AGENDA
ORANGE COUNTY POWER AUTHORITY
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Friday, March 21, 2025
9:00 a.m.
This meeting will proceed as an in-person meeting at the 15310 Barranca Parkway, Suite 250, Irvine, CA 92618. In addition, as a convenience to the public, the Orange County Power Authority is providing an option for members of the public to remotely view and participate in the meeting.
Further details are below. Please note that, in the event of a technical issue causing a disruption in the remote participation option, the meeting may continue unless otherwise required by law.
Note: Any member of the public may provide comments to the Orange County Power Authority Board of Directors on any agenda items by requesting to speak during Item 4. When providing comments to the Board, it is requested that you provide your name and city of residence for the record. Commenters are requested to address their comments to the Board as a whole through the Chair. Comments may be provided in the following manner:
To provide comments during the meeting, in-person attendees, please fill out the public speaker slip and provide it to the clerk at the beginning of the meeting. Before Item 4, the Chair or Clerk will ask members of the public to join the queue to provide public comment. The queue will remain open for a reasonable amount of time to allow members of the public sufficient time to request to speak and inform the Board of the number of speakers. After such time, the queue will be closed and the members of the public who have joined the queue to speak will be recognized at the appropriate time may speak. To join the queue on Zoom video conference by computer or mobile phone, use the “Raise Hand” feature. If joining the meeting using the Zoom dial-in number, you can raise your hand and join the queue by pressing *9. Members of the public will not be shown on video but will be able to speak when called upon.
Comments shall generally be limited to three minutes when speaking, provided that the Chair may equally reduce each speaker’s time to accommodate a large number of speakers or a large number of agenda items. If you have anything that you wish to be distributed to the Board, please provide it via [email protected], who will distribute the information to the Members.
The public may participate using the following remote options:
ZOOM WEBINAR
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
Launch Meeting - Zoom
Dial-in: 1-669-900-6833
Webinar ID: 818 8509 5997
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. ROLL CALL
4. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS
Opportunity for members of the public to address the Board on any items on the agenda.
5. ANNUAL BOARD STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKSHOP
Recommended Actions:
1. Participation, discussion, and identification of priorities related to OCPA strategic goals and objectives for the following fiscal year.
2. Establish a common consensus to inform the revising and updating of the OCPA Strategic Plan.
6. ADJOURNMENT
Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act
Board of Directors meetings comply with the protections and prohibitions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Individuals with a disability who require a modification or accommodation, including auxiliary aids or services, in order to participate in the public meeting may contact 949- 263-2612. Requests for disability-related modifications or accommodations require different lead times and should be provided at least 72-hours in advance of the public meeting.
Availability of Board Documents
Copies of the agenda and agenda packet are available at www.ocpower.org. Late-arriving documents related to a Board meeting item which are distributed to a majority of the Board prior to or during the Board meeting are available for public review as required by law. Public records, including agenda-related documents, can be requested electronically at [email protected] or by mail to 15642 Sand Canyon Avenue, P.O. Box 54283, Irvine, CA 92619-4283. The documents may also be posted at the above website. Such public records are also available for inspection, by appointment, at 15310 Barranca Parkway, Suite 250, Irvine, CA 92618. Please contact [email protected] to arrange an appointment.
ORANGE COUNTY POWER AUTHORITY
Staff Report – Item 5
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To: Orange County Power Authority Board of Directors
From: Joe Mosca, Chief Executive Officer
Subject: ANNUAL BOARD STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKSHOP
Date: March 21, 2025
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RECOMMENDED ACTION
1. Participation, discussion, and identification of priorities related to OCPA strategic goals and objectives for the following fiscal year.
2. Establish a common consensus to inform the revising and updating of the OCPA Strategic Plan.
BACKGROUND
To help maximize the value delivered to the customers and member cities of the Orange County Power Authority (OCPA), the Board of Directors has engaged in strategic planning workshops in the spring prior to adopting the fiscal year budget. This sequence ensures that OCPA’s approved budget properly reflects OCPA’s objectives for the following year.
On July 19, 2023, the OCPA Board of Directors voted to approve the organization’s first strategic plan which covered 2023 through 2026. On June 18, 2024, the Board considered and approved the 2024 update to the strategic plan.
DISCUSSION
This year’s annual board workshop will include a discussion of OCPA priorities and presentations by senior staff on key considerations. The workshop is intended to generate discussion and common consensus which will inform the revisions to the final 2025 Strategic Plan.
Senior staff members will join discussions with board members and provide perspective on key trends. Additionally, recommendations from the Community Advisory Council will be presented.
FISCAL IMPACT
None
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A – 2024 OCPA Strategic Plan (approved 6.18.2024)
Revised June 2024
1 1 Revised June 18, 2024
OCPA Mission Statement
Provide renewable energy at competitive rates and
equitably reinvest to support sustainable communities.
2 2 Revised June 18, 2024
OCPA Vision Statement
Our vision is to think globally and act locally
by empowering our communities with choice,
transforming the energy landscape, driving a sustainable future, and ensuring that no community is left behind
in this transition to renewable energy.
3 3 Revised June 18, 2024
Strategic Goals
Enrich & Grow the OCPA Community
Prioritize Fiscal Sustainability & Affordability
Move Toward a More Sustainable Electric Grid
Raise Awareness of OCPA & Inform People on the Advantages of Clean Energy Strengthen Advocacy Efforts to Bolster Community Power & Amplify OCPA’s Voice Build an Exceptional Team
4 4 Revised June 18, 2024
Focus Area: Enrich and Grow the OCPA Community
Expected
Completion
Date
Assigned To
Objective 1 Conduct an annual survey of prospective member agencies’ interests and needs. Q1 2025 Communications & External Affairs
Objective 2 Conduct quarterly meetings with policy staff from potential member agencies to discuss strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote electrification, and identify funding sources.
Quarterly Communications &
External Affairs
Objective 3 Host Quarterly Business Roundtables at OCPA to gather insights on programs and offerings that incentivize businesses to endorse the agency.
Quarterly Communications &
External Affairs
Objective 4 Host four community town halls to introduce programs and agency updates. Quarterly Communications & External Affairs
Objective 5 Produce webinars on billing, programs, and OCPA general information. Quarterly Communications & External Affairs
Objective 6 Engage key stakeholders in prospective member agencies to promote OCPA's mission and benefits to member agencies and customers.
Monthly Communications &
External Affairs
Objective 7 Develop and implement a strategy for identifying, educating, and enrolling new member agencies.
Q3 2024 Communications &
External Affairs
5 5 Revised June 18, 2024
Focus Area: Prioritize Fiscal Sustainability & Affordability Expected
Completion
Date
Assigned To
Objective 1 Maintain strong and stable financial growth by ensuring that OCPA rates are sufficient to generate returns and meet expenses.
January 2025 Finance & Data
Analytics
Objective 2 Build the Rate Stabilization Reserves Fund to be in the range of 30-50% of total operating expenses starting FY2024/25.
June 2024 Finance & Data
Analytics
Objective 3 Partner with a professional load forecasting consultant to develop and maintain 5- year long-term load forecasting and 15-day short-term load forecast, aiming to improve accuracy and mitigate financial risks.
Q4 2024 Finance & Data
Analytics
Objective 4 Engage with a professional credit rating consultant to develop a planning roadmap aimed at obtaining a credit rating in 2027.
Q1 2025 Finance & Data
Analytics
Objective 5 Create a comprehensive walkthrough of the OCPA Rate Design, aligning it with the projected 12-month revenue requirement for CY2025.
January 2025 Finance & Data
Analytics
Objective 6 Reassess OCPA's Product Offerings, ensuring the integration of the most cost-effective and appropriate renewable resources. Q4 2024 Finance & Data Analytics
Objective 7 Develop relationships with financial institutions capable of offering prepay structured financing services on Power Purchase Agreements with power suppliers.
June 2025 Finance & Data
Analytics
Objective 8 Establish a new office location to optimize costs, accommodate the requirements of a public agency, and boost organizational efficiency by maintaining our own secure environment.
September
2024
Administration
Objective 9 Partner with cybersecurity professionals leveraging both current and new resources to examine and fortify our technology infrastructure, ensuring protection against evolving threats.
Q1 2025 Administration
6 6 Revised June 18, 2024
Focus Area: Move Toward a More Sustainable Electric Grid Expected
Completion
Date
Assigned To
Objective 1 Implement the first OCPA local generation programs, establishing contracts for developing small-scale distributed storage facilities with a 1-5 megawatt capacity each.
Q4 2024 Power Resources
Objective 2 Establish precise metrics and effective tools to proficiently identify, avoid, and mitigate market and credit risks for OCPA.
Q1 2025 Power Resources
Objective 3 Create local partnerships with clean technology companies to advance emerging long-term energy storage and technologies.
Q2 2025 Power Resources
Objective 4 Forge partnerships with other CCAs to acquire shared resources, mitigate development risks, and capitalize on economies of scale.
Q4 2024 Power Resources
Objective 5 Create a more sustainable electric grid with measurable milestones above California’s renewable energy goals.
Q4 2024 Power Resources
Objective 6 Create partnerships with member agencies to identify local development opportunities.
Q1 2025 Power Resources
Objective 7 Release at least two (2) long-term solicitations for renewable energy resources. Q2 2025 Power Resources 7 7 Revised June 18, 2024
Focus Area: Raising Awareness of OCPA &
Informing People on the Advantages of Clean Energy
Expected
Completion
Date
Assigned To
Objective 1 Launch the Community Power Plan emphasizing diverse customer engagement, which will support the creation of customer programs in the upcoming years.
January 2025 Customer Programs
Objective 2 Communicate in culturally relevant ways by providing easily accessible information in multiple languages to reach diverse communities.
Monthly Customer Programs
Objective 3 Establish grant opportunities for member agencies and customers to support electrification and energy efficiency.
June 2025 Customer Programs
Objective 4 Continue building positive relationships with multicultural, business, trade, environmental, non-governmental, and community-based organizations.
Monthly Communications &
External Affairs
Objective 5 Continue building relationships with media outlets, creating a steady drumbeat of news around milestones, and sustaining balanced and positive stories.
Monthly Communications &
External Affairs
Objective 6 Conduct tracking surveys annually in July 2024, 2025, and 2026, to measure awareness and perceptions.
Q3 2024 Communications &
External Affairs
Objective 7 Develop a sustained outreach program for elected officials and their staff. Q1 2025 Communications & External Affairs
Objective 8 Develop and implement a Supplier Diversity Plan that encourages doing business with OCPA and promotes diversity and inclusion for all OCPA communities.
Q1 2025 Communications &
External Affairs
Objective 9 Create and implement an outreach plan re-engaging customers who previously opted out to encourage re-enrollment of at least 2% of non-OCPA customers.
Q4 2024 Communications &
External Affairs
8 8 Revised June 18, 2024
Focus Area: Strengthen Advocacy Efforts to Bolster Community Power & Amplify OCPA’s Voice
Expected
Completion
Date
Assigned To
Objective 1 Ensure OCPA’s policy platform aligns with organizational objectives and strategic priorities.
December
2024
Regulatory,
Legislative, & Policy
Objective 2 Engage a wide range of stakeholders in developing and updating the OCPA Policy Platform.
June 2025 Regulatory,
Legislative, & Policy
Objective 3 Enhance OCPA’s legislative and regulatory advocacy efforts by developing an advocacy roadmap to engage with key stakeholders and legislators to ensure outcomes that are consistent with OCPA’s strategic goals.
June 2025 Regulatory,
Legislative, & Policy
Objective 4 Conduct at least six high-impact advocacy meetings with key legislators and stakeholders.
Annually Regulatory,
Legislative, & Policy
Objective 5 Develop and implement a regulatory monitoring framework to ensure all departments are consistently informed about regulatory changes and their implications.
June 2025 Regulatory,
Legislative, & Policy
9 9 Revised June 18, 2024
Focus Area: Build an Exceptional Team
Expected
Completion
Date
Assigned To
Objective 1 Recruit Chief Operations Officer and all open positions in the 2024/2025 FY approved staffing plan.
June 2025 Administration
/Human Resources
Objective 2 Expand employee professional development to include briefings with all OCPA teams for new staff and make learning sessions available to other team members to encourage continued collaboration.
Quarterly Administration
/Human Resources
Objective 3 Foster high employee engagement by establishing quarterly team-building opportunities for the OCPA team.
Quarterly Administration
/Human Resources
Objective 4 Hold an annual OCPA team offsite meeting to encourage continued planning, collaboration, and learning.
Q3 2024 Administration
/Human Resources
Objective 5 Develop a recognition and awards platform for identifying individuals and organizations making significant contributions to sustainability efforts in the community, allowing OCPA to recognize and celebrate local accomplishments.
Q4 2024 Administration
1010 Revised June 18, 2024
COMPLETED GOALS
July 2023 – May 2024
Key Focus Area Objective Team
Recruitment and Retention
of a Talented Team Recruit permanent Chief Executive Officer. Administration/ Human Resources Recruitment and Retention
of a Talented Team
Retain Executive Search Firm to assist with recruitment of Director of Power Services and Chief Operations Officer.
Administration/
Human Resources
Recruitment and Retention
of a Talented Team Recruitment of open positions. Administration/ Human Resources Recruitment and Retention
of a Talented Team Implementation of Cost-of-Living Increase. Finance & Data Analytics Recruitment and Retention
of a Talented Team
Collaborate with other California CCAs on a comprehensive classification study and salary survey or pursue the development of an OCPA-specific comprehensive classification study and salary survey if no joint effort is possible.
Finance & Data
Analytics/ Human
Resources
Recruitment and Retention
of a Talented Team
Establish and sustain a high-performing agency while developing comprehensive plans for remote, hybrid, and in-person work with human resources internal guidelines.
Finance & Data
Analytics/ Human
Resources
Rebuilding Public Trust Complete 24-point Improvement Plan.
Finance & Data
Analytics/
Communications &
External Affairs
Rebuilding Public Trust
Continue building relationships with media outlets, create a steady drumbeat of news and milestones and cultivate an increase in neutral and positive stories.
Communications &
External Affairs
1111 Revised June 18, 2024
Rebuilding Public Trust
Continue building positive relationships with non-governmental organizations, including businesses advocacy and trade associations, multicultural organizations, community-based-organizations and environmental and sustainability.
Communications &
External Affairs
Branding/Marketing
Communications/ Public
Outreach & Engagement
Conduct primary research (survey and focus groups) to establish baseline awareness.
Communications &
External Affairs
Branding/Marketing
Communications/ Public
Outreach & Engagement
Develop crisis communications/issues management plan. Communications & External Affairs
Branding/Marketing
Communications/ Public
Outreach & Engagement
Leverage key insights from the primary research to refresh the existing marketing communications/public outreach and engagement plan.
Communications &
External Affairs
Branding/Marketing
Communications/ Public
Outreach & Engagement
Update public outreach materials (e.g., website, brochures, fact sheets). Communications & External Affairs
Branding/Marketing
Communications/ Public
Outreach & Engagement
Launch new brand campaign that is informed by primary research. Communications & External Affairs
Branding/Marketing
Communications/ Public
Outreach & Engagement
Consider re-naming the entity to attract member agencies outside the region. Develop a naming strategy with creative rationale and new name options (July 2023). Test new names during the July/August 2023 survey and subsequent focus groups in September.
Communications &
External Affairs
Financial Sustainability Establish long-term disciplined fiscal and operational strategies to obtain an investment-grade credit rating in 2027.
Finance & Data
Analytics
Financial Sustainability
Ensure rates are sufficient to generate returns and meet expenses, aiming to have the Rate Stabilization Reserves Fund in the range of 30-50% of total operating expenses from FY2024/2025 through FY2026/2027.
Finance & Data
Analytics
1212 Revised June 18, 2024
Financial Sustainability Conduct an annual rate design workshop with the Board to review and refine rate structures.
Finance & Data
Analytics
Energy Procurement Create/adopt energy procurement policy to guide future power purchase agreements.
Power Resources