A bill that would change how community-based power providers like Sonoma Clean Power enroll new customers cleared a big hurdle in Sacramento this week.
The Assembly passed AB 2145 on Wednesday and the bill and now heads to the Senate. It would require potential customers of public power providers to opt in to join the program.
Current law automatically enrolls customers within a defined jurisdiction into a program and requires customers to opt out if they choose to remain with their investor-owned utility.
Opponents of the bill, including business and environmental groups aligned with public power ventures, say it would make it impossible for so-called community choice aggregators like Sonoma Clean Power to compete with utilities like PG&E.
The bill's supporters, including PG&E and its main electrical workers' union, say it would give customers a fairer way to choose power providers.
The bill's author, Assemblyman Steven Bradford, is a Gardena Democrat and former executive at Southern California Edison.
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