Central Coast Community Energy Impact Report Highlights ‘Power for Good’
March 5, 2024
Agency brings local benefits for all customers
Monterey, Calif., March 5, 2024 – Central Coast Community Energy (3CE) released its Annual Impact Report demonstrating how the public agency is delivering on its commitment to provide clean, renewable electricity and deliver community energy programs throughout the 5-County service area. The report shares how the agency has made a positive impact by lowering emissions, investing in local communities, and keeping electricity prices stable and responsible.
“3CE is leading by example to make the grid cleaner and more reliable for all Californians,” said 3CE Policy Board Chair Das Williams. “Our procurement strategy is based on the idea of additionality; real progress toward clean and renewable energy means adding new resources to the grid. Cost savings for our customers is also top of mind, and measures like our pre-payment bonds will keep rates responsible and competitive.”
Highlights from the report include:
- 3CE secured its first prepay bond issuance to finance clean-energy supplies. The $647.8 million bond issuance is projected to save 3CE customers nearly 11.4% in energy costs, which translates to $32.9 million in the cost of energy over the initial seven-year period of the bonds
- 3CE Energy Programs made $26 million available in customer rebates, which funded 1,000 new or used electric vehicles, 200 newly built all-electric affordable housing units, and 30 agricultural electrification projects
- The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors voted to join 3CE, bringing the unincorporated area of the county into membership and completing the agency’s planned expansion following the City of Atascadero voting to join last year
- $2.8 billion invested in renewable energy and energy storage projects including the largest compressed air storage project in the world
“Our progress has been significant, but there remains work to do in acquiring additional sources of renewable energy, bringing investment to our communities, and being purposeful in our commitment to energy equity and affordability,” said 3CE CEO Robert Shaw. “As we look ahead, we can’t lose sight of the difference 3CE is making today, not only through the procurement of clean energy, but through our community programs that have helped over 1,000 customers adopt clean electric vehicles, improved air quality through all-electric homes, removed diesel buses and are spurring a fundamental change toward electrification among our agricultural communities.”
For more details on how 3CE provides benefits to the communities it serves, read the Impact Report.
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About Central Coast Community Energy
Central Coast Community Energy (3CE) is a public agency that sources competitively priced electricity from clean and renewable energy resources. 3CE is locally controlled and governed by board members who represent each community served by the agency. Revenue generated by 3CE stays local and helps keep electricity rates affordable for customers, while also funding innovative energy programs designed to lower greenhouse gas emissions and stimulate economic development. 3CE provides service to approximately more than 1 million people throughout the Central Coast, including residential, commercial, and agricultural customers in communities located within Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz counties. Learn more at 3CEnergy.org and on social media, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
For more information:
Central Coast Community Energy
Lena Watterson
Communications Specialist
831-641-7206
lwatterson@3ce.org