Events to Attend ............................................................................................................................................. 13 Packet Pg. 15 Item 1 COMMUNITY OUTREACH STRATEGY 3 Overview This document serves as a roadmap for Monterey Bay Community Power’s community outreach strategy for customers within the cities of Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo that voted to join MBCP in 2018. The purpose of MBCP’s community outreach strategy is to reach eligible customers, including a demographically and socio-economically diverse collection of neighborhoods, to ensure they will be equipped with the information necessary to make informed decisions about their electric service provider. MBCP will educate the general customer base including residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal account holders through Introduction Following the passage of AB 117, which enabled local governments to aggregate the residential, business and municipal electricity loads within their jurisdictions, MBCP formed for the purpose procuring renewable energy electric generation on behalf of its customers at rate parity or at a cost savings, while redirecting the revenue to the local economy. The top benefits of forming a local Community Choice Energy agency include establishing local control over electric generation rates, power energy procurement power content, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by sourcing renewable and carbon free energy, and redirecting revenue to energy-related projects and initiatives with input and direction from the community. Organized by the County of Santa Cruz as the lead partner, and with support from the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County, the initial project was managed by a Project communitywide outreach. MBCP will also implement targeted outreach strategies to specific community groups (e.g. service clubs, nonprofits, chambers of commerce). The MBCP Community Outreach Plan combines strategies used successfully for previous enrollments, recognizing the unique characteristics and different information channels of the target communities. The plan also provides an overview of the direct mail and advertising plan, as well as meeting, event and presentation venues, and other strategies to facilitate community understanding of MBCP and the new electricity options. Development Advisory Committee with representation from three counties and 18 cities, all of whose governing bodies passed resolutions to investigate the feasibility of creating a Community Choice Energy project. Since MBCP launched service to customers in 2018, staff has been in ongoing communications with the cities of Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo regarding community choice energy. Per state law, local governments have to adopt a resolution to join a joint powers authority, as required by Section 366.(c)(12)(B) and adopt an ordinance electing to implement a community choice program within the respective jurisdiction as required by Section 366.(c)(12)(A). In November of 2018, the Cities of San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay passed the necessary documentation to join MBCP, unanimously, which include the following: ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION & WAIVE AND FIRST READING OF FIRST ORDINANCE SECOND READING OF THE ORDINANCE Morro Bay City Council Meeting Date: November 13, 2018 San Luis Obispo City Council Meeting Date: November 13, 2018 Morro Bay City Council Meeting Date: November 27, 2018 San Luis Obispo City Council Meeting Date: November 27, 2018 MBCP’s Board of Directors reviewed the membership applications of the two interested jurisdictions on November 14, 2018 and voted to extend membership. MBCP’s Implementation Plan was updated to include the two jurisdictions, submitted to the California Public Utilities Commission on December 20, 2018, and approved on March 7, 2019. MBCP offers residents and businesses in these communities a choice of affordable, renewable energy in competition, but also in partnership, with PG&E. For customers who choose MBCP, PG&E continues to provide electric delivery service including operating power lines, reading meters, issuing monthly bills and providing the same Packet Pg. 16 Item 1 COMMUNITY OUTREACH STRATEGY 4 maintenance and repair services it always has – at the same rates. MBCP provides the electric generation service, determining the sources of power, and replacing what PG&E would otherwise charge for electric generation. As a not-for- profit, public electricity provider, governed by a board of elected officials, MBCP gives its member communities more Current MBCP Service Area & Statistics The current service area covered by MBCP includes Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties, which represent a total estimated population of about 761,415 people and 275,000 customer accounts. About a third (36%) of the total electricity is consumed by the residential sector, whereas 48% and 16%, respectively, represent commercial and agricultural consumption. The three counties span a combined 5,100 square miles on the Central Coast of Enrollment & Service Options Residents and businesses in the jurisdictions within these two cities will soon have two MBCP service options for their electricity supply: MBchoice, including 34% eligible renewable energy and 100% carbon-free, or MBprime, including 100% eligible renewable energy. Customers can also choose to opt out and retain PG&E’s default electric generation service. All MBCP customers will receive at least a 5% discount of their electric generation charges. California State law (Assembly Bill 117, 2002) requires Community Choice Aggregators, like MBCP, to become the default electric generation service provider. As a result, customers will be automatically enrolled with MBCP unless they choose to opt out and continue purchasing PG&E’s electric generation energy supply. MBCP’s outreach strategy focuses on providing customers with information about their electric MBCP Customer Service MBCP provides customer service via telephone, email, postal letter and in-person meetings at the MBCP office. • Call center: (888) 909-6227 (MBCP) • Email: info@mbcp.org • Address: 70 Garden Court Suite 300 Monterey, CA 93940 local control as to how and where their ratepayer dollars are spent. MBCP’s priorities include reinvesting revenues toward 1) reducing energy-related greenhouse gas emissions; 2) supporting economic vitality and 3) further electrification efforts in the Central Coast. California and reflect great diversity in their individual populations, top sectors of industry, urban and rural geography, and political landscape. With the expansion to the cities of Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo, MBCP estimates the population served will be over 810,000, including customer accounts that total close to 305,000. MBCP’s annual electric procurement will increase by 8% based on the estimated new load from the cities of Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo. service options to ensure that customers are choosing the electric service that’s right for them. When customers participating in Net Energy Metering (NEM) are enrolled in MBCP’s service, PG&E will automatically bill the customer for their owed charges. This may result in some customers paying a large bill. To avoid confusion with this process these customers may opt into MBCP early or wait until one of the three enrollment months for NEM customers: January 2020, April 2020 or July 2020. MBCP’s account services team can process these requests via info@mbcp.org. There is no fee for customers who opt out before MBCP service starts or within the first 60 days of service. Customers who opt out after 60 days of service with MBCP will be subject to a one- time $5 (residential) or $25 (commercial) administrative fee. Customers will also be subject to PG&E’s terms and conditions of service and will not be able to return to MBCP service for one year if they opt out after the 60-day enrollment period. • The MBCP call center is dedicated to assisting customers with enrollment inquiries, general questions, billing inquiries, NEM questions, rate analysis and processing opt outs. Opt out and MBprime requests are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (888) 909-6227 (MBCP). Packet Pg. 17 Item 1 COMMUNITY OUTREACH STRATEGY 5 All other inquiries can be handled Monday-Friday, 7am to 7pm through the call center. Translation services are available for Spanish speaking callers. MBCP’s customer email address (info@mbcp.org) is monitored and maintained by MBCP staff daily. Customers may request to opt out via info@mbcp.org by including the first six digits of their PG&E account number, the account holder’s name, and service address. MBCP will also be hiring two local MBCP representatives to support community outreach and strategic accounts beginning in October 2019. Required Enrollment Notices California law requires that four notices be mailed to every eligible customer in the cities of Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo. The notices, mailed in both English and Spanish, will inform customers of the January 2020 automatic service enrollment, along with MBCP’s Terms & Conditions of Service, and instructions on how to opt out for those customers who would like to remain with PG&E’s electricity supply. The notices will include a referral to MBCP’s website which is available in English and Spanish. Two customer notices will be mailed before the January 2020 enrollment month; and two customer notices will be mailed after service delivery begins. The first and second notices will be mailed within 60 days prior to the start of service delivery; the third and fourth notices will be sent within 60 days after customers automatically transition to MBCP service on their regular January billing date. If a customer opts out, they will not receive additional enrollment notices. MBCP will also collaborate with the San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay water agencies to include two utility billing inserts in customer water utility bills over the course of the enrollment period (November – March). Outreach Activities MBCP will work with municipal staff to identify key community interest groups and organizations that represent a diverse group of stakeholders such as: business and commerce organizations, educational institutions, environmental organizations, government advisory bodies, neighborhood groups, senior centers, civic service clubs, social service providers, ethnic organizations and church groups, arts and culture organizations, students, transportation providers, and miscellaneous youth, professional and networking groups. MBCP will offer a presentation at a meeting or community event to provide information about the transition to MBCP electric generation services. MBCP will provide fact sheets, flyers and content for newsletters and/or websites. MBCP will seek to partner municipal staff in other ways to effectively inform their community interest groups and organizations about MBCP’s service. * staggered by meter read dates Customer Segments Commercial and industrial customers consume the majority of electricity in both Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo. There are 150 accounts that consume over 200,000 kWh annually in San Luis Obispo; and 43 accounts that consume more than 100,000 kWh annually in Morro Bay. MBCP will partner with Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo business community organizations to help them inform their stakeholders and membership about MBCP’s pending electric service transition. MBCP will offer a presentation at a meeting or community event and provide MBCP information for these organizations’ newsletters and/or websites. Of the total eligible customer segments in the City of San Luis Obispo, 82% are residential, 17.5% are commercial and the remaining split between agricultural and streetlights/traffic signals. Conversely, the commercial sector consumes almost 70% of the annual consumption and the residential sector Letter style direct mail piece; NEM customers receive mailed letter in envelope. December to January* Notice 2: Time: Tri-fold direct mail piece November to December* Notice 1: Time: DRAFT ENROLLMENT NOTICE SCHEDULE: JANUARY ENROLLMENT: Notice 3: Postcard Time: February to March* Notice 4: Postcard Time: March to April* Packet Pg. 18 Item 1 COMMUNITY OUTREACH STRATEGY 6 about 30%. Notably, there are over 700 residential customers who have elected to participate in a Time-Of-Use tariff including more than 100 customers on an Electric Vehicle Specific Rate tariff. Within the City of Morro Bay, 87% of eligible customers are residential, and the remaining 13% are commercial (including .5% dedicated to agricultural and streetlights/traffic signals). In Morro Bay, about 60% of the annual electricity consumption comes from the commercial sector and the remaining 40% from residential electricity consumption. Low-income customers are typically defined as those who qualify for standard energy discounts. According to the 2015 census, approximately 18% of the population in San Luis Obispo County live below the poverty line. When looking at the impact in incorporated communities, this demographic ranges from 4.1% in Morro Bay to 17.9% in San Luis Obispo. Discount programs such as the California Alternative Rates for Energy (CARE), Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA), Medical Baseline and Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) are unaffected by MBCP service and continue to be administered by PG&E or local entities. If a customer is already enrolled in these programs, they do not need to take any action as a MBCP customer; the customer discount will remain the same. MBCP’s initial estimate is approximately over 2,800 electric accounts (7% of total eligible accounts) in Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo are currently enrolled in CARE or FERA electric service discount programs. There are an estimated 321 medical baseline customers or about 1% of total eligible customers. For a single-family residence, the CARE discount eligibility is broken down as follows: # OF PERSONS IN HOUSEHOLD 1-2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Each additional person TOTAL GROSS ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME $31,860 or less $40,180 or less $48,500 or less $56,820 or less $65,140 or less $73,460 or less $81,780 or less add $8,320 MBCP will focus outreach to low-income residents by collaborating with community-based organizations that work specifically with low-income residents. Some senior citizens live on fixed incomes or have special electricity discounts, so MBCP makes outreach to seniors an additional focus. MBCP considers it particularly important for individuals on fixed incomes to understand their electricity options and to be informed that electricity discounts like the California Alternative Rates for Energy (CARE) and Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) are unaffected by MBCP service. For solar customers, MBCP has a Net Energy Metering (NEM) program. A special meter tracks the difference between the amount of electricity solar panels produce and the amount of electricity used during each billing cycle. When more electricity is produced than used, a credit is generated for the excess power. For any excess electricity a solar system produces, MBCP credits the customer at $0.06135/kWh versus PG&E’s $0.028/kWh. PG&E bills once a year with a “true-up” statement and MBCP follows the same model in terms of the electric generation charges. Customers will be made aware that when a NEM account enrolls with MBCP, PG&E performs an automatic “true-up” and bills that account for all electric charges incurred since their last “true-up” statement. To educate solar customers, MBCP will send customized enrollment notices to NEM customers, discuss NEM account considerations during public presentations, and distribute NEM-specific outreach materials at community events. MBCP will also contact solar businesses to ensure that they are aware of MBCP’s NEM program. MBCP plans to enroll NEM customers up to three enrollment months near their true-up date in order to limit financial impacts from the automatic true-up which occurs with the IOU under NEM rules. Packet Pg. 19 Item 1 MBCP-Hosted Public Forums MBCP plans to hold two public forums in Morro Bay and two in San Luis Obispo. Public Forums will provide attendees with an in- depth look at MBCP’s service. The forums will be presentation format and last approximately 1 hour. Attendees will learn about the Community Choice Energy model, how it will work in Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo, billing details, available energy programs and plans for future opportunities. Community Organizations MBCP will reach out to community organizations through direct outreach. Organizations will be contacted to determine if an opportunity to present or share information exists. Formats and content will be adapted to each organization and may include PowerPoint presentation and information kits. Goals for this strategy are to make presentations to willing organizations in Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo. List of Morro Bay Stakeholder Groups List of San Luis Obispo Stakeholder Groups List of Joint Stakeholder Groups Morro Bay Lions Club ArtsObispo SLO County Economic Vitality Corporation Rotary Club of Morro Bay Foundation for the Performing Arts Center San Luis Coastal Unified School District Morro Bay in Bloom SLO Symphony Cal Poly Morro Bay High School SLO Lions Club Cuesta College Morro Bay Open Space Alliance SLO Kiwanis Club Economic Vitality Corporation Morro Bay Action Team SLO Chamber of Commerce Sierra Club Morro Bay Yacht Club Downtown SLO (former SLO DTA) The Land Conservancy Morro Bay BEAUTIFUL Farmers Market Association Ethnic Organizations, Church Groups Friends of Morro Bay Harbor Department, Inc. Real Estate Associations City Advisory Bodies, Mayors Roundtable Morro Bay Senior Citizens, Inc. Developers Roundtable Sierra Club Morro Bay National Estuary Program American Institute of Architects chapter Community Connections Morro Bay Art Association Parent Teacher Association’s Hourglass Project Community Foundation of Estero Bay Children’s Museum Scenic Coast Assoc. of Realtors Morro Bay Tourism Bureau Old Town Neighborhood Association Boys & Girls Club of the Central Coast COMMUNITY OUTREACH STRATEGY 7 Packet Pg. 20 Item 1 8 List of Morro Bay Stakeholder Groups List of San Luis Obispo Stakeholder Groups List of Joint Stakeholder Groups Friends of the Morro Bay Fire Department Slack Street Neighborhood Community Foundation of San Luis Obispo County Friends of the Morro Bay Harbor Department Los Verdes Park Environmental Center of San Luis Obispo (ECOSLO) Morro Bay Action Team Mobile Home Parks and Homeowner Associations (owners & renters) Food Bank Coalition of SLO County Morro Bay Yacht Club Residents for Quality Neighborhoods Pacific Wildlife Care Morro Bay BEAUTIFUL Save our Downtown Housing Trust Fund SLO County Morro Bay Senior Citizens, Inc. Alta Vista Foundation for SLO County Public Libraries Morro Bay Friends of the Library Neighborhoods North of Foothill United Way SLO County SLO Rotary Club Coastal San Luis Resource Conservation District SLO Rotaract Mission Community Services Corp. One Cool Earth County of SLO Public Libraries San Luis Obispo High School SOFTEC (Central Coast Tech Hub) Jewish Community Center of SLO Community Foundation of San Luis Obispo County Senior Center Environmental Center of San Luis Obispo (ECOSLO) Retired Active Mens Group Food Bank Coalition of SLO County CAP SLO Pacific Wildlife Care San Luis Obispo Museum of Art Housing Trust Fund SLO County San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum Foundation for SLO County Public Libraries Foundation for the Performing Arts Center United Way SLO County SLO Bike Coalition Coastal San Luis Resource Conservation District COMMUNITY OUTREACH STRATEGY Packet Pg. 21 Item 1 COMMUNITY OUTREACH STRATEGY 9 List of Morro Bay Stakeholder Groups List of San Luis Obispo Stakeholder Groups List of Joint Stakeholder Groups SLO Transit Mission Community Services Corp. Student Community Liaison Committee County of SLO Public Libraries SLO History Center SOFTEC (Central Coast Tech Hub) Young Professionals Networking Group Central Coast Tourism Council San Luis Obispo Museum of Art Business & Entrepreneurship Center – Cuesta College (BEC) San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum CA Central Coast Research Partnership (C3RP) San Luis Obispo Museum of Art Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship – Cal-Poly Press Media relations is an essential vehicle by which to deliver MBCP’s key messages and helps to establish public confidence in MBCP as the new default electricity provider for the cities of Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo. A primary strategy will be to engage with local and regional media to tell the MBCP story. Specific strategies will include press releases, Public Service Announcements and media responses. Press Releases Press releases will be written, distributed and pitched to the media to generate press coverage of events and milestones. Earned media opportunities supported by press releases include news and feature stories (print & online); radio and TV interviews; and calendar listings for community events. Media Protocol & Response A media protocol has been created for use by municipal staff and elected officials in Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo in order to ensure message consistency, responsiveness and to prevent confusion. MBCP media support staff will include: • Primary MBCP Media Contact: JR Killigrew, Director of Communications & EnergyPrograms • Secondary MBCP Media Contact: Shelly Whitworth, Energy Communications Specialist PSAs (Public Service Announcements) PSAs offer an opportunity to deliver messages primarily via radio, and to some degree TV, per federal regulations. PSAs will be written and submitted to stations. Stations are not obligated to run the PSA but may choose to do so. Media Outlets The following news outlets, as well as others, will be the focus of news, press releases, media responses and Public Service Announcement strategies: Packet Pg. 22 Item 1 COMMUNITY OUTREACH STRATEGY 10 List of Morro Bay Media Outlets List of San Luis Obispo Media Outlets List of Joint Media Outlets 97.3 FM The Rock New Times SLO KSBY - NBC Morro Bay Life The Tribune KCOY - CBC Estero Bay News SLO City News KKFX - FOX Mustang Daily KEYT - ABC Journal Plus KCBX – 90.1 FM SLO Life Magazine KPRL - 1230 AM KVEC 920 AM KZOZ – 93.3 FM (AGM) KKJG – 98.1FM (AGM) KIQO – 104.5 FM (AGM) KKAL 92.5 FM (AGM) Social Media Social media platforms will be utilized to raise awareness and visibility for MBCP and sup Bay and San Luis Obispo. Platforms will include: port the goal to reach residents in Morro FACEBOOK TWITTER INSTAGRAM Create ongoing content plan/pattern of posts (upcoming events, relevant news coverage, factoids, etc.). Direct outreach with Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo partner sites for sharing posts/links (essential for building support). Auto-populate Facebook posts to Twitter account. Live-tweet from community meetings. Topics for Twitter posts could include news, facts, events and retweeted posts from like-minded organizations. Content can be sourced from all other MBCP social media channels. Topics may include news, facts and event information. During enrollment MBCP will employ a social media campaign inviting businesses and residents to follow MBCP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or join MBCP’s e-newsletter to be entered into a raffle for an E-Bike. The contest will be open from November through January and one random drawings from a customer in San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay will be selected in February 2020. Packet Pg. 23 Item 1 COMMUNITY OUTREACH STRATEGY 11 Email Newsletters (E-News) MBCP will leverage its current email newsletter and incorporate opportunities for Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo. MBCP will collaborate with Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo to cross-promote the MBCP newsletter and help increase subscriptions from those communities. Advertising & Sponsorships MBCP will invest in the following advertising formats: • Digital/social • Radio spots (commercial and public radio) • Bus placards • Strategic print ads in local newspaper Preliminary List of Action Items EVENT TYPE MORRO BAY SAN LUIS OBISPO MBCP Public Forums 2 2 Community Presentations 6 6 Strategic Events/Panels with MBCP 6 6 PSAs 6 6 Packet Pg. 24 Item 1 COMMUNITY OUTREACH STRATEGY 12 Outreach Timeline • Presentations to City Councils of San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay • Recruitment for local staff • Outreach to key commercial customers • Outreach to key community groups • Media outreach • Hiring of local staff • Weekly MBCP staff office hours at City Hall for San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay • Outreach to key commercial customers • Outreach to key community groups • Begin paid advertising • Letters to the Editors/Op-Eds • PSAs • Notice #1 mailed to Customers • MBCP Public Forums in San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay • Weekly MBCP staff office hours at City Hall for San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay • Outreach to key commercial customers • Outreach to key community groups • Advertising • PSAs • Notice #2 mailed to Customers • MBCP utility bill insert included in City of San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay Water Agency Bills • MBCP Letter to Net Energy Metering Customers • Weekly MBCP staff office hours at City Hall for San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay • Outreach to key commercial customers • Outreach to key community groups • Advertising • PSAs • Enrollment Month! • Net Energy Metering Customer Enrollment • Weekly MBCP staff office hours at City Hall for San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay • Outreach to key commercial customers • Outreach to key community groups • Advertising • PSAs • Notice #3 mailed to Customers • MBCP utility bill insert included in City of San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay Water Agency Bills • MBCP Public Forums in San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay • Weekly MBCP staff office hours at City Hall for San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay • Outreach to key commercial customers • Outreach to key community groups • Advertising • PSAs • Notice #4 mailed to Customers • Weekly MBCP staff office hours at City Hall for San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay September 2019 October 2019 November 2019 December 2019 January 2020 February 2020 March 2020 Packet Pg. 25 Item 1 COMMUNITY OUTREACH STRATEGY 13 • Outreach to key commercial customers • Outreach to key community groups • Advertising • PSAs • Presentations to City Councils of San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay • Weekly MBCP staff office hours at City Hall for San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay • Outreach to key commercial customers • Outreach to key community groups • Advertising • Letters to the Editors/Op-Eds • PSAs • Outreach to key commercial customers • Outreach to key community groups • Advertising • Outreach to key commercial customers • Outreach to key community groups • Advertising • Presentations to City Councils of San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay Potential Additional Events to Attend SLO - MBCP Presentation to City Council (Sep. 3) Morro Bay - Avocado & Margarita Street Festival (Sep. 7) Morro Bay - National Drive Electric Week (Sep. 14) SLO - National Drive Electric Week (September 19): • EV Business Event at Mind Body (TBD) • EV Display Event – SLO Climate Coalition (TBD) • EV Ride & Drive Madonna Inn (TBD) Morro Bay - MBCP Presentation City Council (Sep. 24) Wild & Scenic Film Festival (Sep. 14-22): • “Butterfly Ball” SLO Brew Rock (Sat. Sep. 14) • Fremont Theater DT SLO (Sat. Sep. 21) • “Wild Child” Film Day Morro Bay (Sun. Sep. 22) Morro Bay - Harbor Festival (Oct. 6) SLO - Ultra Trail Runs & Yoga Music Festival (Oct. 26) SLO - Dia de los Muertos Mission Plaza (Nov. 2) Morro Bay - Veteran’s Day Celebration (Nov. 7) SLO - Sustainable Ag Expo (Nov. 11-13) SLO Downtown Farmers Market Morro Bay Farmers Market SLO Concerts in the Plaza Madonna Expo Center & Meadows events Local golf tournament fundraisers Good Morning SLO Chamber presentation Cal Poly sporting events Special event partnering at a local winery or brewery SLO Central Coast VegFest (Feb. 2020) SLO Half Marathon (Apr. 2020) SLO Pride in the Plaza (Jul. 2020) 41st Annual SLO Triathlon (Jul. 2020) SLO Blues Baseball (May – Jul. 2020) April 2020 May 2020 June 2020 July 2020 Packet Pg. 26 Item 1 9/3/2019 Item 1 ‐ Staff Presentation 1 Monterey Bay Community Power City Council – September 3, 2019 1 Recommendation Receive and file the Monterey Bay Community Power – Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo Community Outreach Plan and a presentation from Monterey Bay Community Power about the enrollment process for the January 2020 launch. 2 1 2 9/3/2019 Item 1 ‐ Staff Presentation 2 Background Climate Action is a Major City Goal in the 2019-21 Financial Plan. Community Choice Energy (CCE) allows the City to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while driving economic development. The City Council has been supportive of the research and development of a viable regional Community Choice Energy program for the last several years. In December of 2018, the City of San Luis Obispo joined an existing CCE, Monterey Bay Community Power. 3 City of San Luis Obispo MBCP Enrollment Presentation 9.3.2019 LOCAL CHOICE • CLEAN ENERGY • ECONOMIC VITALITY 3 4 9/3/2019 Item 1 ‐ Staff Presentation 3 HOW COMMUNITY CHOICE WORKS? “A Partnership” CCAs source from carbon-free & renewable suppliers Investor Owner Utility transmits & distributes the electrons Same Service at lower prices WHO WE ARE 5 6 9/3/2019 Item 1 ‐ Staff Presentation 4 HOW WE ARE GOVERNED Policy Board: Meets 4 Times Annually Operations Board: Meets 8 Times Annually Community Advisory Council: Meets Monthly County of Santa Cruz City of Santa Cruz City of Watsonville County of Monterey City of Salinas County of San Benito Coastal Cities Marina* Sand City Seaside Peninsula Cities Carmel Monterey* Pacific Grove Salinas Cities Greenfield Gonzales* Soledad San Benito Cities Hollister San Juan Bautista* Santa Cruz Cities Capitola Scotts Valley* San Luis Obispo Cities San Luis Obispo* Morro Bay *City representative currently serving in a shared seat. POWER SUPPLY 34% 66% MBCP Eligible Renewables Non‐Eligible Renewables New Development 128MW Solar, 40MW Storage Rosamond, Kern County 2 PPAs: EDF/Big Beau Solar Online: 2021 Term: 20 years 150MW Solar, 45MW Storage Lemore, Kings County 2 PPAs: Recurrent/RE Slate 1 Online: 2021 Term: 15 years 200MW Wind New Mexico 2 PPAs: Duran Mesa, LLC/Corona Wind Project Online: 2021 Term: 13 years 7 8 9/3/2019 Item 1 ‐ Staff Presentation 5 MBCP BUDGET PHILOSOPHY FY FY19/20 FY 20/21 FY 21/22 FY 22/23 FY 23/24 Program Rebate Reserve -2% of revenue - 30% of surplus - 70% of surplus - 50% of surplus - 50% of surplus - 50% of surplus - 50% of surplus - 50% of surplus - 50% of surplus - 50% of surplus - 50% of surplus - Ensure fiscal stability, reduce customer rates and invest in local economy - Achieve reserve target of 50% of operating expenses as quickly as possible MBCP SERVICE OFFERINGS Default Carbon Free Service Offering (match PG&E rates plus 7% discount) Voluntary 100% Renewable Service Offering ($0.01/kWh more than MBchoice plus 7% discount) 9 10 9/3/2019 Item 1 ‐ Staff Presentation 6 SAME BILL –CUSTOMER SAVINGS Residential Customers •7% discount on monthly generation charges Small to Medium Sized Commercial/Agricultural Customers •7% discount on monthly generation charges Large Commercial/Agricultural Customers •7% discount on monthly generation charges MBCP CUSTOMER SAVINGS 11 12 9/3/2019 Item 1 ‐ Staff Presentation 7 RATES – RESIDENTIAL E1 COMPARISON PG&E MBCP Generation Rate ($/kwh) $0.11757 $0.083523* Delivery Rate ($/kWh) $0.14126 $0.14126 PG&E PCIA ($/kWh) N/A $0.02709 PG&E Franchise Fee ($/kWh) N/A $0.00067 Monthly Generation Cost ($/kWh) $.11757 $.111283 Monthly Cost of Electricity ($/kWh) $0.25883 $0.252543 Est. Monthly Cost for Res Customer (500 kWhs) $129.42 $126.27 *MBCP 7% discount applied ENERGY DISCOUNT PROGRAMS •California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE):A monthly discount of 20% or more on gas and electricity. Participants qualify through income guidelines or if enrolled in certain public assistance programs. •Family Electric Rate Assistance Program (FERA): A monthly discount of 18% on electricity only. Must be a household with three or more people. Participants qualify through income guidelines. •Medical Baseline Allowance: financial assistance program for residential customers who have special energy needs due to certain qualifying medical conditions. •Low‐Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): federal funding to help families with home energy bills, energy crises, weatherization and energy‐related minor home repairs 13 14 9/3/2019 Item 1 ‐ Staff Presentation 8 ENERGY DISCOUNT PROGRAMS •Discount programs remain the same with MBCP service. •CARE, FERA, LIHEAP and Medical Baseline Allowance are provided in full to MBCP customers; no need to reapply. •PG&E employees still receive their discount ROOFTOP SOLAR CUSTOMERS MBCP PG&E Premium Rates for excess solar generation: ($0.06734/kWh) Wholesale rates for excess solar generation: ($0.03207/kWh) Annual or Monthly True Up Annual or Monthly True Up 7% Discount for Net Consumers of Electricity Net Consumers of Electricity pay PG&E rates 15 16 9/3/2019 Item 1 ‐ Staff Presentation 9 EST. COST SAVINGS FOR SAN LUIS OBISPO Preliminary Cost Savings for Enrolled Customers in San Luis Obispo (CY 2020) 7% Customer Discount Residential Customers: $361,654 Commercial Customers: $944,132 $1,305,786 - 7% discount translates to 2 – 4% total electricity savings - Estimates based on 30% residential & 70% commercial electrical load - Assuming 5% opt out of customer demand ENERGY PROGRAMS Overview ‐4% ‐5% of gross revenue set aside per year ‐Energy Programs Policy: transportation electrification, building electrification and distributed energy resources Programs from FY 18/19 ‐Monterey Bay eVIP (EV incentives) ‐ $1.1 million ‐$725k from MBCP ‐$400k from MB Air District ‐Project Sunshine (low income solar) ‐$100k 17 18 9/3/2019 Item 1 ‐ Staff Presentation 10 ENROLLMENT & COMMUNITY OUTREACH Enrollment ‐4 mailers required by law ‐Community Outreach Plan Community Outreach ‐Events and workshops ‐Advertising ‐Call center of CCE & billing experts CUSTOMER ENROLLMENT November 2019 – Notice #1 December 2019 – Notice #2 January 2020 – Meter transition on meter read date February 2020 – Notice #3 March 2020 – Notice #4 • Customers can opt-out at any time at no cost during enrollment period. • If customers opt out after enrollment period, there is an administrative fee of $5 for residential & $25 for commercial customers 19 20 9/3/2019 Item 1 ‐ Staff Presentation 11 OUTREACH ACTIVITIES Special Mailers ‐Working with SLO Utility Dept to include additional bill insert within utility bills Strategic Accounts ‐Dedicated outreach to Top 100 energy consumers Public Forums ‐In partnership with the City, MBCP will host 2 public forums in Nov 2019 and Feb 2020 Community Organizations ‐Dedicated outreach and offering of presentations to disseminate information Rooftop Solar Customers ‐Customized mailer Office Hours ‐Dedicated MBCP staff to answer questions about billing at SLO City Hall OUTREACH ACTIVITIES Press Releases ‐written, distributed and pitched to the media to generate press coverage of events, milestones, etc. Media Engagement ‐Scheduling media tour in September to engage with key media outlets E‐bike Raffle ‐From November through January, customers can follow/like our Facebook, Twitter and Instragram feed or join our newsletter to enter into an E‐Bike Giveway Advertising & Sponsorships ‐Digital/Social Ads, Radio Spots, Bus placards, Print Ads ‐Sponsor entities per sponsorship policy Social Media ‐#SLOMBenrollment campaign of mailers 21 22 9/3/2019 Item 1 ‐ Staff Presentation 12 UPCOMING JOB OPPORTUNITIES ‐Energy Public Engagement Associate ‐Working with community groups and deliver presentations, attended events, helping to educate the general community about MBCP and community choice ‐Energy Accounts Analyst ‐Working with commercial customers on billing, account analysis and tariff ‐Energy Programs Analyst ‐Supporting and working on MBCP energy programs ‐Assisting with program design, implementation, marketing and outreach OUTREACH TIMELINE (SEPT 2019 –JAN 2020) Sept 2019 • Presentations to City Councils of San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay • Recruitment for local staff • Outreach to key commercial customers • Outreach to key community groups • Events – Avocado Festival • Media outreach Oct. 2019 • Hiring of local staff • Weekly MBCP staff office hours at City Hall for San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay • Outreach to key commercial customers • Outreach to key community groups • Begin paid advertising • Letters to the Editors/Op-Eds • PSAs • Events Nov. 2019 • Notice #1 mailed to Customers • MBCP Public Forums in San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay • Weekly MBCP staff office hours at City Hall for San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay • Outreach to key commercial customers • Outreach to key community groups • Advertising • PSAs Dec. 2019 • Notice #2 mailed to Customers • MBCP bill insert included in City of San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay Water Agency Bills • MBCP Letter to Net Energy Metering Customers • Weekly MBCP staff office hours at City Hall for San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay • Outreach to key commercial customers • Outreach to key community groups • Advertising • PSAs Jan. 2020 • Enrollment Month! • Net Energy Metering Customer Enrollment • Weekly MBCP staff office hours at City Hall for San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay • Outreach to key commercial customers • Outreach to key community groups • Advertising • PSAs 23 24 9/3/2019 Item 1 ‐ Staff Presentation 13 OUTREACH TIMELINE (FEB –JUN 2020) Feb 2020 • Notice #3 mailed to Customers • MBCP Buckslip flyer included in City of San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay Water Agency Bills • MBCP Public Forums in San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay • Weekly MBCP staff office hours at City Hall for San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay • Outreach to key commercial customers • Outreach to key community groups • Advertising • PSAs Mar. 2020 • Notice #4 mailed to Customers • Weekly MBCP staff office hours at City Hall for San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay • Outreach to key commercial customers • Outreach to key community groups • Advertising • PSAs Apr. 2020 • Presentations to City Councils of San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay • Weekly MBCP staff office hours at City Hall for San Luis Obispo & Morro Bay • Outreach to key commercial customers • Outreach to key community groups • Advertising • PSAs May 2020 • Outreach to key commercial customers • Outreach to key community groups • Advertising June 2020 • Outreach to key commercial customers • Outreach to key community groups • Advertising A UNIFIED CENTRAL COAST CCA Benefits ‐1 CCA serving 5 Counties (Santa Cruz, San Benito, Monterey, San Luis Obispo & Santa Barbara) to maximize benefits ‐Potential of offshore wind and local development opportunities ‐Proven customer savings ‐Delivery of local energy programs ‐Decision making 25 26 9/3/2019 Item 1 ‐ Staff Presentation 14 HOW TO CONTACT MBCP www.mbcommunitypower.org info@mbcp.org 1.888.909.MBCP montereybaycommunitypower mbcommunitypwr mbcommunitypower Follow us online, and check our extensive FAQ section on the website. 70 Garden Court Suite 300 Monterey, CA 93940 Recommendation Receive and file the Monterey Bay Community Power – Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo Community Outreach Plan and a presentation from Monterey Bay Community Power about the enrollment process for the January 2020 launch. 28 27 28