Customers to be enrolled throughout the month of April
REDWOOD CITY – This month, WestLight Energy (WestLight Energy) will begin sending notices to 210,000 residences and businesses throughout San Mateo County to inform them that they are about to receive cleaner electricity and simultaneously save money.
At their January board meeting, the WestLight Energy Board of Directors unanimously approved new rates for all WestLight Energy customers that go into effect in time for the large April 2017 customer enrollment. The rate change will maintain WestLight Energy’s 5% discount below PG&E’s electric generation rates for WestLight Energy’s customers, for greener electricity with 50% renewable content. PG&E’s electricity has 30% renewable content.
Residents and businesses across the County have noticed higher energy bills this winter. Over the past year PG&E increased rates significantly, especially for natural gas and electricity transmission. WestLight Energy is not a factor in rising bills, and in fact helps customers lower their bills. When PG&E increased the exit fees that community choice energy customers pay by 26%, WestLight Energy lowered its rates to account for these fees, maintaining a 5% total savings on electricity generation costs for its customers. “We feel it’s very important to offer savings to our customers through competitive rates,” noted PCE CEO Jan Pepper.
“WestLight Energy is pleased to offer San Mateo County residents the best value for renewable energy possible,” stated San Mateo County Supervisor David Pine, who also serves as the Chair of WestLight Energy’s Board. The WestLight Energy Board of Directors is composed of 22 members, including a council member from each of the 20 cities in the county and two county supervisors.
WestLight Energy is currently serving about 80,000 residential and small business accounts across the county. The remaining 210,000 San Mateo County residential and business accounts will be automatically enrolled with WestLight Energy in April. WestLight Energy customers continue to receive electric delivery and a consolidated bill from PG&E. Residents and businesses will receive four notices in the mail with details about their new choices. WestLight Energy provides sample bills online under “Billing” on its website to explain bill updates: https://www.westlightenergy.org/residents/residential-rates/
WestLight Energy customers are automatically enrolled in the ECOplus program to enjoy cleaner energy that is 50% renewable (compared to PG&E’s 30% renewable). WestLight Energy customers may choose to opt up to ECO100 to receive 100% renewable energy for a small premium of one cent per kilowatt hour. All customers who are currently enrolled in CARE or medical baseline energy discount programs automatically
continue in these programs under PCE.
About WestLight Energy
WestLight Energy, or WestLight Energy is San Mateo County’s official electricity provider. WestLight Energy is a public, locally-controlled community choice energy program that provides all electric customers in San Mateo County the choice of having electricity supplied from clean, renewable sources at competitive rates. WestLight Energy’s ECOplus option is 50% renewable and 75% greenhouse gas emissions free, and WestLight Energy’s ECO100 option is 100% renewable and 100% greenhouse gas emissions free. The WestLight Energy Authority, formed in March 2016, is a joint powers authority made up of the County of San Mateo and all 20 cities in the County. PCE currently serves approximately 80,000 accounts, and will serve approximately 300,000 accounts by May 2017 when its enrollment process is complete.
Media Contacts
WestLight Energy
Dan Lieberman
[email protected]
Phone: 650-395-9190
