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By BRETT WILKISON
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Sonoma County officials are touting survey results released Wednesday that they say show further support for a county bid to form a public power agency.
However, the feedback also showed support for any county move is tied to widespread concern about maintaining stable and comparable electricity rates now provided largely by PG&E.
Leaders acknowledged that finding.
“If we’re not cost competitive we won’t be successful,” said Supervisor Mike McGuire, who has overseen the issue along with Supervisor Efren Carrillo.
The results came from a Feb. 7 telephone survey that gathered input from 4,344 county residents and an online survey involving 990 local businesses.
Among residents polled, 79 percent supported a locally controlled electricity portfolio, with more more than 80 percent supporting greenhouse gas cuts and having a choice in how their electricity is generated.
Among businesses, about two-thirds gave at least moderate support for locally produced power from renewable sources such as solar and wind. About three quarters provided at least moderate support for emissions cuts and having a choice in power source.
Carrillo, who has called the county effort an “imperative,” described the margin of support among both groups as “remarkable.”
“It tells us people do care about investment in renewables, and that they also care about pricing,” he said.
The results come before an April 10 vote by the Board of Supervisors on whether to move ahead with a bid to become a power supplier to homes and businesses.
Cost remains a key concern for customers, the studies showed.
Nearly 60 percent of residents surveyed said they were either uwilling to pay much more, or anything extra, for renewable power supplied by a local provider.
Among business representatives that figure was higher. Two-thirds said they were either unwilling to pay somewhat more or anything extra for renewable power; only a quarter said they would be willing to pay even somewhat more.
Only about half of businesses expressed strong support for a local power provider.
“Its obvious from our survey that we need to work with the business community,” McGuire said, adding that further outreach is being made this month to community groups.
A county-ordered study last year found the typical customer would pay on average $4 to $10 more per month over a 20-year period for power provided by the county versus power supplied by PG&E, the region’s main utility.
The difference could rise up to $15 more per month in 2017 — the peak year under one county scenario — before dropping to as low as $1 more per month in 2032 under a different scenario.
Supporters of the county bid argue that those cost differences could be erased by annual PG&E rate hikes and offset by long-term county power purchases offering stable prices.
Also, a county agency could draw more power from renewable sources, some of which could be built locally, providing a source of jobs, supporters claim.
The effort is backed by nearly all local elected leaders, environmental groups, public and private sector labor groups and some developers.
The survey results provide evidence of wider support among customers, one of those backers said.
“It really confirms what we’ve been sensing all along, that there’s support for this in the community,” said Ann Hancock, executive director of the Santa Rosa-based Climate Protection Campaign.
Some business leaders, government watchdogs and taxpayer advocates remain skeptical, saying they are concerned about the risks for ratepayers and public treasuries.
In California, only Marin County has taken on the role of power supplier, a move authorized under a 2002 state law that lets local governments buy energy on the wholesale market and sell it to residents and businesses.
In Sonoma County’s case, the law gives cities first say on whether they’ll participate and then lets individuals opt out of any public power entity.
Billing, metering and transmission would remain with PG&E under any new public venture.
County officials have estimated start up costs at up to $3 million. A joint-powers agency would oversee the effort, shielding the county and any participating cities from general fund costs.
Of the 220,000 customers eligible for participation in Sonoma County, an estimated 164,000 might be expected to participate, based on a 20 percent opt-out rate, county consultants have said.
Healdsburg has its own municipal utility district. McGuire, a former Healdsburg mayor, said he did not expect the city to participate in any county effort.
The residential survey did not ask specifically about the county’s proposal, dubbed Sonoma Clean Power. Instead, it posed general questions such as “How important is it that your electricity comes from clean sources like solar and wind as opposed to fuels like nuclear and natural gas?” and “How supportive are you of electricity produced locally if you knew the revenues would be invested back in the local economy?”
The survey was conducted by Windsor-based Data Instincts with help from Delphi, the company owned by Santa Rosa political consultant Herb Williams, a supporter of the county’s proposal.
Carrillo and McGuire said they were comfortable with the methodology.
“We did our very best to not try and sway respondents,” Carrillo said.
The commercial survey was conducted by Petaluma-based Creative Systems Research.
The county Water Agency is spearheading the effort and the survey results can be found on its website, www.scwa.ca.gov/cca/.
You can reach Staff Writer Brett Wilkison at 521-5295 or brett.wilkison@pressdemocrat.com.
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I think that the Sonoma County Supervisors should confine themselves to their once a week public meeting and leave county power generation and distribution to the professionals. We do not neet a another county road repair disastor.
I can’t wait for an organized protest to form about this. I’ll show em. Line em up on the sidewalk & I’ll show those lowlife voters who is really boss. Me & my boys.
Just to say that Jim and Kay are right, I would like to add.
Jim says we are in a land of plenty, and he is oh so correct. The Agenda restricts the use of our plenty for some ‘feel good’ mantra that has infected the far left. I know rural landowners that are getting squeezed by regulation and ‘ eyesore’ claims.
Kay makes her points here very well, so I would just say that I agree with her.
Like the Government’s finances, their policies are unsustainable. How can you trust these people ?
Forgive me, but many intelligent people are on the blog that know something is terribly wrong. Yet what are you doing about it?
There’s some more tyranny coming down, you should connect with others that are up to speed on our current municipal dynamic.
GAJ said it, we are blessed with having the Geysers close by, we should never need to fret over energy.
We have plenty of water, agriculture (potential), everything geographically and demographically a community could ever want.
We are also the template of this oppression for the whole Country.
Some engaged people show up at Council and BOS, we need more.
We have the conviction to look after our interests and freedoms ourselves but community is not a spectator sport.
These times require your involvement.
It’s time to ask THE QUESTION.
Why do we belong to ICLEI?
And I’m sure it will be run with the efficiency of the DMV and the compassion of the IRS.
I’m sorry, where was this survey and how come I’m never invited for my input on them. Oh I know…I would lower their support ratings on probably everything!
VOTE THEM ALL OUT! NOW! AND DON’T VOTE IN MORE JUST LIKE THEM OR YOU’LL GET THE SAME RESULTS!!!
Why would they ask Ann Hancock, director of the Climate Protection Campaign. The CPC is an NGO accredited by the United Nations just like ICLEI. She has been in a green frenzy since 1990 when ICLEI started. The fanatical green lobbyists couldn’t care less how much we pay for electricity. It would cost us more, that’s a given. Even though we already are using electricity from renewable sources (the Geysers) the county wants to get their hands on the power to make money for themselves.
Richard, for your information, some public power agencies like the one set up in Pittsburg by former Santa Rosa City manager Jeff Kolin were in partnership with Enron. If memory serves, that joint powers agency made over twelve million in profits in just a few years. Jeff Kolin left Pittsburgh at the height of the Enron scandal and came to Santa Rosa.
The last agency I would ever want selling me electricity is the Sonoma County Water Agency. Our water rates are ridiculous. Sonoma County is thoroughly controlled by their ICLEI allegiance that requires them to do things to “make us” use less of everything by charging a huge amount for services. They are willfully abandoning maintenance of roads to prevent us from driving. Everything they do is connected to implementing the grand plan, Agenda 21/Sustainable Development.
PG&E will continue to maintain the infrastructure for Gas and Electric service even if this boneheaded idea moves forward.
And, again, the County’s number one stated priority is road maintenance.
How are they doing on that?
I’d give them a solid F minus.
Keep in mind that the Sonoma County Water Board of Directors are the Sonoma County Supervisors:
First District Supervisor/Director:
Valerie Brown
Second District Supervisor/Director
David Rabbitt
Third District Supervisor/Director
Shirlee Zane
Fourth District Supervisor/Director
Mike McGuire
Fifth District Supervisor/Director
Efren Carrillo
so when they tell you that a survey that shows that the people do not want to pay more for a county run power provider proves that it is “imperative” that they take control over another major aspect of your life and a huge stream of cash flow that they may be spinning you.
As Average Joe noted, if this goes forward, it will be a Smart replay – you will get half as much for twice the price and will be told to sit down, shut up and pay up.
In my opinion.
The public power department should be separate from all other county departments, with its own budget and books. All funds collected by it ought be used for power and power only.
It should be subject to the state PUC. It certainly ought not be formed like ‘SMART’, a stand alone entity that writes its own rules.
Batts555 :
You are attempting to say that the explosion in San Bruno, CA, was something that the government would not allow to happen.
But I will provide a small but ongoing example of how government not only fails to do its job properly, but where it has shielded itself from liability.
Look no further than the building inspectors of every county in California.
They routinely fail to detect construction faults. The result is never ending litigation between property owners and developers.
The big stickler? Those building inspectors are shielded from liability as are their local government employer. The courts, wouldn’t you know, have ruled that local government building inspectors are immune to civil litigation over their failures to detect construction defects.
Yes, we sure do want government sticking its nose into our power grid when they have an ongoing track record of FAILURE followed by a legal shield that the courts enforce to the detriment of property owners.
And that is just one small example of why we don’t want local government doing anything more complex than paving roads.
@batts,
As your own source says, the CPUC failed in its regulatory responsibilities and ignored pipeline safety warnings for years. This doesn’t relieve PG&E of any guilt. But it undercuts your argument that government will necessarily protect the public better. Both were negligent.
The sad truth is that safety is an expense unpopular with many people. And when the risk isn’t well understood, or thought remote, it’s just easy to ignore. NASA lost a space shuttle because it wanted to keep its launch schedule on time and within budget, and they’re an agency of government.
@Moneygrubber “The explosion of the PG&E pipeline in San Bruno, CA, was the exception rather than the rule. Accidents do happen”
Interesting, I just googled PG&E and this is the latest article – dated 3/16/12 and the other link date 3/14/12. I doubt very much that the San Bruno explosion was an exception. The article states PG&E new they had major issues over 20 years ago and did nothing!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/15/california-pipeline-safety_n_1349780.html
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/03/14/BAHH1NKTSC.DTL
I’m not a fan of the regulated utility model, but that’s what we have. Worse would be a hybrid model in which governments opt out of PG&E when its easy and cheap, leaving PG&E with only the most expensive areas to serve, the small towns of rural northern California.
For those of you who want public power, go for all of it. Don’t expect PG&E to maintain the power grid and service undesirable areas, while you play the green energy card. It’s a fraud.
As to the cost savings between PG&E and Healdsburg’s muni power, it’s .12845/kWh versus .12168/kWh respectively for tier 1. PG&E’s rate, though, applies to its entire service area, not just an urban area.
As others have pointed out, I’d feel more comfortable with the county power if the county was doing a credible job maintaining its other responsibilities. Are they?
I read the survey, there is nothing in it about support for a County run power agency. None.
Sure Healdsburg does OK with their gig because it is small and they contracted with the Geysers, but does anyone actually think that the whole county will be better served with it’s elected gang of thieves ?
And the Water Agency taking the lead role ? That smells.
Batts555:
The salary of a CEO, whether large or small, is not measure of an idea’s worthiness.
The explosion of the PG&E pipeline in San Bruno, CA, was the exception rather than the rule. Accidents do happen. The difference is that PG&E can be held accountable.
Give me an example of where government holds itself accountable for fraud, waste, incompetence, lies, or any of the many other ills of government. It doesn’t happen.
The only time government is held accountable is when, on rare occasion, some government employee is actually prosecuted and sentenced to prison. And then the sloppy operation continues but with one less public employee.
We can do a lot worse if we allow the bureaucrats to interfere with our power grid.
@Moneygrubber as I had stated before we could not do a worse job than Pacific Gas & Explosions. Here is a link to the current salary of the CEO of PG&E. Keep in mind Darbee the out going CEO last year as part of his severance package was given over 30 million dollars. For what: Doing and Incompetent job!!!
http://blogs.kqed.org/newsfix/2011/08/09/incoming-pge-ceo-to-be-one-of-highest-paid-in-country/
Bats555 wants to “gamble” with your money and your power grid.
Sounds like a government employee to me. Who else is quick to gamble with public tax money but government employees with little to do during their “work” day ?
I think it’s worth a gamble, we could not do any worse of a job than Pacific Gas and Explosions. They have planted time bombs throughout California, the Taliban could not do as good a job of planting bombs.
And the survey says………….
Ding, “smells like SMART”
Correct answer.
I sure hope they can pull this off because NOBODY runs a business like the Government!
During the 1980′s Enron induced power crisis, public-owned-power customers did not experience the huge cost increases that PG&E customers experienced. Public-owned-power customers in Healdsburg were paying a lot less for power than PG&E customers in Santa Rosa.
Sonoma County already produces power from decaying waste at the dump. PG&E pays far less for the power the county puts into the grid than what it charges for the power the county takes out from the grid.
Power to the people, from the people, for the people
This is a crock. A complete crock. Power generation is just another pot of money that the politicians want to dip into. If you think PG&E is making an outrageous fortune on us, then buy stock in the company. You won’t make much.
I don’t want Carrillo anywhere near a power line, unless he plans to touch it.
The residential survey did not ask specifically about the county’s proposal, dubbed Sonoma Clean Power. Instead, it posed general questions such as “How important is it that your electricity comes from clean sources like solar and wind as opposed to fuels like nuclear and natural gas?” and “How supportive are you of electricity produced locally if you knew the revenues would be invested back in the local economy?”
“However, the feedback also showed support for any county move is tied to widespread concern about maintaining stable and comparable electricity rates now provided largely by PG&E”.
Who writes these survey questions and how much did the taxpayers pay for this farce?
Next survey: Would you like lots of nice feel good things if they did not cost you anything?
Survey results: Surprise – Overwhelming support.
Please send me one-half the amount paid for the first survey and use the second half to fix roads, operate parks, etc.
GAJ said, “What a wonderful idea…a County that can’t even pave the roads wants to run a “renewable” energy agency.”"
Thanks, GAJ!
And don’t forget. The street lights have been turned off in places around the County for lack of cash flow.
Gotta laugh at the backslapping idiots of government who just refuse to acknowledge their own inability to perform well at anything.
Oh, wait. They DO perform well at forcing taxpayers to support their public pension systems.
What a wonderful idea…a County that can’t even pave the roads wants to run a “renewable” energy agency.
Only problem with the entire misguided effort is that Sonoma County gets 100% of its electricity from renewable energy…we’re possibly already the “greenest” County in that regard in the Country.
How can that be you ask?
“The Geysers, comprising 45 square miles along the Sonoma and Lake County border, is the largest complex of geothermal power plants in the world.
The Geysers meets the typical power needs of Sonoma, Lake, and Mendocino counties, as well a portion of the power needs of Marin and Napa counties. In fact, The Geysers satisfies nearly 60 percent of the average electricity demand in the North Coast region from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border. The Geysers is one of the most reliable energy sources in California delivering extremely high availability and on-line performance and accounts for one-fifth of the green power produced in California.”
http://www.geysers.com/
Our County Administration is full of morons looking for distractions from their basic mission as stated on their website!
Here’s the introduction to their 2012 Responsibilities from their website:
“A major task of the Board of Supervisors is to manage the public money which comes to the county from property tax, sales tax, fees, and federal and state income grants. The county budget has funds for services such as:
*Local road construction and maintenance”
http://supervisors.sonoma-county.org/