Resource Adequacy (RA) is electricity product required of Community Choice programs and all load-serving entities to ensure enough supply under all grid conditions. In proceeding R.17-09-020, the CPUC is once again doing the bidding of the investor-owned utilities (IOUs). Not only does the Commission’s Proposed Decision (PD) undermine the ability of Community Choice programs to make their own procurement decisions, autonomy given them under AB 117. The PD also names two IOUs as the “Central Buyer”, empowering them –instead of an independent agency– to make these decisions. If adopted, this appointment promises an RA system rigged against Community Choice for the foreseeable future.
