2075 Woodside Road | Redwood City, CA 94061
(650) 260-0005 | peninsulacleanenergy.com
Regular Meeting of the Executive Committee of the
Peninsula Clean Energy Authority (PCEA)
AGENDA
Monday, January 12, 2026
10:00 am
PLEASE NOTE: This meeting will be held in a hybrid format with both in-person and Zoom participation options for members of the public;
Board members shall appear in person.
In-Person Meeting Location:
PCEA Lobby, 2075 Woodside Road, Redwood City, CA 94061
Zoom, Virtual Meeting Link: https://pencleanenergy.zoom.us/j/83252507093 Meeting ID: 832-5250-7093 Passcode: 2075 Phone: +1 (669) 444-9171 Introduction
This meeting of the Peninsula Clean Energy Executive Committee will be held at the Peninsula Clean Energy Lobby: 2075 Woodside Road, Redwood City, CA 94061 and by teleconference pursuant to California Assembly Bill 2449 and the Ralph M. Brown Act, CA Gov’t Code. Section 54950, et seq.
Members of the Committee are expected to attend the meeting in person and should reach out to our General Counsel for Peninsula Clean Energy, Jennifer Stalzer, with questions or accommodation information ([email protected]). For information regarding how to participate in the meeting remotely, please refer to the instructions at the end of the agenda. In addition, a video broadcast of the meeting can be viewed at https://www.peninsulacleanenergy.com/meetings-events following the meeting.
Public Participation
The PCEA Executive Committee meeting may be accessed through Zoom online at https://pencleanenergy.zoom.us/j/83252507093. The meeting ID is: 832 5250 7093 and the passcode is:
2075. The meeting may also be accessed via telephone by dialing +1(669) 444-9171. Enter the webinar ID: 832 5250 7093, then press #. (Find your local number:
https://pencleanenergy.zoom.us/u/kTlH1Ocod). Peninsula Clean Energy uses best efforts to ensure audio and visual clarity and connectivity. However, it cannot guarantee the connection quality.
Members of the public can also attend this meeting physically at the Peninsula Clean Energy Lobby at 2075 Woodside Road, Redwood City, CA 94061.
Written public comments may be emailed to PCEA Board Clerk, Nelly Wogberg ([email protected]) and such written comments should indicate the specific agenda item on which the member of the public is commenting.
Spoken public comments will be accepted during the meeting in the Board Room(s) or remotely through Zoom at the option of the speaker. Please use the “Raise Your Hand” function in the Zoom platform, or press *6 if you phoned into the meeting, to indicate that you would like to provide comment.
Please note that Peninsula Clean Energy Executive Committee meetings are a limited public forum, and all public comment must relate to something that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the 1 1. Approval of the 2026 Executive Committee Meeting Schedule
2. Approval of Minutes from the November 10, 2025 Executive Committee Meeting
3. Chair Report (Discussion)
4. CEO Report (Discussion)
5. Recommend that the Board of Directors Establish a Purchasing Agent for Peninsula Clean Energy Pursuant to Government Code 25500, Delegate Purchasing Agent Authority to the CEO, and Amend Policy 14 to Reflect the Same (Action)
6. Recommend Approval of Updated 2026 PCE Rates to the Board of Directors (Action)
7. 2026 Marketing Update Regarding Rebrand and 10-Year Anniversary and Recommendation to the Board of Directors to Approve an Agreement with Good Stuff Partners in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $788,950 (Action)
8. Committee Members' Reports (Discussion)
Committee. If comments do not relate to the subject matter jurisdiction of the Committee, we will stop the comment and move on to the next speaker. General Counsel will assist in identifying comments that are not related to the subject matter jurisdiction of the Committee.
ADA Requests
Individuals who require special assistance or a disability related modification or accommodation to participate in this meeting, or who have a disability and wish to request an alternative format for the meeting, should contact Nelly Wogberg, Board Clerk, by 10:00 a.m. on the day before the meeting at ([email protected]). Notification in advance of the meeting will enable PCEA to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting, the materials related to it, and your ability to comment.
Closed Captioning is available for all PCEA Board meetings. While watching the video broadcast in Zoom, please enable captioning.
CALL TO ORDER / ROLL CALL / APPROVE TELECONFERENCE PARTICIPATION UNDER AB 2449
This item is reserved to approve teleconference participation request for this meeting by Director pursuant to Brown Act revisions of AB 2449 due to an emergency circumstance to be briefly described.
PUBLIC COMMENT
This item is reserved for persons wishing to address the Committee on any PCEA-related matters that are not otherwise on this meeting agenda. Public comments on matters listed on the agenda shall be heard at the time the matter is called. Members of the public who wish to address the Committee are customarily limited to two minutes per speaker. The Committee Chair may increase or decrease the time allotted to each speaker.
ACTION TO SET AGENDA AND TO APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS
REGULAR AGENDA
ADJOURNMENT
Public records that relate to any item on the open session agenda are available for public inspection. The records are available at the Peninsula Clean Energy offices or on PCEA Website at:
https://www.peninsulacleanenergy.com.
2 JOINING INSTRUCTIONS
3 Instructions for Joining a Zoom Meeting via Computer or Phone Best Practices:
Please mute your microphone when you are not speaking to minimize audio feedback If possible, utilize headphones or ear buds to minimize audio feedback If participating via videoconference, audio quality is often better if you use the dial-in option (option 2 below) rather than your computer audio
Options for Joining
Videoconference with Computer Audio - see Option 1 below Videoconference with Phone Call Audio - see Option 2 below Calling in via Telephone/Landline - see Option 3 below
Videoconference Options:
Prior to the meeting, we recommend that you install the Zoom Meetings application on your computer by clicking here https://zoom.us/download.
If you want full capabilities for videoconferencing (audio, video, screensharing) you must download the Zoom application.
Option 1 Videoconference with Computer Audio:
From your computer, click on the following link that is also included in the meeting calendar invitation: https://pencleanenergy.zoom.us/j/83252507093 The Zoom application will open on its own or you will be instructed to open Zoom.
After the application opens, the pop-up screen below will appear asking you to choose ONE of the audio conference options. Click on the Computer Audio option at the top of the pop-up screen.
Click the blue, "Join with Computer Audio" button.
In order to enable video, click on "Start Video" in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen. This menu bar is also where you can mute/unmute your audio.
Option 2 Videoconference with Phone Call Audio
From your computer, click on the following link that is also included in the meeting calendar invitation: https://pencleanenergy.zoom.us/j/83252507093 The Zoom Application will open on its own or you will be instructed to Open Zoom. 4 After the application opens, the pop-up screen below will appear asking you to choose ONE of the audio conference options. Click on the Phone Call option at the top of the pop-up screen.
Please dial +1 (669) 444-9171.
You will be instructed to enter the meeting ID: 832-5250-7093 followed by #.
You will be instructed to enter in your participant ID. Your participant ID is unique to you and is what connects your phone number to your Zoom account.
After a few seconds, your phone audio should be connected to the Zoom application on your computer.
In order to enable video, click on "Start Video" in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen. This menu bar is also where you can mute/unmute your audio.
Audio Only Options:
Please note that if you call in/use the audio only option, you will not be able to see the speakers or any presentation materials in real time.
Option 3: Calling in via Telephone/Landline:
Please dial +1 (669) 444-9171.
You will be instructed to enter the meeting ID: 832-5250-7093 followed by #.
You will be instructed to enter your Participant ID followed by #. If you do not have a participant ID or do not know it, you can press # to stay on the line.
You will be instructed to enter the meeting passcode 2075 followed by #. 5 DATE: January 9, 2026
MEETING DATE: January 12, 2026
VOTE REQUIRED: Majority Vote
TO: Honorable Peninsula Clean Energy Authority Executive Committee FROM: Nelly Wogberg, Clerk of the Board
SUBJECT: Approval of the 2026 Executive Committee Meeting Schedule Item No. 1
PENINSULA CLEAN ENERGY AUTHORITY
JPA Board Correspondence
RECOMMENDATION
Approval of the 2026 Executive Committee Meeting Schedule ATTACHMENTS:
2026 Executive Committee Meeting Schedule.pdf
6 2026 Executive Committee Meeting Schedule
Location: Video/Teleconference/PCEA Lobby/Check Agenda
Meeting Date: Time: Location:
January 12, 2026 10:00 am Video/Teleconference/PCEA Lobby/Check Agenda February 9, 2026 10:00 am Video/Teleconference/PCEA Lobby/Check Agenda March 9, 2026 10:00 am Video/Teleconference/PCEA Lobby/Check Agenda April 13, 2026 10:00 am Video/Teleconference/PCEA Lobby/Check Agenda May 11, 2026 10:00 am Video/Teleconference/PCEA Lobby/Check Agenda June 8, 2026 10:00 am Video/Teleconference/PCEA Lobby/Check Agenda July 13, 2026 10:00 am Video/Teleconference/PCEA Lobby/Check Agenda August 10, 2026 10:00 am Video/Teleconference/PCEA Lobby/Check Agenda September 14, 2026 10:00 am Video/Teleconference/PCEA Lobby/Check Agenda October 13, 2026 (Tuesday) 10:00 am Video/Teleconference/PCEA Lobby/Check Agenda November 9, 2026 10:00 am Video/Teleconference/PCEA Lobby/Check Agenda December 7, 2026 (1st Monday) 10:00 am Video/Teleconference/PCEA Lobby/Check Agenda 7 DATE: January 9, 2026
MEETING DATE: January 12, 2026
VOTE REQUIRED: Majority Vote
TO: Honorable Peninsula Clean Energy Authority Executive Committee FROM: Nelly Wogberg, Board Clerk
SUBJECT: Approval of Minutes from the November 10, 2025 Executive Committee Meeting Item No. 2
PENINSULA CLEAN ENERGY AUTHORITY
JPA Board Correspondence
RECOMMENDATION
Approval of Minutes from the November 10, 2025 Executive Committee Meeting.
ATTACHMENTS:
11-10-2025 EC Draft Minutes.pdf
8 Regular Meeting of the Executive Committee of the
Peninsula Clean Energy Authority (PCEA)
Minutes
Monday, November 10, 2025
10:00 a.m.
Zoom Video Conference and Teleconference
CALL TO ORDER
Meeting was called to order at 10:00 a.m. in virtual teleconference and in the Peninsula Clean Energy Authority lobby and at 611 Gateway Blvd, Suite 1000, South San Francisco, CA 94080.
ROLL CALL
Participating:
Lisa Gauthier, San Mateo County, participating remotely under AB 2449, “just cause” Rick DeGolia, Atherton,
Coleen Mackin, Brisbane
Donna Colson, Burlingame, Chair
Leslie Ragsdale, Hillsborough
Betsy Nash, Menlo Park
Anders Fung, Millbrae
Marty Medina, San Bruno, Vice Chair
Adam Loraine, San Mateo, participating from South San Francisco
Absent: None
A quorum was established.
PUBLIC COMMENT
None
ACTION TO SET AGENDA AND TO APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS Public Comment: None
MOTION: Director Fung moved, seconded by Vice Chair Medina to set the Agenda and approve Agenda Item Numbers 1-2.
1. Approval of the 2026 Executive Committee Meeting Schedule
2. Approval of the Minutes from the September 8, 2025, and October 14, 2025 Executive Committee Meetings.
MOTION PASSED: 9-0
JURISDICTION BOARD MEMBER YES NO ABSTAIN ABSENT
9 San Mateo County Director Gauthier X
Atherton Director DeGolia X
Brisbane Director Mackin X
Burlingame Director Colson X
Hillsborough Director Ragsdale X
Menlo Park Director Nash X
Millbrae Director Fung X
San Bruno Director Medina X
San Mateo Director Loraine X
Totals 9
REGULAR AGENDA
3. Chair Report
Donna Colson, Chair of the Board, updated on interim appointments to the Audit and Finance Committee.
4. CEO Report
Shawn Marshall, Chief Executive Officer, provided a report that covered Board educational tour updates, updates on CCA media, a review of PCE’s governance and management, financial health, and cost of energy.
Public Comment: Remi Tan
5. Recommend to the Board of Directors to Sunset the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) and Support Recommendation to Establish a Community Feedback Forum (Action)
Chair Colson led a discussion on the Ad Hoc Committee to Review Committee Efficacy’s recommendation regarding the CAC.
Public Comment: Robert Whitehair, Remi Tan, Jason Mendelson, Desiree Thayer MOTION: Director DeGolia moved, seconded by Vice Chair Medina to accept the recommendation to sunset the current Community Advisory Committee at the end of 2025, while continuing the working groups as needed and holding six Community Feedback Forum meetings annually.
AMENDMENT APPROVED BY MAKER AND SECONDER: to include a target of six meetings, subject to staff review.
MOTION AS AMENDED RESTATED: Director DeGolia moved, seconded by Vice Chair Medina to accept the recommendation to sunset the current Community Advisory Committee at the end of 2025, while continuing the working groups as needed and targeting six Community Feedback Forum meetings annually, subject to staff review.
MOTION AS AMENDED PASSED: 9-0
10 JURISDICTION BOARD MEMBER YES NO ABSTAIN ABSENT
San Mateo County Director Gauthier X
Atherton Director DeGolia X
Brisbane Director Mackin X
Burlingame Director Colson X
Hillsborough Director Ragsdale X
Menlo Park Director Nash X
Millbrae Director Fung X
San Bruno Director Medina X
San Mateo Director Loraine X
Totals 9
6. Recommendation to the Board of Directors to Approve the Proposed Revisions to the Solar Billing Plan Changes Effective January 1st, 2026 (Action).
Justin Kudo, Associate Director, Rates and Strategic Analysis, gave a presentation on the proposed revision to the solar billing plan changes.
Public Comment: Remi Tan
MOTION: Director Nash moved, seconded by Director Ragsdale to recommend to the Board of Directors approval of the revised Solar Billing Plan tariff, effective January 1, 2026.
MOTION PASSED: 8-0 (Absent: San Mateo)
JURISDICTION BOARD MEMBER YES NO ABSTAIN ABSENT
San Mateo County Director Gauthier X
Atherton Director DeGolia X
Brisbane Director Mackin X
Burlingame Director Colson X
Hillsborough Director Ragsdale X
Menlo Park Director Nash X
Millbrae Director Fung X
San Bruno Director Medina X
San Mateo Director Loraine X
Totals 8 1
7. Committee Members’ Reports
None
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting was adjourned at 12:01 p.m.
11 DATE: January 9, 2026
MEETING DATE: January 12, 2026
VOTE REQUIRED: Majority Vote
TO: Honorable Peninsula Clean Energy Authority Executive Committee FROM: Jennifer Stalzer, Legal Counsel
SUBJECT: Recommend that the Board of Directors Establish a Purchasing Agent for Peninsula Clean Energy Pursuant to Government Code 25500, Delegate Purchasing Agent Authority to the CEO, and Amend Policy 14 to Reflect the Same (Action)
Item No. 5
PENINSULA CLEAN ENERGY AUTHORITY
JPA Board Correspondence
RECOMMENDATION
Recommend that the Board of Directors establish a Purchasing Agent for Peninsula Clean Energy pursuant to Government Code 25500 and delegate Purchasing Agent Authority to the CEO, as well as authorize amendments to Policy 14 to reflect the same.
BACKGROUND
Designation of a Purchasing Agent pursuant to California Government Code Section 22550 is an administrative action aligning PCE's current procurement limits with the Government Code procurement designations as stated in Policy 14 (Non-Energy Agreement Signatory and Delegation Policy). This amendment allows the Purchasing Agent/CEO to enter into agreements not to exceed $250,000 in a fiscal year. This item does not recommend an increase procurement limits or procurement authority but aligns internal titles, existing spending authority policy, and the Government Code.
DISCUSSION
PCE's procurement authority is tied to the County of San Mateo by the Joint Powers Agreement section 2.5. Pursuant to the California Government Code, the Board of Directors can designate a purchasing agent to enter into contracts for the purchase of materials, supplies, equipment, and other personal property; for the rent of office furnishings and equipment; or for services and public works projects. See Cal. Gov't Code Section 22550. The County of San Mateo also designates a Purchasing Agent under the Chief Executive's Office (Procurement).
PCE's CEO has been effectively fulfilling this role. The requested Purchasing Agent designation is administrative in nature and allows for Peninsula Clean Energy's Purchasing Agent to execute contacts within the fiscal limits ($250,000) already established by the Board and as currently stated in Policy 14. Further, as PCE grows, the Board of Directors may 12 choose to employ additional purchasing agents, such as a Chief Operating Officer. The establishment of the Purchasing Agent, and accompanying housekeeping amendments to Policy 14, will simplify future revisions to and designations of purchasing agents.
The recommended amendment to Policy 14 reflects the establishment of the Purchasing Agent and the designation of the CEO as the Purchasing Agent. Policy 14 shall also be amended to reflect that the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer are designated as alternative signatories to the CEO for agreements not to exceed $250,000 only in the absence of the CEO and at the CEO's direction (proposed additions to Policy 14, section 4.1 are bolded and in italics):
4. Policy Details
4.1 The Chief Executive Officer acts as the Purchasing Agent pursuant to Government Code Section 22550. The Purchasing Agent may approve and enter into any contract agreement if the total amount payable under the agreement is less than $250,000 in any fiscal year, as stated in the PCE Joint Powers Agreement, section 3.4, except for the specific approval authority granted in PCE Operating Rules and Regulations Policy 15 “Energy Supply Procurement Authority”,[,] and the approval amount is included in the Board-approved budget for the current fiscal year. In the event of the CEO's absence or unavailability, t he Chief Executive Officer may delegate signing authority under this paragraph to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) or the Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
Additional minor clean-up edits will be made to Policy 14 reflecting the addition of the position of Purchasing Agent. No edits will be made to the fiscal authority of any position within PCE.
All contracts in excess of $250,000 in any fiscal year, except those specifically authorized by Policy 15 “Energy Supply Procurement Authority”, and/or Policy 14, shall be brought to the Board for review and authorization.
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
STRATEGIC PLAN
Organizational Excellence & Effectiveness. This revision to Policy 14 improves PCE's operations and performance in key areas; specifically, the revisions clarify and optimize its procurement and legal policies.
13 DATE: January 9, 2026
MEETING DATE: January 12, 2026
VOTE REQUIRED: Majority Vote
TO: Honorable Peninsula Clean Energy Authority Executive Committee FROM: Nick Bijur, Chief Financial Officer and Justin Kudo, Associate Director, Strategic Analysis & Rates
SUBJECT: Recommend Approval of Updated 2026 PCE Rates to the Board of Directors (Action)
Item No. 6
PENINSULA CLEAN ENERGY AUTHORITY
JPA Board Correspondence
RECOMMENDATION
Recommend that Peninsula Clean Energy’s (PCE) Board of Directors (Board) reduce ECOplus rates by approximately 47% to a system average of $0.066/kWh effective February 1, 2026, subject to a minimum rate of $0/kWh. Additionally, recommend the Board establish a temporary $0.016/kWh Rate Stabilization Credit for customers on the 2021 and 2022 Power Charge Indifference Adjustment (PCIA) Vintages.
BACKGROUND
In March 2024, the Board approved implementation of a rate setting approach based on PCE’s cost-of-service and a goal to maintain electric generation rates below that of PG&E.
This approach prioritizes revenue sufficiency through a budgeted revenue requirement and rates sufficient to meet that requirement, while following prevailing rate designs to provide clear and competitive rates to PCE customers. Revenue requirements may be supported by PCE’s Rate Stabilization Fund (RSF) when appropriate to maintain stable and competitive customer rates.
On June 26, 2025, the Board approved PCE’s Fiscal Year 2025-2026 (FY 2026) Budget and set rates at a 10% discount to PG&E generation rates. The FY 2026 Budget included an assumption that PCE would reduce rates in February 2026 to largely match an expected decrease in PG&E generation rates and offset an expected increase in the PCIA. Staff committed to returning to the Board in January 2026 with a rates recommendation, at which time PG&E 2026 generation rates and the PCIA would be known, as well as PCE’s year-to-date financial performance.
On December 31, 2025, PG&E updated its rates, which included a $0.025/kWh increase in the PCIA and a $0.036/kWh decrease in generation rates; taken together, these rate changes have the effect of decreasing “rate parity” for PCE customers by $0.061/kWh. Approximately half of these rate changes are due to one-time corrections for over-forecasted market price 14 values in 2025; lower market prices place a larger PCIA responsibility on PCE customers, which will now be assessed in 2026. The other half of these rate changes are driven by energy market conditions moving forward. In other words, the “true-up” of market conditions in 2025 has doubled the rate impact of market conditions for 2026. If PCE were to maintain current rates in 2026, PCE customers would be paying an approximately 40% premium ($0.046/kWh) to PG&E generation costs inclusive of the PCIA.
DISCUSSION
Rate Setting Principles
The Board and staff have developed rate-setting principles which are consistent with industry standards and the best practices of cost-of-service ratemaking, which should be utilized in any PCE ratemaking decisions. To the extent that these principles may not be aligned with one another, staff attempt to strike a balance best matching the values of PCE in its recommendations to the Board. These are as follows:
Revenue Sufficiency – PCE rates should be sufficient to recover all costs, debt service, and other expense requirements. This includes meeting Board-approved targets for cash reserves and the Rate Stabilization Fund.
Rate Competitiveness – Rates should empower PCE to retain and attract customers compared to other available service providers. This does not explicitly mean that PCE must set rates below those of PG&E, though this has been the case historically.
Maintain Appropriate Cost Causation – Rate differences among customer classes should be justified by differences in their cost of service and limit cost subsidization.
Rate Stability – Rates should be consistent and promote customer understanding of the costs they are paying. Rates changes should be made infrequently. In some cases, adjusting rates may promote stability through offsetting changes to PG&E rates.
Clarity – PCE should aim to make complex utility rates as simple and transparent as possible for customers to understand and compare.
Promote Peak Load Reductions – Rate designs which promote reductions in peak system load may significantly reduce the overall cost of service to all customers.
PG&E January 2026 Rate Change
On January 1, 2026, PG&E implemented its 2026 Annual Electric True-Up (AET), its primary annual rate change which determines generation and PCIA rates. PG&E’s generation rates decreased by $0.036/kWh. In addition, non-generation rates (often referred to as “T&D” for transmission and distribution) increased by $0.015/kWh, resulting in a net decrease of $0.020/kWh for PG&E customers on bundled (i.e., non-CCA) service.
While PG&E’s reduced generation rates do not apply to PCE customers, the increases to non-generation rates do. Additionally, PCIA rates for the vast majority of PCE’s customers increased by $0.025/kWh, resulting in a total increase in rates for PCE customers of $0.040/kWh. As a result, if there is no reduction in PCE rates, our rates will be $0.046/kWh 15 higher than PG&E rates because of the January 1 PG&E rate changes.
Proposed Rate Changes
Staff recommends that PCE maintain its current 10% discount to PG&E generation rates, thus reducing PCE’s rates by approximately 47% from a system average rate of $0.124/kWh to $0.066/kWh, effective February 1, 2026. The recommended rate reduction should generate sufficient revenues to support PCE’s updated revenue requirement and result in FY 2026 Change in Net Position of approximately $4.5 million versus a Budget of $4.0 million.
Staff will update the 5-year forecast as part of the FY 2027 Budget process later this year; however, based on a preliminary review, maintaining a 10% discount over the forecast period would deplete the Rate Stabilization Fund entirely by FY 2028 and reduce Days Cash on Hand below the 180-day minimum by FY 2030. As a result, it is likely that staff will recommend that the Board reduce the discount from 10% to 5% in July 2026, resulting in a slight increase in PCE rates at that time. Alternatively, the Executive Committee could recommend that the Board set rates at a 5% discount in February 2026, which would not necessitate a rate increase in July 2026. This option would stabilize rates for the entire calendar year and conserve approximately $7 million in additional cash. Based on conversations with peer CCAs in PG&E’s service territory, staff believe most CCAs will offer a discount of less than 5% this year due to high PCIA rates and challenging budget conditions.
The following table shows the financial impact of various rate scenarios – the impact on PCE’s Change in Net Position and drawdown of PCE’s Rate Stabilization Fund, which is currently funded at $128 million.
Customer Bill Impacts of Proposed Rates
If the Board chooses to follow staff’s recommendations, resulting rates starting on February 1 would be approximately 10% less than PG&E generation costs inclusive of the higher PCIA.
Using basic residential rates, typical customer bills would compare as follows:
16 Assuming the discount is reduced to 5% from 10% in July 2026, as suggested above, customers would save approximately $10.5 million in calendar year 2026.
Rate Stabilization Credit
PCIA rates for customers are divided by PG&E into “Vintages” which independently calculate the PCIA based on the year that customers migrated to CCA service. Staff’s suggested rates and the resulting 10% savings are based on the 2016 PCIA Vintage which applies to most San Mateo County customers. A small portion of PCE customers, including those in Los Banos, are instead served by 2021 and 2022 PCIA Vintages.
The 2021 and 2022 PCIA Vintaged rates are considerably higher than the 2016 Vintage rates.
This is impacted by the same market factors as the other PCIA changes but is compounded by a correction to post-2019 battery storage valuation. As a result, the 2021 and 2022 PCIA Vintages are approximately $0.016/kWh higher than the 2016 PCIA Vintage and $0.072/kWh higher than the previously negative PCIA rates paid by these customers in 2025. This is shown below.
To mitigate rate impacts and potential opt outs in these Vintage years, staff propose to partially offset these changes by providing a $0.016/kWh Rate Stabilization Credit to 15,713 customers on the 2021 and 2022 PCIA Vintages, implemented concurrently with new rates for a 12- month period. While this would not fully cover the changes to the PCIA, it would ensure that customers on these PCIA Vintages see billed charges and savings consistent with other PCE customers. In addition to benefiting customers directly, this makes it easier for the Marketing and Customer Care teams to communicate PCE’s value proposition with customers. Staff estimate that this credit will cost $0.7 million in FY 2026, and $1.5 million in FY 2027. $0 Minimum Rate
In rare cases applying to “super off-peak” spring usage for very large C&I customers, PCE rates would be subject to a minimum of $0/kWh. The “super off-peak” period applies to usage from March through May during the 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. period, when prevalent solar energy often results in negative wholesale prices for electricity. The distorting effect of the large PCIA in some cases would require PCE to set negative rates to provide a discount relative to PG&E’s PCIA-inclusive generation costs. Staff recommend these rates be held at a minimum of 17 $0/kWh and note that these customers will continue to see savings during other usage periods.
FISCAL IMPACT
Implementing the recommend rates, effective February 1, 2026, will result in forecasted FY 2026 Change in Net Position of $4.5 million, in line with the Board-approved budget. The forecast has been updated to account for lower forecasted customer program and energy procurement costs, offset in part by lower load. This collective proposal would maintain PCE’s reserves and Rate Stabilization Fund for future fiscal years, while still providing customers with significant savings consistent with PCE’s affordability goals. 18 DATE: January 5, 2026
MEETING DATE: January 12, 2026
VOTE REQUIRED: Majority Vote
TO: Honorable Peninsula Clean Energy Authority Executive Committee FROM: Gwen Rose, Director of Marketing & Community Relations SUBJECT: 2026 Marketing Update Regarding Rebrand and 10-Year Anniversary and Recommendation to the Board of Directors to Approve an Agreement with Good Stuff Partners in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $788,950 (Action) Item No. 7
PENINSULA CLEAN ENERGY AUTHORITY
JPA Board Correspondence
RECOMMENDATION
An agreement inclusive of terms consistent with the scope of work described above are being negotiated in consultation with the General Counsel and will be presented to the Board at its January meeting. Staff requests that the Executive Committee recommend approval to the Board of Directors of the Agreement with Good Stuff Partners in an amount not-to-exceed $788,950.
BACKGROUND
This memo provides an early, high-level update on 2026 marketing planning related to the WestLight Energy rebrand and Peninsula Clean Energy’s 10-year anniversary. The purpose is to inform the Executive Committee of the anticipated scope, sequencing, and intent of marketing activities upcoming, including areas that will continue to be defined in 2026, and to lay the groundwork for a marketing contract that will be brought to the full Board at its January 22, 2026 meeting.
Marketing and Community Relations spent 2025 building the foundation for 2026, including brand exploration and naming, customer engagement and outreach, Voice of Customer initiatives, and improvements to marketing operations and systems.
Looking ahead, 2026 will be a high-visibility year that combines a brand transition with a major organizational milestone. To support this work, Peninsula Clean Energy plans to engage two complementary agency partners: Owen for brand identity and website work, and Good Stuff Partners for campaigns, paid media planning and placement, community engagement, events, and media relations.
Good Stuff Partners has prior experience supporting complex public-sector marketing efforts and has worked with regional partners, including the San Mateo County Sustainability Department and Public Health Department as well as the City of Menlo Park.
DISCUSSION
The primary Marketing & Community Relations objectives in 2026 are to:
Ensure a clear, low-confusion transition for customers, partners, and stakeholders during the 19 rebrand to WestLight Energy
Build awareness, trust, and continuity across all customer-facing channels Celebrate 10 years of impact, community benefit, and clean energy leadership Expand community listening through the Community Feedback Forum and Voice of Customer initiatives
Support ongoing program participation, community engagement, and earned media visibility throughout the year
Marketing activities in 2026 will generally fall into the following areas:
Brand identity development and transition support
Campaign development and paid media
Community outreach and anniversary events
Media relations and thought leadership
These workstreams are interconnected and intentionally phased.
Rebrand & Brand Transition Overview
The rebrand to WestLight Energy will be implemented through a phased transition designed to prioritize customer clarity and operational readiness. Early phases focus on establishing and finalizing the core visual identity and brand system, led by Owen.
Timing and sequencing are dependent on several external and internal factors (e.g., PG&E billing updates, website refresh timeline). The initial customer-facing rollout will emphasize a “soft launch” approach that introduces the new name and identity clearly while minimizing disruption or confusion.
Some elements of the brand transition are well-defined at this stage, while others will be refined as the work progresses. For example, the process for developing the core brand system, website updates, and initial customer notifications are being planned now, while extended brand elements and broader creative applications may continue to evolve after the initial launch.
Campaign Strategy
Campaign efforts in 2026 are expected to focus on three areas: rebrand, 10-year anniversary storytelling, and ongoing program promotion. Campaign development and execution will be led by Good Stuff Partners.
Campaigns will be developed using a sprint-based approach, allowing work to be sequenced, evaluated, and refined over time. While overarching themes and timing windows are anticipated, specific creative executions, media mix, and asset production will be further scoped following early discovery and alignment.
Community Outreach & Events
Community engagement will remain a core component of marketing in 2026, particularly during a transition and anniversary year. Good Stuff Partners will support a mix of ongoing outreach activities and a limited number of signature anniversary events, working closely with staff and community partners.
At this stage, event types and objectives are generally defined, while specific concepts, scale, and production details will be developed closer to execution.
The new Community Feedback Forum will support the 10-year anniversary and rebrand efforts by reconnecting with previous PCE community champions and recruiting them to tell their stories about 20 PCE through the years, as well asking them to support the brand transition to WestLight.
The Community Relations team will continue its robust calendar of responding to over 100 invitations each year from our partners to represent the agency or to sponsor existing community events, meetings, and webinars. We will also continue to collaborate with our 16 community outreach grantees on expanding our reach especially in difficult-to-reach communities. We will leverage this existing robust community presence and deep set of partnerships for the rebrand as it rolls out.
Media Relations & Public Visibility
Media relations will continue to support the rebrand, anniversary milestones, and program activities.
Good Stuff Partners will lead earned media efforts, building on their experience supporting public agencies and regional initiatives. Routine media relations will continue throughout the year, while higher-touch or anniversary-specific efforts will be scoped as priorities are finalized.
Campaigns, Events & Future Scoping
Based on current planning, 2026 marketing efforts are expected to include:
A campaign platform supporting both the WestLight Energy rebrand and Peninsula Clean Energy’s 10-year anniversary
Campaign sprints to support programs marketing
Up to three (3) signature events aligned with policy leadership and organizational milestones Up to five (5) community activations (in addition to the 100+ community events PCEA already supports annually)
While these elements establish clear direction, detailed scopes of work for individual campaigns, signature events, and activations will be developed and aligned once underway, prior to execution. This allows marketing activities to remain responsive to brand readiness, operational timing, and emerging opportunities, while maintaining clarity and cost control. All campaign sprints, signature events, and major activations will be aligned on scope, timing, and budget prior to launch.
Because the Good Stuff Partners contract exceeds $250,000, it will be brought to the full Board for approval in accordance with PCEA contracting requirements. This Executive Committee update is intended to provide early visibility into the scope, approach, and anticipated activities prior to Board consideration.
Risks, Dependencies & Open Items
The timing and scope of 2026 marketing efforts depend on several factors, including brand finalization, regulatory and legal milestones, PG&E coordination, and system readiness. Some elements remain intentionally undefined to allow for informed decision-making later in the year.
Marketing staff will continue to refine plans as these dependencies are resolved.
FISCAL IMPACT
We estimate the total NTE of the engagement with Good Stuff Partners to be $788,950 for campaigns, media planning and buying, events and public relations.
Professional services: not to exceed $523,000 over the life of the contract Outside supplier costs (e.g., video production, photography, printing, event vendors): not to 21 exceed $266,000
STRATEGIC PLAN
The 2026 marketing activities support Peninsula Clean Energy’s 2026–2030 Strategic Plan by advancing key guiding principles.
Customer-Focused Approach: The rebrand, campaigns, and outreach are designed to improve brand clarity, reduce customer confusion, and build trust, supporting goals related to participation and brand awareness.
Environmental Impact & Innovation: Campaigns and media relations elevate electrification programs and clean energy leadership, helping motivate customer action and reinforce PCE’s role as an industry innovator.
Organizational Excellence: A phased, coordinated marketing approach supports operational readiness and disciplined execution during a significant organizational transition. 22