District 5 Update on Marin Clean Energy

All areas of Novato (both the unincorporated areas of Black Point, Green Point, Indian Valley, Loma Verde and Bel Marin Keys and the City of Novato), are in the service territory of Marin Clean Energy (MCE).

Unincorporated Novato has been in the service area of MCE since its launch in early 2010. The City of Novato voted to join Marin Clean Energy in September 2011. MCE is a “Community Choice Aggregation” (CCA) program under the Marin Energy Authority (MEA): a joint powers authority (JPA) made up of the County and all of Marin’s cities and towns.

The state legislation which created the CCA structure (AB117) requires ratepayers within the service territory to opt out if they do not wish to participate in the CCA, and requires the CCA to send four opt out notices over a 120-day opt out period. MCE has voluntarily increased the number of notices to five, rather than the state minimum of four.

In addition, MCE has increased the variety of ways that customers will be contacted. Prior phases followed the state guidelines by sending four postcard notices. Going forward, each customer will receive two letters and three postcards (using the address information provided by PG&E from its current billing records.) This approach is intended to ensure that customers are fully informed of their options by diverse methods.

All Novato customers who have not yet been offered service by MCE are scheduled to be enrolled in July 2012, on the date of their normal meter read. Starting July 2012, MCE will be the default electrical provider for all of Marin County, and expects to serve approximately 95,000 customers.

Note: If you have already been enrolled or have chosen to opt out of MCE service in a prior enrollment phase, your choice will remain in effect with no further action needed.

Only the electricity generation portion of your bill will be affected. Your gas & electric utility bills will continue to be sent by PG&E, which will continue to collect its standard fees for distribution and transmission of power through its electricity infrastructure. PG&E also continues to perform all maintenance and repair on this infrastructure, and to respond to customer issues regarding availability of electricity and gas service. MCE and PG&E have signed an agreement to this effect as required by AB117.

• MCE will mail 3 notices prior to enrollment, the first of which will be mailed in April 2012. Opt outs can only be processed once the notice period has commenced.
• MCE will mail 2 additional notices after enrollment (within the first two months of service) to customers who did not opt out prior to enrollment. During this time period, users can still opt out without incurring any additional fee.
• If users elect to opt out after sixty days from your account switch to MCE, you will be charged a one-time administrative fee ($5 for residential and $25 for commercial customers).

Being in the MCE service territory means that you have three choices:

• Once you receive a notice that you are now eligible to participate in MCE, you may remain in MCE. To remain in MCE at the default “light green” portfolio option, which includes 50% certified renewable energy, you do not need to take any action. You will have an additional 60 days beyond commencement of service to opt out without a fee or penalty should you choose to do so.
• Once you receive a notice that you are now eligible to participate in MCE, you may “opt out”, and continue to receive electricity from PG&E’s portfolio. To opt out, call (888) 632-3674, or visit www.marincleanenergy.com
• At any time (starting immediately), you may “opt up”, by making a request to enroll in MCE’s “deep green” portfolio option, which offers a voluntary 100% renewable energy service option. Again, this option is available to all ratepayers within the MCE service territory, even if they have not been identified for current phase participation.

For more information, for “deep green” rates, or to sign up for the “deep green” option, call (888) 632-3674, or visit www.marincleanenergy.com.