Officials in Chico tonight will weigh a plan that would change local residents’ relationship with Pacific Gas & Electric Company.
Used in a few other California cities, ‘Community Choice Aggregation’ creates a new body that would buy electricity from producers. It would still be delivered by PG&E. Currently, PG&E buys electricity from power plant owners and distributes it.
Under California’s electricity de-regulation bill enacted under former Governor Pete Wilson, utilities had to sell off most of their power plants to other companies, then buy back the energy.
Firms that bought the plants manipulated electricity supplies, causing price spikes, blackouts and forcing a state bailout of PG&E that customers are still paying off.
Supporters say choice aggregation could reduce costs or enable the purchase of cleaner power, opponents say it creates unnecessary bureaucracy and will raise prices.
Separately, the council will consider creating a climate action commission that would advise on ways local residents and city government could reduce environmental impacts.
The council will also weigh whether to discuss at a future meeting a proposal pushed by liberals to create a jobs program for homeless people and a conservative proposal to remove mayor Randall stone from office.
The meeting gets underway this evening at 6 p.m. in council chambers at 4th and Main Streets.