The movement to save rooftop solar in California is having a big impact. But we need to keep up the pressure!
After all of our calls, emails, and demonstrations, the planned attack on rooftop solar in California has been indefinitely postponed . But the proposal is still on the agenda of the California Public Utilities Commission, so we need to keep flooding Gavin Newsom with messages insisting that he stop this attack and support equitable distributed energy.
BACKGROUND
Bowing to pressure from “investor owned utilities” (PG&E and its southern California partners in crime), the California Public Utilities Commission has proposed to drastically increase the cost of rooftop solar by
- Cutting the “net energy metering” credit by 80% (from an average of 25 cents per kilowatt hour to between 5 and 7 cents). This is the payment solar customers get when they upload electricity to the grid. It’s essential to making their initial investment in solar panels affordable.
- Adding a monthly “solar connection” flat fee averaging $57 for all residential solar customers. Schools and churches with more panels would pay between $950 and $3,400/month.
These measures would halt the progress toward rooftop solar and increase climate and environmental injustice.
Over 120,000 people have already submitted a public comment to the governor and CPUC. The editorial boards of the Sacramento Bee, LA Times and SF Chronicle have panned the CPUC’s proposal.
Because of all this pressure, the CPUC decided not to vote on the proposal at its early February meeting as planned and postponed it “until further notice.” But the fight isn’t over. Please help keep up the pressure:
* Sign the petition telling Governor Newsom to stop the plan to destroy rooftop solar.
* Call the Governor: 916-445-2841. Leave a message that you support rooftop soar, the fastest path to a clean energy grid; and are against punishing fees and drastically reduced compensation for excess power. More talking points in this toolkit. Hand-write a letter to the Governor! Real letters are rare and get noticed. Send to: 1021 O Street, Suite 9000 Sacramento, CA 95814.
* Write a letter to the editor of your local paper! Use the toolkit to craft a short letter to the editor. Letters to the editor are followed closely by our elected officials.
* Post to social media!