Typical electric customers will pay slightly less than PG&E for MCE’s 50% renewable energy service
On June 16, 2016, MCE’s Board of Directors voted to reduce energy rates by an average of 9%, effective September 1. This means the cost of MCE Light Green 50% service will be slightly less than the cost of PG&E’s 30% renewable energy service for typical homes and businesses. “We’re excited to pass along this rate decrease to our community, because we’re committed to stable and competitive rates for residential and business customers while we redefine the energy landscape with renewable choices” said MCE CEO, Dawn Weisz.
MCE’s Light Green 50% renewable energy is MCE’s standard service and the default for customers in the counties of Marin and Napa, as well as the cities of Richmond, Benicia, El Cerrito, and San Pablo. Customers who choose Light Green currently have half of their energy needs met with clean renewable resources such as solar, wind, bioenergy, geothermal and small hydroelectricity. According to the most recently verified 2015 California Energy Commission power content labels, MCE’s Light Green service was 63% carbon-free, compared to PG&E’s 59% carbon-free, 30% renewable energy service.
For customers interested in using even cleaner energy, MCE offers a second option: Deep Green 100% renewable energy. The Deep Green choice, available for any electricity user in MCE’s service area, guarantees purchase of 100% non-polluting, Green-e Energy certified wind and solar power. Deep Green is 1 cent more per kilowatt-hour (kWh), which is about $5 more per month for the typical home. MCE promotes Deep Green businesses, also known as Deep Green Champions, with print, web and email marketing efforts. Half of the revenue generated from Deep Green goes toward building local solar projects in MCE’s service areas, like the 10.5 megawatt MCE Solar One project in Richmond. We invite you to enroll online or call 1 (888) 632-3674.
MCE is committed to stable rates and, in its six years of operations, has never changed rates more than once a year. Those rates are developed, discussed, evaluated and approved by MCE’s Board of Directors at public meetings that encourage participation and prioritize transparency. MCE does not use taxpayer dollars, but instead reinvests in communities by providing low and stable rates, and by fostering local renewable development projects and expanding energy efficiency programs. MCE has allocated $80,000 for solar rebates, offered payment of $1,028,452 to solar customers for generating more solar than they used in 2015, saved more than 7,765,057 gallons of water through energy efficiency programs, and reduced 122,102 metric tons of greenhouse gases, equivalent to removing 13,365 cars from roads for one year. And, in California, MCE renewable energy projects have created 2,400 jobs. MCE currently provides service to more than 170,500 customers in Marin and Napa Counties and the cities of Richmond, Benicia, El Cerrito and San Pablo. Approximately 94,000 customers in the cities of American Canyon, Calistoga, Napa, St. Helena, Yountville, Lafayette and Walnut Creek are scheduled to start Light Green service with MCE this September.
