MINUTES
Executive Committee of the
Clean Power Alliance of Southern California
Regular Meeting
Thursday, March 20, 2025
1:30 p.m.
Meeting videos are available on CPA's YouTube Channel.
http://www.youtube.com/@CPApublicmeetings
Committee Members participated in this meeting from the following locations:
Agoura Hills City Hall
Planning Conference Room
30001 Ladyface Court
Agoura Hills, CA 91301
Clean Power Alliance Office
Executive Conference Room
801 S. Grand Ave., Suite 400
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Santa Paula City Hall
Councilmember Office
970 E. Ventura Street
Santa Paula, CA 93060
Camarillo City Hall
Office of the Mayor
601 Carmen Drive
Camarillo, CA 93010
Hawthorne City Hall
Administrative Office
4455 W. 126th Street
Hawthorne, CA 90250
Carson City Hall
Executive Conference Room
701 East Carson Street
Carson, CA 90745
Los Angeles County Hall of Administration
Sybil Brand Conference Room, Room 372
500 West Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Ventura County Government Center
CEO Point Mugu Room, 4th Floor
Hall of Administration
800 South Victoria Avenue
Ventura, CA 93009
Beverly Hills City Hall
Council Office, 4th Floor
455 N. Rexford Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Alhambra City Hall
Conference Room
111 S. First St.
Alhambra, CA 91801
Sierra Madre City Hall
Council Chambers
232 W. Sierra Madre Blvd.
Sierra Madre, CA 91024
CALL TO ORDER & ROLL CALL
Chair Klein Lopez called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. and Annie Mendoza, Deputy Clerk of the Board, conducted roll call.
Roll Call
Agoura Hills Deborah Klein Lopez Chair Remote
Alhambra Jeff Maloney Committee Member Remote
Beverly Hills Julian Gold Immediate Past Chair Remote
Camarillo Susan Santangelo Committee Member Remote
Carson Absent
Hawthorne Alex Monteiro Committee Member Remote
Los Angeles County Rita Kampalath Alternate Remote
Santa Paula Jenny Crosswhite Committee Member Remote
Sierra Madre Absent
Ventura County Absent
All votes are unanimous unless otherwise stated.
GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT
There was no public comment.
CONSENT AGENDA
1. Approve Minutes from February 20, 2025, Executive Committee Meeting Motion: Committee Member Gold, Beverly Hills
Second: Committee Member Crosswhite, Santa Paula
Vote: The consent agenda was approved by a roll call vote
REGULAR AGENDA
2. Oral Update from the CEO on CPA Operations
Ted Bardacke, Chief Executive Officer, reported that the three new cities joining CPA in October 2025 have already chosen their Board representatives and energy options. Port Hueneme and Lynwood chose the Clean default option, and La Cañada Flintridge opted for 100% Green. Expansion of new member agencies has been paused for 2026, and a feasibility study for the City of Cudahy is underway for 2027 membership. Mr. Bardacke also shared that a draft agenda for the Board Retreat in June will be presented at the next Executive Committee meeting for review. The January financial report indicates that CPA is well ahead of the budget for the year. Staff clarified for Director Gold that SCE’s Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) events reduced electricity consumption, particularly in the Eaton Fire area.
3. Review Draft Agenda for the April 3, 2025, Board of Directors Meeting Mr. Bardacke presented the consent and regular agenda items.
Director Crosswhite asked how the public announcement regarding the stipend policy would be made. Mr. Bardacke indicated that the policy will be included in the budget approval media advisory in June that would highlight CPA’s strong fiscal health, expenditures, and competitive rates.
Director Crosswhite inquired about pressures from the federal government affecting CPA’s projects or rates, and staff responded that there would be no impact on this year’s rate setting or budget outlook. CPA’s renewable energy is fully procured for this year and next. If federal tax credits or tax-exempt government debt were to be reduced or eliminated, prices could increase in 2028 and 2029.
Staff clarified for Director Gold rates cover their costs and explained the history of subset rates and why CPA may be able to lower those rates.
4. Receive Presentation on Customer Programs Fire Response and Provide Feedback
Joanne O’Neill, Director of Customer Programs, presented the proposed customer programs and fire response stages and described how existing programs could help customers whose homes are in high-fire-risk areas and those who experience frequent Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events. In Stage 1, the Energy Team will advise customers on wildfire resiliency strategies, such as home hardening, and staff will create new incentives for customers to add solar storage to their homes. CPA will collaborate with the U.S. Green Building Council to train architecture, engineering, and construction contractors in wildfire defense building techniques. The latter would require a Memorandum of Understanding and Workforce Development funds.
Stage 2 will focus on customers in the burn areas, including programs such as Zero Bill Homes, rebates for indoor air quality and building resiliency, support for rebuilding small businesses, and marketing support for the State’s Wildfire and Natural Disaster Resiliency Rebuild Program. Stage 3 will focus on community resiliency, which is still being evaluated. The proposal is to install neighborhood-based solar and battery backups instead of home-based systems. Ms. O’Neill stated that CPA’s fire response strategies will evolve as rebuilding efforts shape.
Board approval will be needed for the Stage 1 items affecting policy and budget.
In response to the need for Stage 3 projects, Director Crosswhite said she would give staff contact information for a staff member at the Southern California Association of Governments interested in connecting with CPA regarding microgrids. Director Kampalath expressed support for staff’s proposals and suggested that CPA align efforts with the County of Los Angeles related to rebuilding in Altadena. Chair Klein Lopez suggested the Santa Monica Mountains Resource Conservation District as a partner in evaluating homes for fire resistance. Staff clarified for Director Crosswhite that home hardening advice from the Energy Team would include changes to the structure and landscaping.
In response to Director Gold’s inquiry about the cost of the Resiliency Kicker for Sun Storage Rebates, staff indicated that they are still in the process of calculating those figures, as well as the eligibility parameters for the program. Additionally, staff informed Director Gold about the ongoing technical analysis of the Zero Bill Homes program. Director Gold expressed concern that the program might not be suitable for new home construction, particularly in cases where a customer is allowed to rebuild a house design that was destroyed by fire. Staff clarified that this approach has been successfully implemented in other locations.
COMMITTEE MEMBER COMMENTS
None
ADJOURN
Chair Klein Lopez adjourned the meeting at 3:03 p.m.