2075 Woodside Road
Redwood City, CA 94061
650-260-0005
westlightenergy.org
Regular Meeting of the WestLight Energy
Board of Directors
REVISED AGENDA
Thursday, October 22, 2026
5:30 pm
Please Note: This meeting will be held in hybrid format with both in-person and Zoom participation options for members of the public.
Meeting Locations:
WestLight Energy Lobby, 2075 Woodside Road, Redwood City, CA 94061 Zoom, Virtual Meeting Link: https://westlightenergy.zoom.us/j/87496649657 Meeting ID: 874-9664-9657 Passcode: 2075 Phone: +1 (669) 444-9171 Introduction
This meeting of the WestLight Energy Board of Directors will be held at the locations listed above pursuant to the Ralph M. Brown Act (Gov. Code § 54950 et seq.). Board Members are expected to attend in person and may contact General Counsel, Jennifer Stalzer, at [email protected] with questions or accommodation requests. For remote participation information, please see the instructions at the end of the agenda. A video recording of the meeting will be available after the meeting at https://www.westlightenergy.org/board-of-directors.
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Written public comments may be submitted to Board Clerk, Nelly Wogberg, at [email protected] and should identify the applicable agenda item.
Please note that WestLight Energy Board of Directors meetings are a limited public forum, and all public comment must relate to something that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Board. If comments do not relate to the subject matter jurisdiction of the Board, 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 Board.
ADA Requests
Individuals who require special assistance, a disability-related modification or accommodation, or an alternative format for the meeting or meeting materials should contact Board Clerk, Nelly Wogberg, at [email protected] by 10:00 a.m. on the day before the meeting. Advance notice will enable WestLight Energy to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to the meeting, related materials, and the opportunity to provide public comment.
Closed captioning is available for all Board meetings. While viewing the meeting in Zoom, please enable captioning.
1 1. Approval of EV Ready Program Fund Reservation Agreements with Green Water and Power in a Cumulative Amount Not-to-Exceed $1,000,000 for a Term of July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027
2. Approval of an Agreement with the Center for Sustainable Energy for the Equitable Building Decarbonization Program for a Total Not-to-Exceed Amount of $3,600,000, Inclusive of $1,440,000 to Serve Single-Family Homes and $2,160,000 to Serve Multi-Family Homes, and a Term Through November 30, 2029
3. Approval of Minutes for the September 24, 2026 Board of Directors Meeting
4. Chair Report (Discussion)
5. CEO Report (Discussion)
6. Guest Presentation: State of Play for CCAs in California and Key Issues Coming Into a New State Administration. Presented by Beth Vaughan, CEO of Cal-CCA (Discussion)
7. The First 100 Days: Preparing for a New State Administration - A Policy Discussion (Discussion)
8. Power Procurement Updates: Managing Today's Portfolio, Preparing for Tomorrow's Needs (Discussion)
9. Customer Corner - Lessons Learned and Impacts of WestLight Energy's Customer-First Strategy (Discussion)
10. Vote to add WestLight Energy as a Signatory to Joint CCA Letter of Support Regarding Bay Area Air District Rule 9-6 (Action)
11. Board Member Reports (Discussion)
12. Community Energy Programs Quarterly Report
13. Marketing, Outreach Activities, and Media Relations Quarterly Report
14. Social Media FAQ's
15. Acronym List
CALL TO ORDER / ROLL CALL
PUBLIC COMMENT
This item is reserved for public comment on matters within the Board's jurisdiction that are not otherwise on this agenda. Comments on agenda items will be heard when the item is called. Speakers are generally limited to two minutes, subject to adjustment by the Board Chair.
ACTION TO SET AGENDA AND TO APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS
REGULAR AGENDA
INFORMATIONAL REPORTS
2 ADJOURNMENT
Public records that relate to any item on the open session agenda are available for public inspection. The records are available at the WestLight Energy offices or on the WestLight Energy website at:
www.westlightenergy.org.
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4 DATE: October 9, 2026
MEETING DATE: October 22, 2026
SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING: None
VOTE REQUIRED: Majority Vote
TO: Honorable WestLight Energy Board of Directors
FROM: Melanie Jasper, Associate Program Manager
SUBJECT: Approval of EV Ready Program Fund Reservation Agreements with Green Water and Power in a Cumulative Amount Not-to-Exceed $1,000,000 for a Term of July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027
Item No. 1
WestLight Energy
JPA Board Correspondence
RECOMMENDATION
Delegation of authority to the CEO to execute multiple EV Ready Fund Reservation Agreements with Green Water and Power in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000 in total customer incentives to install EV charging infrastructure.
BACKGROUND
In December 2018, the Board approved WestLight Energy’s EV charging infrastructure program intended to accelerate EV adoption in San Mateo County. The program, later named the “EV Ready Program,” provides incentives and no-cost technical assistance to eligible property types, which include: 1) Affordable Housing, 2) Multi-Unit Dwellings (such as apartments and condominiums), 3) Employee Charging, including fleet, and 4) All Publicly Accessible, Non-Residential Locations.
The program provides incentives for several different EV charging types, as part of the programs “right-sizing” strategy to install cost-effective charging options, depending on the use case. These incentivized charging options include: 1) Level 1 or Level 2 outlets, 2) Level 2 EV charging stations, 3) Make-Ready parking spaces, to encourage future-proofing, and 4) panel updates for multi-family property sites. These incentives range from $1,000 to $5,000 per charger, depending on property type, retrofit vs new build projects, and charging type.
Customers apply for EV Ready incentives online and applications are reviewed and approved by WestLight Energy staff. Once approved, a Fund Reservation Agreement, which outlines the EV Ready Program standards and requirements, is executed using digital signatures by the customer and the WestLight Energy CEO or, if the not to exceed amount is less than $250,000, the COO. Fund Reservation Agreements are presented to the Board of Directors for review and approval when cumulative spending exceeds $250,000 in a fiscal year for any one customer.
5 Project
Total Funds
Requested
Total
Charging
Ports
801 Marine Pkwy $135,000.00 30
1000 Foster City
Boulevard
$135,000.00 30
950 Redwood
Shores Pkwy
$135,000.00 30
Total $405,000.00 90
WestLight Energy EV Ready program guidelines allow project developers to act as a Designated Applicant and manage the incentive process on behalf of property owners who are installing chargers with our program.
Green Water and Power serves as a project developer and has been a trusted program partner since 2023, responsible for installing over 400 charging ports across WestLight Energy service territory to date, including some of the largest multifamily EV charging retrofit project in our program. It has partnered with WestLight Energy to expand access to EV charging in the EV Ready program. The Discussion section below provides further detail on the requested approvals by the Board for EV Ready Fund Reservation Agreements with Green Water and Power, including delegation of approval to the CEO for additional Agreements expected this fiscal year.
DISCUSSION
WestLight Energy is expecting many EV Ready applications from Green Water and Power this fiscal year, which will exceed $250,000 in cumulative value for FY27. Three applications from Green Water and Power have already been received this fiscal year with a total of $405,000 in customer incentives and are included for the Board’s review and approval. These agreements are listed in the table below.
Because WestLight Energy staff expect additional applications from Green Water and Power this fiscal year, staff is seeking authorization not to exceed $1,000,000 in cumulative contract value across received and expected Fund Reservation Agreements. This additional request will allow the CEO to more quickly execute Fund Reservation Agreements with Green Water and Power without the need to return to the Board for individual approval by the Board. Should WestLight Energy receive additional EV Ready applications from Green Water and Power that exceed $1,000,000 in cumulative contract value for FY27, staff will return to the Board for additional consideration, review, and authorization.
Fund Reservation Agreements received thus far in FY27 by Green Water and Power:
Following approval by the Board of Directors, these projects’ Fund Reservation Agreements will be executed by the WestLight Energy CEO and the property owners will proceed to install their EV charging infrastructure and file for reimbursement from WestLight Energy upon completion in the future. The Board will be notified of additional EV Ready projects up to the stated $1,000,000 value cap.
6 FISCAL IMPACT
Funding for these Agreements is included in the Board-approved EV Ready Program budget for fiscal year 26-27.
ATTACHMENTS:
EVRP_FundReservation_OctBOD.pdf
7 RESOLUTION NO. _____________
WESTLIGHT ENERGY, COUNTY OF SAN MATEO, AND THE CITY OF LOS BANOS,
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
APPROVAL OF EV READY PROGRAM FUND RESERVATION AGREEMENTS WITH GREEN WATER AND POWER IN A CUMULATIVE AMOUNT NOT-TO-EXCEED $1,000,000 FOR A TERM OF JULY 1, 2026 - JUNE 30, 2027
RESOLVED, by WestLight Energy of the County of San Mateo, and the City of Los Banos, State of California, (“WestLight”) that:
WHEREAS, WestLight Energy was formed as Peninsula Clean Energy on February 29, 2016, and adopted the name WestLight Energy on May 28, 2026; and WHEREAS, expanding access to charging in increases adoption of electric vehicles to reduce greenhouse gasses is part of WestLight Energy’s program roadmap approved by the Board; and
WHEREAS, in December 2018, the WestLight Energy Board of Directors approved the EV charging infrastructure program, which came to be called the “EV Ready” program; and WHEREAS, eligible applicants are approved for EV Ready program incentives, subject to the EV Ready Program Standards & Requirements; and
WHEREAS, approved applicants in the EV Ready program are required to execute a Fund Reservation Agreement to secure their financial incentives; and WHEREAS, per WestLight Energy policy, Agreements valued at or above $250,000 in cumulative spending per fiscal year require approval by the WestLight Energy Board of Directors; and
WHEREAS, multiple EV Ready incentive applications (“Fund Reservation Agreements”) were received by WestLight Energy in the prior month from a customer whose total incentive value will exceed $250,000 in cumulative contract value this fiscal year; and WHEREAS, the Board wishes to delegate to the Chief Executive Officer authority to finalize and execute multiple Fund Reservation Agreements in the EV Ready program to provide incentives.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY DETERMINED AND ORDERED that the Board delegates authority to the Chief Executive Officer to finalize and execute multiple customer Fund Reservation Agreements with Green Water and Power in the EV Ready program to provide incentives for an expected total of up to $1,000,000 and in a form approved by the General Counsel.
8 9
EV Ready Program
WestLight Energy EV Ready Fund Reservation Agreement V061726 Fund Reservation Agreement
PROPERTY INFORMATION
Site Owner Organization: Bozutto
Site Owner or Owner
Representative Name:
Various
Designated Applicant
Organization
(if applicable):
Green Water and Power
Designated Applicant
Name (if applicable):
Tyler Galgas
Site Address: Various
Project ID: Various
EV CHARGING PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Project Type: Existing Building, Multi-Unit Dwelling
Level 1
Outlets
Level 2
Outlets
Level 2 Charging
Stations
Make Ready
Spaces
Submitted Ports: 90
Panel Upgrade:
FUNDS RESERVED
Total Reserved Funds: $405,000
Notes: Three multi-family properties
WestLight Energy cannot guarantee rebate funds beyond what was reserved nor can rebate funds exceed 100% of the total project costs. Final projects with less ports than projected will only receive rebates for installed ports, up to the amount reserved.
By signing below, the site owner (“Site Owner”) or, if the property is owned by a commercial or corporate entity, the representative of the ownership entity (“Owner Representative”) agrees to the “Electric Vehicle (EV) Ready Program” (“Program”) Terms & Conditions. If neither Site Owner nor Owner Representative executes the Agreement, the applicant (“Applicant”) certifies that a Designated Applicant Assignment form was completed and submitted to WestLight Energy to verify that the Site Owner or Owner Representative has designated the applicant (“Designated Applicant”) authority to represent the Site Owner in the Program and execute all legal agreements as required by the Program.
Funds Reserved
Undersigned here is the: Designated Applicant
Applicant Signature: Date:
WestLight Energy
Representative Signature:
Date:
10 EV Ready Program
WestLight Energy EV Ready Fund Reservation Agreement V061726 WestLight Energy EV Ready Terms and Conditions
1. ELIGIBILITY: WestLight Energy offers a rebate to eligible WestLight Energy customers or their designees (Applicant) installing EV Charging Infrastructure through the EV Ready Program. Applicants eligible to receive rebates under the Program must (1) abide by the terms and conditions listed herein; (2) have the EV charging port(s) metered through a WestLight Energy account number; (3) comply with Program Standards and Requirements (“Program Requirements”) in Appendix A; (4) provide WestLight Energy with Required Installation Verification Documents as specified in the Program Requirements upon completion of the project.
2. REBATE RESERVATION TERM AND AMOUNT: The amounts of the rebates for which qualifying projects are eligible are outlined in Program Requirements. Rebate funds are reserved upon execution of this Agreement up to the maximum amount identified in the Program Requirements based on the “EV Charging Infrastructure Project Description” (hereinafter, the Project, see page 1 above). The funds are reserved according to the Fund Reservation Period timelines outlined in the Program Requirements and any modifications to the timelines are at the discretion of WestLight Energy. Rebates will be paid to eligible Rebate Recipient once installation is verified as complete by WestLight Energy. The final amount of the rebates will be the actual eligible costs of verified EV Charging Infrastructure installed or the maximum amount reserved, whichever is less.
3. DISCRETION ON VERIFICATION: Determinations regarding verification pursuant to paragraph (1) and paragraph (2) of these Terms and Conditions, shall be determined at WestLight Energy’s complete and exclusive discretion.
4. REBATE RECIPIENT: The Applicant may direct the rebate funds to any Rebate Recipient, who is a single vendor or service provider incurring costs for the Project up to the amount of documented costs incurred by that Rebate Recipient. The Rebate Recipient shall be identified in the Installation Verification Form submitted upon project completion to request disbursement of the rebate.
5. NO GUARANTEES: WestLight Energy makes no guarantee, representations or warranties, expressed or implied, regarding the implementation or use of EV Charging Infrastructure and equipment purchased or installed pursuant to this WestLight Energy Program. Customer is solely responsible for any liability, legal or otherwise, arising from the installation, operation, and maintenance of its selected EV Charging Infrastructure.
6. EVSE PACKAGE: Upon approval of the Funds Reservation Agreement by WestLight Energy, customer shall install, operate and maintain the number and type of the EVSE unit(s) (defined in Program Requirements), associated equipment, and signage as selected by Customer and approved by WestLight Energy. Customer acknowledges that:
7. ADDITIONAL SERVICES FROM ELECTRIC VEHICLE SERVICE PROVIDER (EVSP):
Separate and apart from the Funds Reservation Agreement and WestLight Energy’s obligations under the Program, the EVSP may offer and contract directly with the Customer to provide any additional or complementary services, as long as these services do not interfere with the objectives of the Program. WestLight Energy is not responsible for the costs of additional EVSP services or any cost related to operations and maintenance of any additional EVSP services.
8. INSTALLATION OF EV CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE: Customer is responsible for covering all upfront costs of the installation of the EV Charging Infrastructure. Upon completion of installation of the EV Charging Infrastructure, Site Owner understands it is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the EV charging port(s) installed. 11 EV Ready Program
WestLight Energy EV Ready Fund Reservation Agreement V061726
9. CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS: All work performed on projects under this agreement shall be done by contractors who hold a valid California C-10 license. WestLight Energy reserves the right to amend and change contractor requirements at any point during the program.
10. EV DRIVERS RIGHT TO ACCESS: Customer may limit the availability of the EV Charging Infrastructure to its employees or tenants. Under the Program, Customer may elect to make the EV Charging Infrastructure available for use by the general public.
Customer shall not restrict access to use of the EV Charging Infrastructure for reasons including, but not limited to, race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, or any basis prohibited by applicable law.
11. APPLICABLE LAWS: Customer is solely responsible for ensuring that the EV Charging Infrastructure is installed and operated in compliance with all applicable local, state, and federal laws.
12. EV CHARGING PORT(S) OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE: Customer will pay all ongoing costs associated with the EV Charging Infrastructure. Customer shall maintain a consistent uptime for the EV Charging Port(s) installed. Customer shall maintain the common area immediately surrounding the EV Charging Infrastructure in good condition, ordinary wear and tear accepted, and will promptly notify WestLight Energy of any problems it is aware of related to the EV Charging Infrastructure. Such maintenance by Customer of the immediately surrounding common areas shall include, but not be limited to, pavement maintenance. Customer shall promptly notify WestLight Energy if Customer will no longer maintain the installed EV Charging Infrastructure and/or the installed EV Charging Infrastructure is being removed from Customer’s site.
Uninterrupted service is not guaranteed, and Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) may interrupt service and access to the EV Charging Infrastructure when necessary to ensure safety or to perform maintenance as dictated by utility easement agreements and requirements.
13. PERMISSION TO USE DATA: For all EV Charging Infrastructure installed that are capable of collecting and reporting usage and utilization data, Site Owner agrees to allow WestLight Energy and its authorized Contractors to access, collect, use, and report EV Charging Infrastructure usage and utilization data gathered as a part of the Program for use in regulatory reporting, ordinary business use, industry forums, case studies, or other similar activities, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. WestLight Energy and its authorized Contractors shall have access to the EV Charging Infrastructure usage and utilization data indefinitely and in accordance with all applicable laws, including but not limited to WestLight Energy privacy guidelines and relevant regulatory decisions.
14. DEMAND RESPONSE and LOAD SHAPING PROGRAMS: Customer agrees that WestLight Energy may, at its discretion enroll all networked EV charging port(s) units installed under the Program in any future demand response, grid optimization, and/ or load shaping programs implemented by WestLight Energy. Future load shaping program will, by design, not incur any additional costs or expenses to Customer. The load shaping program will aim to curtail energy usage for each charging port during a predefined period established by WestLight Energy. These curtailments will be designed to minimally impact EV drivers that are charging during these times whenever possible.
Customers will be provided an appropriate mechanism to opt-out before the program is implemented.
12 EV Ready Program
WestLight Energy EV Ready Fund Reservation Agreement V061726
15. TAX LIABILITY and CREDITS: WestLight Energy is not responsible for any taxes which may be imposed on Customer as a result of the rebates provided within the Program.
Site Owners receiving incentives from either the Program and/or other regional organizations, including, but not limited to, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, that have been facilitated through assistance from WestLight Energy are required to designate their Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) credits to WestLight Energy.
Customer attests they are releasing their rights to report and claim credits in the LCFS and are designating credits in the LCFS to WestLight Energy (FEIN 81-2708786) on an ongoing basis. Customer will inform third-party entities when necessary, including CARB, that the LCFS credits generated by their installed EVSE are designated to WestLight Energy on an ongoing basis. Customer will provide the EVSE usage and electricity data to WestLight Energy for LCFS reporting pursuant to CARB sections 95483.2(b)(8), 95491 and 95491.1. Customer will provide WestLight Energy with ongoing access to EV charging data through the use of a login to the online account and/or an application program interface (API), a dashboard with exportable data files, or other means to access the charging data.
16. DISPUTES: Except where otherwise limited by law, WestLight Energy reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to make final determinations regarding any disputed issues about the Program, including but not limited to eligibility and rebate amounts. In the event of a dispute that cannot be remedied by the parties, any court filings and/or proceedings shall be venued in San Mateo County, California. WestLight Energy shall in no case be responsible for the legal costs of Site Owner and/or Designated Applicant.
17. PROGRAM CHANGES: WestLight Energy reserves the right to change, modify, or terminate the Program at any time without any liability except as expressly stated herein.
WestLight Energy will honor all written commitments made in the Funds Reservation Agreement provided to Customers prior to the date of any change, modification or termination of this program, provided that project installations are fully completed within the timeframe specified within the Program Requirements.
18. PROGRAM EXPIRATION: The Program will expire upon the earliest to occur: (i) when funds are depleted or (ii) when the program is terminated by WestLight Energy.
19. INDEMNIFICATION: Applicant agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold WestLight Energy, its employees, officers, and agents, harmless from any and all liabilities including, but not limited to, litigation costs and attorney's fees arising from any and all claims and losses to anyone who may be injured or damaged by reason of Customer's negligence, recklessness or willful misconduct while participating in the WestLight Energy Program.
20. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Customer shall acknowledge WestLight Energy as a funding source of the installed EV Charging Infrastructure each time Customer’s activities related to the EV Charging Infrastructure are published in any news media, press release, brochures, or other type of public communication or promotional material. The acknowledgement of WestLight Energy’s support as a funding source, whether in whole or in part, shall include language such as: “Funding for [Customer Site Name]’s charging station(s) provided by WestLight Energy.” If Customer is receiving funding from multiple organizations, Customer may use one statement conforming to the format listed above and include all organizations from which funding is received. WestLight Energy also reserves the right to install stickers, signage, or other advertisement mechanism on the EV charging port(s) funded or facilitated by WestLight Energy. 13 EV Ready Program
WestLight Energy EV Ready Fund Reservation Agreement V061726
21. CUSTOMER DISCLOSURE AUTHORIZATION: By signing the Funds Reservation Agreement, Applicant confirms they are the authorized representative for the electric account holder identified in the Funds Reservation Agreement and authorized WestLight Energy to disclose Customer’s account status and participation in the WestLight Energy Program. If Applicant is not the authorized representative for the electric account holder identified in the Funds Reservation Agreement, the Applicant certifies that they have submitted a Third Party Designated Applicant Assignment Form to verify that the Site Owner has delegated authority to the Applicant to represent the Site Owner and execute the Funds Reservation Agreement.
14 DATE: October 9, 2026
MEETING DATE: October 22, 2026
SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING: None
VOTE REQUIRED: Majority Vote
TO: Honorable WestLight Energy Board of Directors
FROM: Gaby Ibarra, Associate Program Manager
SUBJECT: Approval of an Agreement with the Center for Sustainable Energy for the Equitable Building Decarbonization Program for a Total Not-to-Exceed Amount of $3,600,000, Inclusive of $1,440,000 to Serve Single-Family Homes and $2,160,000 to Serve Multi-Family Homes, and a Term Through November 30, 2029
Item No. 2
WestLight Energy
JPA Board Correspondence
RECOMMENDATION
Recommend that the Board of Directors delegate authority to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to execute an agreement with the Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE) for the Equitable Building Decarbonization (EBD) Program with a term through November 2029 and a total not to exceed amount of $3,600,000 in customer incentives for home electrification projects, inclusive of $1,440,000 in electrification incentives to serve single-family homes and $2,160,000 in electrification incentives to serve multi-family homes.
BACKGROUND
WestLight’s mission is to provide affordable, clean electricity and advance local solutions that lower costs, reduce pollution, and strengthen community resilience. In 2018, WestLight initiated customer and community programs, which have been developed within three major pillars: Building decarbonization, transportation decarbonization and distributed energy resources (DERs). In 2024, WestLight created an Innovation Strategy (IS) department with the goal of pursuing advanced energy initiatives that support and grow WestLight’s customer programs. One of the core goals of the IS department is to identify sources for revenue diversification for WestLight’s energy programs. In pursuit of this goal, the Innovation Strategy department has applied for public funding opportunities that can support and broaden WestLight’s programmatic goals. One such funding opportunity is the EBD program which provides additional funding for WestLight’s existing Home Upgrade Services (HUS) program.
WestLight’s HUS program provides a suite of services to help residents electrify their homes:
(1) a self-service option where customers can access rebates and zero percent loans; (2) personalized support and free custom guidance through WestLight’s Concierge Service, and (3) a full-service option where electrification measures are installed through a direct install (DI) 15 pathway by pre-vetted contractors. Low-income customers can access the full-service option at no cost while non-low-income customers can participate at pre-negotiated costs.
Assembly Bill (AB) 209 (September 2022) directs the California Energy Commission (CEC) to develop and implement the EBD Program with a statewide budget of approximately $567 million. The primary goals of the program are to accelerate deployment of low-carbon building technologies, reduce greenhouse gas emissions from existing buildings, and advance energy equity.
The EBD Direct Install (DI) Program provides electrification measures for low-income households in under-resourced communities and is implemented in three regions: Northern, Central, and Southern California. In the spring of 2024, the CEC ran a grant funding opportunity (CEC GFO -23-404) to identify program administrators for each of the three regions. WestLight partnered with two lead applicants in this GFO: Association for Energy Affordability (AEA) for the Northern California region (which covers San Mateo County) and CSE for the Central California region (which covers Los Banos). Both applicants were successful under the GFO and were selected as a “Regional Administrator” for the EBD.
Hence, WestLight is now collaborating with both partner agencies in the implementation of the EBD program.
WestLight’s intent in partnering with lead applicants on the EBD GFO was to bring EBD funding into WestLight’s service area and to expand the funding available for WestLight’s HUS full-service program for low-income customers. The EBD DI program is initially being implemented only in select areas of the state (so called “Initial Community Focus Areas”). WestLight advocated with the lead applicants to focus on WestLight’s service area and was successful in assigning East Palo Alto as an Initial Community Focus Areas in the Northern California region and Los Banos as an Initial Community Focus Area in the Central California region. These two areas were identified as under-resourced communities per the definition of the CEC where customers are faced with higher-than-average energy burdens, high levels of ambient air pollution, and being underserved by existing programs (among other factors).
Following the selection as winning bidders under the CEC GFO, WestLight engaged with the lead applicants in formalizing the collaboration on the EBD program. In April, the Board approved an agreement with the AEA to implement EBD in East Palo Alto and that program has initiated. At this time, WestLight staff is bringing a substantially similar proposed contract with CSE for the Initial Community Focus Area in Los Banos to the Board of Directors. The rollout of the EBD program in Los Banos with the Center for Sustainability Energy is slated for Q4 2026. If implementers in both regions are successful executing to projected targets, it may result in CEC investment of nearly $12 million for WestLight customers.
DISCUSSION
The contract with CSE has a term through November 2029 and describes the scope of work, as well as the roles and responsibilities of both CSE and WestLight in the implementation of the EBD program in Los Banos (“Los Banos EBD Program”).
Scope of Work
WestLight and CSE plan on serving up to 100 single-family homes and up to 200 multi-family units with whole-home electrification retrofits under the Los Banos EBD Program. There are 16 approximately 6,000 low-income households enrolled in CARE or FERA rates in Los Banos, so the program plans on serving about 5% of eligible customers. The customer eligibility requirements are defined in the EBD’s Program Guidelines and focus on low-income customers (i.e., income at or below 80% of the area median income (AMI) in under-resourced communities).
Participating customers will be offered whole-home electrification at no cost to the customer. It is the goal of the program to electrify at least two, but preferably all four, end uses in a home (space heating, water heating, cooking and clothes drying). In addition to the electrification measures, the EBD program also offers basic energy efficiency (EE) upgrades and related home remediation upgrades (e.g., electrical panel upgrades).
The EBD program establishes various cost containment and customer protection strategies to ensure efficient, transparent, and equitable program implementation. While the overall electrification project itself does not have a cost cap, the average electrical and remediation costs are capped at $6,000 per project. Regional administrators also have to implement cost control mechanisms such as cost analysis, competitive bidding, and standard pricing for eligible measures. The EBD Program Guidelines also outline detailed tenant protection requirements for customers in multi-family settings (see section C). Tenant protections include rent increase limitations, eviction protections, information for tenants and property owners on rights and responsibilities under the program, and requirements related to project work and temporary displacement.
Roles and Responsibilities
CSE is the Regional Administrator for the EBD DI program in Central California and oversees the implementation of the program in all Initial Community Focus Areas. In that role, CSE manages all EBD implementation partners, vendors, and contractors who in turn handle customer enrollment and management, as well as contractor management. Importantly, WestLight is not involved in the administration or implementation of the Los Banos EBD Program. .
WestLight’s role is to provide co-funding for the Los Banos EBD program to further scale the reach of the program in Los Banos, providing up to 30% of total project costs after incentives from other sources have been considered. In doing so, EBD funds can stretch further in Los Banos, allowing more customers to take advantage of the complementary program offering. In addition, WestLight can integrate the load-modification resources such as smart control thermostats (SCT) installed under the Los Banos EBD Program under its Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS).
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding for this contract has been included in the FY 27 Programs budget.
STRATEGIC PLAN
The EPA EBD Program supports the following elements of the PCE 2026 – 2030 Strategic Plan:
Strategic Priority: Equity Programs
17 Goal: Secure at least $20 million in external grant funding to design, launch and grow Equity-focused energy programs that deliver direct benefits to vulnerable customers and communities.
ATTACHMENTS:
Los Banos EBD - WestLight-CSE contract.docx
18 RESOLUTION NO. _____________
WESTLIGHT ENERGY, COUNTY OF SAN MATEO, AND THE CITY OF LOS BANOS,
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
APPROVAL OF AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FOR THE EQUITABLE BUILDING DECARBONIZATION PROGRAM FOR A TOTAL NOT-TO-EXCEED AMOUNT OF $3,600,000, INCLUSIVE OF $1,440,000 TO SERVE SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES AND $2,160,000 TO SERVE MULTI-FAMILY HOMES, AND A TERM THROUGH NOVEMBER 30, 2029
RESOLVED, by WestLight Energy of the County of San Mateo, and the City of Los Banos, State of California, (“WestLight”) that: WHEREAS, WestLight Energy was formed as Peninsula Clean Energy on February 29, 2016, and adopted the name WestLight Energy on May 28, 2026; and
WHEREAS, one of the goals of the Innovation Strategy department is to identify sources for revenue diversification for WestLight Energy’s community programs; and WHEREAS, WestLight Energy participated with the Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE) in the California Energy Commission’s (CEC) grant funding opportunity for the Equitable Building Decarbonization Program (EBD) with the goal of bringing EBD funding into WestLight Energy’s service area; and
WHEREAS, the CSE was selected as administrators of the EBD Direct Install program in the Northern California region and Los Banos was designated as an “Initial Community Focus Area” under the EBD;
WHEREAS, as Regional Administrator, CSE leads the implementation of the EBD Program in Los Banos; and
WHEREAS, participating low-income customers will receive whole-home electrification at no cost with an estimated value of up to $8.04 million; and WHEREAS, WestLight Energy will co-fund up to 30% of the total project costs after incentives from other sources have been considers to allow more customers to take advantage of the EBD Program in Los Banos.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY DETERMINED AND ORDERED that the Board delegates authority to the Chief Executive Officer to finalize and execute an agreement, in a form approved by the General Counsel, with the Center for Sustainable Energy for the Equitable Building Decarbonization Program with a term through November 30, 2029 and a total not to exceed amount of $3,600,000 in customer incentives, inclusive of $1,440,000 to serve single-family homes and $2,160,000 to serve multi-family homes. 19 20
Revised May 2021 Page 1
AGREEMENT BETWEEN WESTLIGHT ENERGY AND CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
This Agreement is entered into this First day of November, 2026, by and between WestLight Energy, a joint powers authority of the state of California, hereinafter called “WestLight” and the Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE), hereinafter called “Contractor”.
* * *
Whereas, pursuant to Section 6508 of the Joint Exercise of Powers Act, WestLight may contract with independent contractors for the furnishing of services to or for WestLight; and
Whereas, it is necessary and desirable that Contractor be retained for the purpose of collaboration on the Equitable Building Decarbonization (EBD) program and implementation of home electrification services.
Now, therefore, it is agreed by the parties to this Agreement as follows:
1. Exhibits and Attachments
The following exhibits and attachments are attached to this Agreement and incorporated into this Agreement by this reference:
Exhibit A—Services
Exhibit B—Payments and Rates
2. Services to be performed by Contractor
In consideration of the payments set forth in this Agreement and in Exhibit B, Contractor shall perform services for WestLight in accordance with the terms, conditions, and specifications set forth in this Agreement and in Exhibit A.
3. Payments
In consideration of the services provided by Contractor in accordance with all terms, conditions, and specifications set forth in this Agreement and in Exhibit A, WestLight shall make payment to Contractor based on the rates and in the manner specified in Exhibit B. WestLight reserves the right to withhold payment if WestLight determines that the quantity or quality of the work performed is unacceptable. In no event shall WestLight’s total fiscal obligation under this Agreement exceed $3,600,000. In the event 21 Revised May 2021 Page 2
that WestLight makes any advance payments, Contractor agrees to refund any amounts in excess of the amount owed by WestLight at the time of contract termination or expiration.
4. Term
Subject to compliance with all terms and conditions, the term of this Agreement shall be from the date of execution through November 13, 2029.
5. Termination; Availability of Funds
This Agreement may be terminated by Contractor or by the Chief Executive Officer of WestLight or his/her designee at any time without a requirement of good cause upon thirty (30) days’ advance written notice to the other party. Subject to availability of funding, Contractor shall be entitled to receive payment for work/services provided prior to termination of the Agreement that are consistent with those services described in Exhibit A and performed to the satisfaction of WestLight. Such payment shall be that prorated portion of the full payment determined by comparing the work/services actually completed to the work/services required by the Agreement.
WestLight may terminate this Agreement or a portion of the services referenced in the Attachments and Exhibits based upon the unavailability of Federal, State, or WestLight funds by providing written notice to Contractor as soon as is reasonably possible after WestLight learns of said unavailability of outside funding.
6. Relationship of Parties
Contractor agrees and understands that the work/services performed under this Agreement are performed as an independent contractor and not as an employee of WestLight and that neither Contractor nor its employees acquire any of the rights, privileges, powers, or advantages of WestLight employees.
7. Hold Harmless
a. General Hold Harmless
Contractor shall indemnify and hold harmless WestLight and its officers, agents, employees, and servants from all claims, suits, or actions of every name, kind, and description resulting from this Agreement or the EBD Program, the performance of any work or services required of Contractor under this Agreement, or payments made pursuant to this Agreement brought for, or on account of, any of the following:
22 Revised May 2021 Page 3
(A) injuries to or death of any person, including Contractor or its employees/officers/agents;
(B) damage to any property of any kind whatsoever and to whomsoever belonging;
(C) any sanctions, penalties, or claims of damages resulting from Contractor’s failure to comply, if applicable, with the requirements set forth in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and all Federal regulations promulgated thereunder, as amended; or
(D) any other loss or cost, including but not limited to that caused by the concurrent active or passive negligence of WestLight and/or its officers, agents, employees, or servants. However, Contractor’s duty to indemnify and hold harmless under this Section shall not apply to injuries or damage for which WestLight has been found in a court of competent jurisdiction to be solely liable by reason of its own negligence or willful misconduct.
The duty of Contractor to indemnify and hold harmless as set forth by this Section shall include the duty to defend as set forth in Section 2778 of the California Civil Code. b. Construction Indemnification
To the fullest extent permitted by California law, including without limitation California Civil Code Section 2782, Contractor shall also indemnify, defend, and hold harmless WestLight, its officers, directors, employees, agents, and affiliates (collectively, the "Indemnified Parties") from and against any and all claims, demands, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees), but only to the extent arising out of, pertaining to, or relating to the negligence, recklessness, or willful misconduct of the Contractor, or the acts or omissions of its subcontractors, suppliers, or anyone directly or indirectly employed by them or for whose acts they may be liable, in connection with:
i. The design, construction, installation, or completion of the project; j. Defects in workmanship, materials, or construction.
k. Personal injury, death, or property damage occurring in connection with the construction activities; and
l. Any failure to comply with applicable laws, codes, regulations, permits, or approvals.
8. No Control or Responsibility.
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The parties expressly acknowledge and agree that WestLight is providing financial support only and shall have no control over, and shall not be responsible for, the design, engineering, construction means, methods, techniques, sequences, procedures, safety programs, supervision, or coordination of the work, nor for the selection or oversight of contractors or subcontractors. No review, approval, inspection, or monitoring by WestLight, or its receipt of reports or updates, shall be deemed to create or imply any such control or responsibility.
This indemnification obligation shall apply regardless of the fact that Westight is contributing up to thirty percent (30%) of the improvements, and such financial contribution shall not be construed to impose any construction-related liability or duty.
Limitations. This Section shall not be construed to require Contractor to indemnify or defend any Indemnified Party for claims arising from the sole or active negligence, or willful misconduct, of that Indemnified Party, to the extent such indemnification is prohibited by California law.
9. Assignability and Subcontracting
Contractor shall not assign this Agreement or any portion of it to a third party or subcontract with a third party to provide services required by Contractor under this Agreement without the prior written consent of WestLight. Any such assignment or subcontract without WestLight’s prior written consent shall give WestLight the right to automatically and immediately terminate this Agreement without penalty or advance notice.
10. Payment of Permits/Licenses
Contractor bears responsibility to obtain any license, permit, or approval required from any agency for work/services to be performed under this Agreement at Contractor’s own expense prior to commencement of said work/services. Failure to do so will result in forfeit of any right to compensation under this Agreement.
11. W-9 Form and Submission of Invoices
Invoices shall only be submitted by electronic form by sending an email to the WestLight’s project contact’s email address. Contractor shall submit a completed W-9 form electronically to the same email addresses. Contractor understands that no invoice will be paid by WestLight unless and until a W-9 Form is received by WestLight.
12. Insurance
a. General Requirements
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Contractor shall not commence work or be required to commence work under this Agreement unless and until all insurance required under this Section has been obtained and such insurance has been approved by WestLight, and Contractor shall use diligence to obtain such insurance and to obtain such approval. Contractor shall furnish WestLight with certificates of insurance evidencing the required coverage, and there shall be a specific contractual liability endorsement extending Contractor’s coverage to include the contractual liability assumed by Contractor pursuant to this Agreement.
These certificates shall specify or be endorsed to provide that thirty (30) days’ notice must be given, in writing, to WestLight of any pending change in the limits of liability or of any cancellation or modification of the policy.
b. Workers’ Compensation and Employer’s Liability Insurance Contractor shall have in effect during the entire term of this Agreement workers’ compensation and employer’s liability insurance providing full statutory coverage. In signing this Agreement, Contractor certifies, as required by Section 1861 of the California Labor Code, that (a) it is aware of the provisions of Section 3700 of the California Labor Code, which require every employer to be insured against liability for workers’ compensation or to undertake self-insurance in accordance with the provisions of the Labor Code, and (b) it will comply with such provisions before commencing the performance of work under this Agreement.
c. Liability Insurance
Contractor shall take out and maintain during the term of this Agreement such bodily injury liability and property damage liability insurance as shall protect Contractor and all of its employees/officers/agents while performing work covered by this Agreement from any and all claims for damages for bodily injury, including accidental death, as well as any and all claims for property damage which may arise from Contractor’s operations under this Agreement, whether such operations be by Contractor, any subcontractor, anyone directly or indirectly employed by either of them, or an agent of either of them.
Such insurance shall be combined single limit bodily injury and property damage for each occurrence and shall not be less than the amounts specified below:
Yes Comprehensive General Liability
(Applies to all agreements)
$1,000,000
Yes Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance
(Yes, if motor vehicle is used in performing services)
$1,000,000
Yes Professional Liability Insurance
(Yes, if Contractor is a licensed professional)
$1,000,000
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WestLight and its officers, agents, employees, and servants shall be named as additional insured on any such policies of insurance, which shall also contain a provision that (a) the insurance afforded thereby to WestLight and its officers, agents, employees, and servants shall be primary insurance to the full limits of liability of the policy and (b) if WestLight or its officers, agents, employees, and servants have other insurance against the loss covered by such a policy, such other insurance shall be excess insurance only.
In the event of the breach of any provision of this Section, or in the event any notice is received which indicates any required insurance coverage will be diminished or canceled, WestLight, at its option, may, notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary, immediately declare a material breach of this Agreement and suspend all further work and payment pursuant to this Agreement.
13. Compliance With Laws
All services to be performed by Contractor pursuant to this Agreement shall be performed in accordance with all applicable Federal, State, County, and municipal laws, ordinances, and regulations, including but not limited to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and the Federal Regulations promulgated thereunder, as amended (if applicable), the Business Associate requirements set forth in Attachment H (if attached), the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs and activities receiving any Federal or County financial assistance. Such services shall also be performed in accordance with all applicable ordinances and regulations, including but not limited to appropriate licensure, certification regulations, provisions pertaining to confidentiality of records, and applicable quality assurance regulations. In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Agreement and any applicable State, Federal, County, or municipal law or regulation, the requirements of the applicable law or regulation will take precedence over the requirements set forth in this Agreement.
Contractor will timely and accurately complete, sign, and submit all necessary documentation of compliance.
14. Non-Discrimination and Other Requirements
a. General Non-discrimination
No person shall be denied any services provided pursuant to this Agreement (except as limited by the scope of services) on the grounds of race, color, national origin, ancestry, age, disability (physical or mental), sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or 26 Revised May 2021 Page 7
domestic partner status, religion, political beliefs or affiliation, familial or parental status (including pregnancy), medical condition (cancer-related), military service, or genetic information.
b. Equal Employment Opportunity
Contractor shall ensure equal employment opportunity based on objective standards of recruitment, classification, selection, promotion, compensation, performance evaluation, and management relations for all employees under this Agreement. Contractor’s equal employment policies shall be made available to WestLight upon request. c. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Contractor shall comply with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, which provides that no otherwise qualified individual with a disability shall, solely by reason of a disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination in the performance of any services this Agreement. This Section applies only to contractors who are providing services to members of the public under this Agreement.
d. Employee Benefits
With respect to the provision of benefits to its employees, Contractor shall ensure that employee benefits provided to employees with domestic partners are the same as those provided to employees with spouses.
e. Discrimination Against Individuals with Disabilities The nondiscrimination requirements of 41 C.F.R. 60-741.5(a) are incorporated into this Agreement as if fully set forth here, and Contractor and any subcontractor shall abide by the requirements of 41 C.F.R. 60–741.5(a). This regulation prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals on the basis of disability and requires affirmative action by covered prime contractors and subcontractors to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities.
f. History of Discrimination
Contractor must check one of the two following options, and by executing this Agreement, Contractor certifies that the option selected is accurate:
X_No finding of discrimination has been issued in the past 365 days against Contractor by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Fair Employment and Housing Commission, or any other investigative entity. 27 Revised May 2021 Page 8
_ Finding(s) of discrimination have been issued against Contractor within the past 365 days by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Fair Employment and Housing Commission, or other investigative entity. If this box is checked, Contractor shall provide WestLight with a written explanation of the outcome(s) or remedy for the discrimination.
g. Reporting; Violation of Non-discrimination Provisions Contractor shall report to the Chief Executive Officer of WestLight the filing in any court or with any administrative agency of any complaint or allegation of discrimination on any of the bases prohibited by this Section of the Agreement or Section 13, above. Such duty shall include reporting of the filing of any and all charges with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Fair Employment and Housing Commission, or any other entity charged with the investigation or adjudication of allegations covered by this subsection within 30 days of such filing, provided that within such 30 days such entity has not notified Contractor that such charges are dismissed or otherwise unfounded. Such notification shall include a general description of the circumstances involved and a general description of the kind of discrimination alleged (for example, gender-, sexual orientation-, religion-, or race-based discrimination).
Violation of the non-discrimination provisions of this Agreement shall be considered a breach of this Agreement and subject the Contractor to penalties, to be determined by the Chief Executive Officer, including but not limited to the following:
i. termination of this Agreement;
ii. disqualification of the Contractor from being considered for or being awarded a WestLight contract for a period of up to 3 years.
15. Confidential Information
(a) Contractor shall maintain in confidence and not disclose to any third party or use in any manner not required or authorized under this Agreement any and all Confidential Information held by WestLight.
(b) The term “Confidential Information” includes all information, documents, and materials owned by WestLight, including technical, financial, business, or WestLight customer information, which is not available to the general public, as well as information derived from such information. Information received by Contractor shall not be considered Confidential Information if: (i) it is or becomes available to the public through no wrongful act of Contractor; (ii) it is already in the possession of Contractor and not subject to any confidentiality agreement between the Parties; (iii) it is received from a third party without restriction for the benefit of WestLight and without breach of this 28 Revised May 2021 Page 9
Agreement; (iv) it is independently developed by Contractor; (v) it is disclosed pursuant to a requirement of law, including, but not limited to, the California Public Records Act (Cal. Gov’t Code Section 7920.000, et seq.); or (vi) is disclosed to or by a duly empowered government agency, or a court of competent jurisdiction after due notice and an adequate opportunity to intervene is given to WestLight, unless such notice is prohibited.
(c) As practicable, WestLight shall mark Confidential Information with the words “Confidential” or “Confidential Material” or with words of similar import, or, if that is not possible, WestLight shall notify the Contractor (for example, by cover e-mail transmitting an electronic document) that the material is Confidential Information. WestLight’s failure or delay, for whatever reason, to mark or notify Contractor at the time the material is produced shall not take the material out of the coverage of this Agreement. (d) Contractor will direct its employees, contractors, consultants, and representatives who have access to any Confidential Information to comply with the terms of this Section.
(e) Upon termination or expiration of this Agreement, Contractor shall, at WestLight’s exclusive direction, either return or destroy all such Confidential Information and shall so certify in writing, provided, however, any Confidential Information (i) found in drafts, notes, studies, and other documents prepared by or for WestLight or its representatives, or (ii) found in electronic format as part of Contractor’s off-site or on-site data storage/archival process system, will be held by Contractor and kept subject to the terms of this provision or destroyed at Contractor’s option. The obligations of this provision will survive termination or expiration of this Agreement.
16. Data Security
If, pursuant to this Agreement, WestLight shares with Contractor personal information as defined in California Civil Code Section 1798.81.5(d) about a California resident (“Personal Information”), Contractor shall maintain reasonable and appropriate security procedures to protect that Personal Information and shall inform WestLight immediately upon learning that there has been a breach in the security of the system or in the security of the Personal Information. Contractor shall not use Personal Information for direct marketing purposes without WestLight’s express written consent. For purposes of this provision, security procedures are “reasonable and appropriate” when they (i) adequately address all reasonably foreseeable threats to Personal Information, (ii) are appropriate to the quantity, sensitivity, and type of Personal Information accessed and the way that information will be accessed, and (iii) comply with all laws, regulations, and 29 Revised May 2021 Page 10
government rules or directives applicable to the Contractor in connection with its access of Personal Information.
17. Retention of Records; Right to Monitor and Audit
(a) Contractor shall maintain all required records relating to services provided under this Agreement for three (3) years after WestLight makes final payment and all other pending matters are closed, and Contractor shall be subject to the examination and/or audit by WestLight, a Federal grantor agency, and the State of California. (b) Contractor shall comply with all program and fiscal reporting requirements set forth by applicable Federal, State, and local agencies and as required by WestLight. (c) Contractor agrees upon reasonable notice to provide to WestLight, to any Federal or State department having monitoring or review authority, to WestLight’s authorized representative, and/or to any of their respective audit agencies access to and the right to examine all records and documents necessary to determine compliance with relevant Federal, State, and local statutes, rules, and regulations, to determine compliance with this Agreement, and to evaluate the quality, appropriateness, and timeliness of services performed.
18. Merger Clause; Amendments
This Agreement, including the Exhibits and Attachments attached to this Agreement and incorporated by reference, constitutes the sole Agreement of the parties to this Agreement and correctly states the rights, duties, and obligations of each party as of this document’s date. In the event that any term, condition, provision, requirement, or specification set forth in the body of this Agreement conflicts with or is inconsistent with any term, condition, provision, requirement, or specification in any Exhibit and/or Attachment to this Agreement, the provisions of the body of the Agreement shall prevail.
Any prior agreement, promises, negotiations, or representations between the parties not expressly stated in this document are not binding. All subsequent modifications or amendments shall be in writing and signed by the parties.
19. Controlling Law; Venue
The validity of this Agreement and of its terms, the rights and duties of the parties under this Agreement, the interpretation of this Agreement, the performance of this Agreement, and any other dispute of any nature arising out of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of California without regard to its choice of law or conflict of law rules. Any dispute arising out of this Agreement shall be venued either in 30 Revised May 2021 Page 11
the San Mateo County Superior Court or in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.
20. Notices
Any notice, request, demand, or other communication required or permitted under this Agreement shall be deemed to be properly given when both: (1) transmitted via email to the email address listed below; and (2) sent to the physical address listed below by either being deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, or deposited for overnight delivery, charges prepaid, with an established overnight courier that provides a tracking number showing confirmation of receipt.
In the case of WestLight, to:
Name/Title: Shawn Marshall, Chief Executive Officer
Address: 400 South El Camino Real, Suite 1400, San Mateo, CA 94402
Telephone: 650-474-5002
Email: [email protected]
In the case of Contractor, to:
Name/Title: Lawrence E. Goldenhersh, President
Address: 3980 Sherman Street, Suite 170 San Diego, CA 92110 Email: [email protected]
with copy to: [email protected]
21. Electronic Signature
WestLight and Contractor wish to permit this Agreement, and future documents executed pursuant to this Agreement, to be digitally signed in accordance with California law. Any party that agrees to allow digital signature of this Agreement may revoke such agreement at any time in relation to all future documents by providing notice pursuant to this Agreement.
22. No Recourse Against WestLight’s Member Agencies
Contractor acknowledges and agrees that WestLight is a Joint Powers Authority, which is a public agency separate and distinct from its member agencies. All debts, liabilities, or obligations undertaken by WestLight in connection with this Agreement are undertaken solely by WestLight and are not debts, liabilities, or obligations of its 31 Revised May 2021 Page 12
member agencies. Contractor waives any recourse against WestLight’s member agencies.
* * *
In agreement with this Agreement’s terms, the parties, by their duly authorized representatives, affix their respective signatures:
WESTLIGHT ENERGY
By: __________________________________
Shawn Marshall, Chief Executive Officer, WestLight Energy Date: _______________________________
CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
By: __________________________________
Lawrence E. Goldenhersh, President
Date: _______________________________
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Exhibit A
In consideration of the payments set forth in Exhibit B, Contractor shall provide the following services:
1. OVERVIEW AND CONTEXT
1.1.Equitable Building Decarbonization Program
WestLight Energy (WestLight) and the Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE) are coordinating on the implementation of an “Initial Community Focus Area” in the city of Los Banos in Merced County, California (Los Banos), under the Statewide Direct Install (DI) Program of the Equitable Building Decarbonization (EBD) Program (EBD DI Program). CSE is the lead regional administrator (RA) of the EBD DI Program in the Central California region. For the purposes of the Initial Community Focus Area in Los Banos, CSE will leverage funding from WestLight’s Home Upgrade Services (HUS) direct-install program to further scale whole-home electrification in Los Banos.
1.2.Equitable Building Decarbonization Program
Assembly Bill (AB) 209 (September 2022) directs the California Energy Commission (CEC) to develop and implement the EBD Program with two core components– a direct install program and a statewide incentive program. The primary goals of the EBD Program are to accelerate deployment of low-carbon building technologies, reduce greenhouse gas emissions from existing buildings, and advance energy equity.
The EBD DI Program provides electrification measures for low-income households in under-resourced communities and is implemented in three regions – Northern, Central and Southern California. CSE, alongside other partners, was selected by the CEC via a competitive grant solicitation as the RA of the EBD DI Program in Central California. As part of their grant application, CSE had proposed to leverage WestLight’s existing HUS program to establish an “Initial Community Focus Area” under the EBD’s DI Program in Los Banos. An Initial Community Focus Area is defined as under-resourced communities that will be served in the initial phase of the EBD DI Program.
1.3.WestLight’s Home Upgrade Services Program
WestLight’s Home Upgrade Services (HUS) program offers various pathways for residential customers to electrify their homes. This includes a direct-install program that provides electrification upgrades to low-income, single-family households in San Mateo County and Los Banos in Merced County. WestLight has been operating this direct-install program since 2021. In its first phase from 2021-2023, it served 305 households 33 Revised May 2021 Page 14
and installed 356 measures. In 2023, the WestLight Board of Directors approved expanded funding for HUS, the majority of which is dedicated to the direct-install pathway. The goal is to provide whole-home electrification for 575 income-qualified customers in WestLight’s service area by June 2027.
2. SCOPE OF WORK
2.1.Initial Community Focus Area
The city of Los Banos, located in Merced County in EBD’s Central Region, will serve as an Initial Community Focus Area under the EBD DI Program. Los Banos meets many of the criteria for Initial Community Focus Areas, e.g., likely bill savings, higher than average energy burdens, high levels of ambient air pollution, and being underserved by existing programs. WestLight and CSE plan on serving up to 100 single-family homes and up to 200 multi-family units with whole-home electrification retrofits under the Los Banos EBD DI Program by November 13, 2029.
2.2.Eligible Customers
The Los Banos EBD DI Program will follow the community eligibility and household/ property eligibility requirements of the EBD DI program for both single-family and multi-family customers. Multi-family customers are defined as properties with 5 or more units.
The only additional requirement is that the customer must receive WestLight generation service (for multi-family customers, the common area meter must receive WestLight generation service).
2.3.Customer Offering
Under the Los Banos EBD DI Program, all participating customers will be offered whole-home electrification (i.e., all end uses in the home will be electrified), as well as basic energy efficiency (EE) upgrades and related home remediation upgrades (e.g., electrical panel upgrades). Whole-home electrification will be achieved by stacking incentive funds provided under the EBD Program, WestLight’s HUS, and other building decarbonization programs. The incentive stacking will occur on the backend - customers will not be aware of these complexities and will instead be offered one comprehensive program.
WestLight and CSE will collaborate on the technical design approach for the electrification upgrades under the Los Banos EBD DI Program. The EBD Implementer will then conduct a home assessment for each participating customer which will establish the proposed scope of work and forecasted “Eligible Project Costs” of the project. Eligible Project Costs include:
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1. Eligible electrification and EE measures per the EBD DI Program guidelines;
2. Eligible electrification and EE measures per the WestLight HUS DI Program guidelines; and
3. Remediation and safety measures per the EBD DI Program and WestLight HUS DI Program guidelines (with an average cost cap of $6,000 as described in the EBD DI Program guidelines)
Eligible Project Costs only cover the costs incurred for the electrification project, as well as associated EE and home remediation upgrades. They do not include any costs incurred by the EBD Implementer or RA (i.e., implementation or administration costs).
Customers will sign a Customer Participation Agreement that contains the terms and conditions for the EBD DI Program, as well as the terms and conditions for co-funding through the WestLight HUS program.
3. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
3.1.Center for Sustainable Energy
CSE is the RA for the EBD DI Program in the Central Region and oversees implementation of all Initial Community Focus Areas in Central California. CSE will leverage the existing processes of the EBD DI Program to recruit, enroll and manage customers under the Los Banos EBD DI Program. CSE will also oversee and manage all EBD implementation partners, vendors and contractors. For customers, the Los Banos EBD DI Program will be branded as the EBD DI Program, with co-branding by the WestLight Home Upgrade Services program, as allowed by CEC.
CSE will provide data on each home assessment, customer, home, and measure to WestLight Energy in a data importable format at a frequency to be determined.
CSE will provide opportunities for design alignment via:
a) review & recommendations to their design guidelines
b) regular check-ins to discuss lessons learned at mutually agreed cadence c) option to review design scopes and provide feedback
3.2.WestLight Energy
WestLight will provide co-funding for the Los Banos EBD DI Program to scale the reach of the program in Los Banos. WestLight’s roles and responsibilities include:
● Support the EBD program team with customer targeting as well as marketing and outreach activities as requested;
● Co-fund 30% of the Eligible Project Costs as further defined in Exhibit B. 35 Revised May 2021 Page 16
To be able to justify expenditure under the Los Banos EBD DI Program, WestLight will receive a Program Participation Report from CSE every other week, including but not limited to:
Information about participating customers and their status in the EBD process; Measure details as well as forecasted and actual costs per project; Installation timeline, including project completion date; and Contractor information
Data provided for each project will depend on the status of the project within the EBD participation process. Measure and project costs, for example, will show as estimates for projects which have not passed the assessment phase, and as actual costs for projects which have reached completion.
In addition, WestLight can integrate the load-modification resources (such as heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) and smart control thermostats (SCT) that control a heat pump HVAC system installed under the Los Banos EBD DI Program under its Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS). Additional details regarding the load modification provisions are provided in the Customer Participation Agreement. 36 Revised May 2021 Page 17
Exhibit B
In consideration of the services provided by Contractor described in Exhibit A and subject to the terms of the Agreement, WestLight shall pay Contractor based on the following fee schedule and terms:
1. Fee Structure
The WestLight HUS funds will serve as a supplemental funding source for the EBD DI Program to scale home electrification in Los Banos. The scope of work and Eligible Project Costs for each project will be established via a home assessment and contractor work order and will be funded as follows:
1. The EBD Implementer will identify any other public funding sources that are available to cover a portion of the Eligible Project Costs such as TECH HEEHRA, TECH, California Energy Smart Homes, or Golden State;
2. WestLight’s HUS will cover 30% of the remaining Eligible Project Costs after other incentives have been considered; and
3. The EBD DI Program will cover the remaining Eligible Project Costs of the whole-home electrification project.
For any single-family project where the Eligible Project Costs exceed $40,000 and for multi-family projects where the Eligible Project Costs exceed $30,000 per unit, WestLight shall review and pre-approve the scope of work before WestLight funding can be committed to the project.
2. Payment Process
2.1.Calculation of WestLight’s Co-Funding Share
WestLight’s co-funding share per project will be established based on the total Eligible Project Costs and incentives from other sources established in the finalized work order included in the executed EBD Program Participation Agreement.
2.2.Cost Reporting by Stage
CSE will report WestLight’s co-funding share in the Program Participation Report at three stages:
Post-Assessment: Estimated Eligible Project Costs are reported. No WestLight funding committed at this stage, but costs are visible for planning purposes and for potential project auditing.
37 Revised May 2021 Page 18
Work Order: Eligible Project Costs and incentives from other sources are established and reported. WestLight calculates and commits its 30% co-funding share based on these costs.
Complete: Actual Eligible Project Costs and incentives from other sources are reported upon project completion. Any potential difference in Total Eligible Project Costs between the Work Order and the Complete stage (e.g., due to change orders) will be assumed by the EBD program. WestLight’s co-funding share will not be adjusted.
2.3.Invoicing
CSE will invoice WestLight monthly, with each invoice reflecting WestLight's 30% co-funding share of Eligible Project Costs minus incentives from other sources for all projects that reached the “Work Order” stage during that period.
3. Not-to-Exceed Budget
WestLight will contribute 30% of total Eligible Project Costs (after considering other incentives) for both single-family and multi-family projects. The contract NTE is calculated as follows:
Single-family
Total Eligible Project Costs for each project are not expected to exceed $40,000 per project, with few limited exceptions as reviewed and approved by WestLight; This does not include incentives from other sources which may lower the per project costs;
The EBD’s goal is to serve up to 100 single-family homes in Los Banos; A buffer of 20% is added to the total to account for overages.
The NTE budget for single-family homes amounts to $1,440,000 over the contract term.
Multi-family
Total Eligible Project Costs are forecasted at $30,000 per unit; This does not include incentives from other sources which may lower the per project costs;
The EBD’s goal is to serve up to 200 multi-family units in Los Banos; A buffer of 20% is added to the total to account for overages.
The NTE budget for multi-family homes amounts to $2,160,000 over the contract term. 38 DATE: October 13, 2026
MEETING DATE: October 22, 2026
SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING: None
VOTE REQUIRED: Majority Vote
TO: Honorable WestLight Energy Board of Directors
FROM: Nelly Wogberg, Board Clerk
SUBJECT: Approval of Minutes for the September 24, 2026 Board of Directors Meeting Item No. 3
WestLight Energy
JPA Board Correspondence
RECOMMENDATION
Approval of minutes for the September 24, 2026 Board of Directors Meeting.
ATTACHMENTS:
09-24-2026 BOD Draft Minutes.pdf
39 Regular Meeting of the WestLight Energy
Board of Directors
Minutes
Thursday, September 24, 2026
6:30 p.m.
Zoom Video Conference and Teleconference
CALL TO ORDER
Meeting was called to order at 6:32 p.m. in virtual teleconference, in WestLight Energy Lobby, 2075 Woodside Road, Redwood City, CA 94061, Los Banos City Hall, Conference Room A, 520 J Street, Los Banos, CA 93635 and the Ritz Residence Club, 0075 Prospector Rd, Aspen CO 81611.
ROLL CALL
Participating:
Noelia Corzo, San Mateo County, arrived at 6:41 pm
Jasneet Sharma, San Mateo County
Rick DeGolia, Atherton, participating from Aspen, Colorado Tom McCune, Belmont
Mark Dinan, East Palo Alto
Stacy Jimenez, Foster City
Patrick Jonsson, Half Moon Bay
Leslie Ragsdale, Hillsborough, Vice Chair
Michael Amabile, Los Banos, participating from Los Banos Betsy Nash, Menlo Park
Christine Boles, Pacifica
Craig Taylor, Portola Valley
Marty Medina, San Bruno, Chair
John Dugan, San Carlos
Adam Loraine, San Mateo
Absent:
Coleen Mackin, Brisbane
Donna Colson, Burlingame
Ken Gonzalez, Colma
Roderick Daus-Magbual, Daly City
Ander s Fung, Millbrae
Elmer Martinez Saballos, Redwood City
James Coleman, South San Francisco
Hassan Aburish, Woodside
A quorum was established.
PUBLIC COMMENT
None
40 ACTION TO SET THE AGENDA AND APPROVE REMAINING CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS MOTION: Director Dugan moved, seconded by Director Taylor, to set the Agenda and approve Agenda Item Numbers 1–4.
1. Approval of Amendment to Agreement with the San Mateo County Department of Sustainability to Add $25,000 for a Total Not-to-Exceed Amount of $405,000 with a Term Ending on December 31, 2026.
2. Approval of the Revised Memorandum of Understanding Between WestLight Energy and Special District Risk Management Authority (SDRMA).
3. Approval of the Second Comprehensive Legal Services Agreement with Keyes and Fox LLP in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $500,000 for the Term of May 23, 2026 Through December 31, 2027.
4. Approval of Minutes from the July 23, 2026 Board of Directors Meeting.
INCORPORATED INTO THE MOTION WITH THE CONSENT OF THE MAKER AND SECONDER to include a correction to Agenda Item 4, “Approval of Minutes from the July 23, 2026 Board of Directors Meeting” which clarifies that under Board Members’ Reports, Director Boles shared an update around the federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration review of California’s Coastal Commission.
MOTION AS AMENDED RESTATAED: Director Dugan moved, seconded by Director Taylor, to set the Agenda and approve Agenda Item Numbers 1–4.
5. Approval of Amendment to Agreement with the San Mateo County Department of Sustainability to Add $25,000 for a Total Not-to-Exceed Amount of $405,000 with a Term Ending on December 31, 2026.
6. Approval of the Revised Memorandum of Understanding Between WestLight Energy and Special District Risk Management Authority (SDRMA).
7. Approval of the Second Comprehensive Legal Services Agreement with Keyes and Fox LLP in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $500,000 for the Term of May 23, 2026 Through December 31, 2027.
8. Approval of Minutes from the July 23, 2026 Board of Directors Meeting with the inclusion of the clarification provided by Director Boles regarding the Board Members’ Report given on July 23, 2026.
Public Comment: None
MOTION AS AMENDED PASSED: 14-0 (Absent: San Mateo County, Brisbane, Burlingame, Colma, Daly City, Millbrae, Redwood City, South San Francisco, Woodside)
JURISDICTION BOARD MEMBER YES NO ABSENT ABSTAIN
San Mateo County Director Corzo X
San Mateo County Director Sharma X
Atherton Director DeGolia X
Belmont Director McCune X
41 Brisbane Director Mackin X
Burlingame Director Colson X
Colma Director Gonzalez X
Daly City Director Daus-Magbual X
East Palo Alto Director Dinan X
Foster City Director Jimenez X
Half Moon Bay Director Jonsson X
Hillsborough Director Ragsdale X
Los Banos Director Amabile X
Menlo Park Director Nash X
Millbrae Director Fung X
Pacifica Director Boles X
Portola Valley Director Taylor X
Redwood City Director Martinez Saballos X
San Bruno Director Medina X
San Carlos Director Dugan X
San Mateo Director Loraine X
South San Francisco Director Coleman X
Woodside Director Aburish X
Total 14 9
REGULAR AGENDA
9. Chair Report (Discussion)
Chair Medina, Board Chair, gave a report noting that WestLight Energy achieved an A rating with S&P Global.
Public Comment: None
10. CEO Report (Discussion)
Shawn Marshall, Chief Executive Officer, provided a report including sharing the updated 10-year impact report, an update on the upcoming CalCCA Board Retreat, a recap of events in the month of August and plans to wrap up the year, an update on the new office, an invitation to join staff at the Caltrain Ride-Along on October 10th, and a reminder that the October Board retreat begins at 5:30 p.m.
Shalini Swaroop, Chief Operating Officer, provided an update that the California Supreme Court has granted CalCCA’s Petition for Review of the PCIA Track 1 Decision.
Mike Mielke, Senior Manager of Legislative Policy, provided an update on federal legislation.
Public Comment: None
11. Recap of 2026 Legislative Session and Update on Recent Legislative Developments (Discussion) 42 Mark Fenstermaker, Principal and Co-Founder, Pacific Policy Group, shared a recap of the 2026 California Legislative Session.
Public Comment: None
12. Update on the Relaunch of the Portable Battery Program for Vulnerable Customers Impacted by Power Outages (Discussion)
Steve Campbell, Senior Analyst, Innovation Strategy, gave an update on the Portable Battery Program for Vulnerable Customers Impacted by Power Outages. Shalini Swaroop, Chief Operating Officer, and Jana Kopyciok-Lande, Director of Innovation Strategy, answered questions from the Board.
Public Comment: None
13. Update on Bay Area Air District Rule 9-6, Zero Emissions of Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) Water Heating Requirements (Discussion)
Blake Herrschaft, Senior Building Electrification Engineer, gave a presentation with an update on Bay Area Air District Rule 9-6, Zero Emissions of Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) Water Heating Requirements.
Public Comment: None
14. Briefing on the Pescadero Community Microgrid (Discussion) Jana Kopyciok-Lande, Director of Innovation Strategy, gave an update on the Pescadero Community Microgrid. Ross Fisher, Program Manager of Distributed Energy Resources, answered questions from the Board.
Public Comment: None
15. Board Members’ Reports (Discussion)
Director Jimenez shared that the Foster City Community Center opened with rooftop solar panels.
Public Comment: None
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting was adjourned at 9:01 p.m.
43 DATE: October 13, 2026
MEETING DATE: October 22, 2026
SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING: None
VOTE REQUIRED: None
TO: Honorable WestLight Energy Board of Directors
FROM: Shawn Marshall, Chief Executive Officer
SUBJECT: CEO Report (Discussion)
Item No. 5
WestLight Energy
JPA Board Correspondence
BACKGROUND
During the Board meeting, CEO Shawn Marshall will provide an update on a variety of topics and activities of interest including recent legislative briefings, progress on the new office, updated CalEnviro screen data, and Q4 events upcoming for the Board's awareness.
WestLight Energy In the Community
Here is the updated HTML with the left column (dates) centered horizontally and vertically.
Everything else remains unchanged.
Oct 23 Breathing Room: A regional summit on health, indoor air quality, and residential stoves
Oct 24 Climate Summit for San Mateo County
Oct 25 Los Banos Chamber of Commerce 4th Annual Trunk or Treat Oct 30 Breaking Barriers Trunk or Treat in Los Banos
Nov 14 Electric Vehicle Resource Fair in East Palo Alto Nov 14 San Mateo County Environmental Youth Summit
Nov 16 Community Feedback Forum on Health in Los Banos
WestLight Energy Staffing Update
There are no positions open for recruitment at this time. 44 DATE: October 13, 2026
MEETING DATE: October 22, 2026
SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING: None
VOTE REQUIRED: None
TO: Honorable WestLight Energy Board of Directors
FROM: Shawn Marshall, CEO
SUBJECT: Guest Presentation: State of Play for CCAs in California and Key Issues Coming Into a New State Administration. Presented by Beth Vaughan, CEO of Cal-CCA (Discussion)
Item No. 6
WestLight Energy
JPA Board Correspondence
RECOMMENDATION
This is an information item only.
BACKGROUND
Beth Vaughn, Cal-CCA's founding CEO, will kick off WestLight's 2026 Board retreat with an update on the CCA industry in California including key issues coming into a new State Administration.
45 DATE: October 9, 2026
MEETING DATE: October 22, 2026
SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING: None
VOTE REQUIRED: None
TO: Honorable WestLight Energy Board of Directors
FROM: Shalini Swaroop, Chief Operating Officer
SUBJECT: The First 100 Days: Preparing for a New State Administration - A Policy Discussion (Discussion)
Item No. 7
WestLight Energy
JPA Board Correspondence
BACKGROUND
California enters 2027 at an unusual inflection point for energy policy. A new Governor and administration, changes in the Legislature and regulatory leadership, and significant legal developments create opportunities to revisit longstanding approaches to affordability, reliability and decarbonization. WestLight will need to advocate simultaneously through political, legislative, regulatory, and legal channels on issues ranging from PCIA and procurement to electrification and local authority.
WestLight enters this period with a recently adopted strategic plan that provides a clear foundation for our policy engagement. Our mission is to provide affordable, clean electricity and advance local solutions that lower costs, reduce pollution, and strengthen community resilience. Our vision is a fossil-free future where everyone thrives through clean energy that is accessible and affordable to all.
The strategic plan also established four Guiding Principles that are intended to shape priorities and help WestLight navigate tradeoffs as market and policy conditions change:
Environmental Impact: WestLight was founded on the vision of a sustainable world for everyone; a world in which energy choice can dramatically reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions by accelerating the transition from a fossil-based grid to one that runs principally on carbon-free and renewable resources. WestLight will continue to be a champion for the environment in its procurement and program initiatives. WestLight will continue to include environmental justice in its decision-making as well as new clean energy technologies that leverage local renewables to support energy resilience and reliability.
Driving Innovation: WestLight will continue to be an innovator and thought leader in the CCA industry that is recognized locally, statewide, and nationally for its leading-edge 46 renewable procurement strategies, scalable building and transportation programs and policies, workforce DEAI initiatives, and piloted distributed energy resource projects.
These efforts, designed to be replicated, will maximize environmental, economic, and customer impact while resulting in broader market change.
Economic Development: In its quest to expand renewable energy production, support electrification, and reduce greenhouse gases, WestLight will serve as an economic engine for its service area. This includes maintaining affordable electric generation rates, investing in local decarbonization and electrification efforts, supporting the development of electrified housing, advancing new local renewable energy projects, and strengthening the green economy through local workforce development and jobs.
Customer-Focused Approach: WestLight would not exist without its customers and participating local governments. Keeping customer and community needs at the forefront of decision-making and program design while seeking to provide affordable energy is central to WestLight's continued success and will be at the core of what differentiates PCE from other providers in the future. WestLight's customers are not only the clients it serves; they are WestLight's critical partners in the transition to a clean energy future.
Together, these principles provide the foundation for WestLight's policy engagement:
advancing decarbonization while maintaining affordability, putting customers and communities at the center of the transition, and developing approaches that can be replicated beyond our service territory.
DISCUSSION
Issue Areas Most Likely to Shape California's 2027 Energy Policy Landscape Affordability: Rising electricity bills increasingly threaten both household affordability and public support for California's broader decarbonization strategy, with the greatest impacts on customers least able to absorb higher costs. The next administration will face difficult questions about how to contain costs while continuing necessary investment in reliability, wildfire mitigation, transmission and clean energy.
Wildfire Liability: After a failed deal last legislative session, California continues to face fundamental questions about the allocation of wildfire risk and costs among utilities, customers, shareholders, insurers and the state.
Diablo Canyon: Decisions about the future of Diablo Canyon will sit at the intersection of reliability, affordability, emissions, procurement, and the pace of California's clean energy buildout.
Reliability: Growing demand and the transition away from fossil generation will require California to ensure sufficient firm and flexible resources while managing costs.
Data Centers and Load Growth: Rapid potential load growth raises questions about infrastructure investment, procurement, reliability, cost allocation, and whether existing customers should bear costs created by new large loads.
Clean Energy Deployment: Meeting California's clean energy goals will require 47 accelerating resource and transmission development while addressing cost, permitting and interconnection barriers, and ensuring the benefits of the transition reach communities that have historically borne disproportionate energy and pollution burdens.
Cap-and-Invest: Implementation of the newly extended program will affect energy costs, emissions-reduction strategies, and the resources available to support California's climate transition.
Continuing Federal Headwinds: Changes in federal energy and climate policy may increase costs, constrain clean energy deployment, and place greater pressure on California to sustain its climate and clean energy goals.
WestLight's 2027 Policy Priorities
WestLight's policy work has long focused on protecting local governance, ensuring a fair playing field for CCAs and their customers, and advocating for appropriate cost allocation.
Building on that foundation, WestLight also advances policies that support affordable and equitable decarbonization and uses lessons from our programs, procurement, and innovation work to help shape statewide energy policy.
Protecting Local Governance and a Fair Playing Field: WestLight advocates to preserve the ability of communities to make their own energy choices and to ensure that state policy and regulation treat CCAs and their customers fairly. This includes protecting CCA authority and addressing regulatory structures that disadvantage CCAs or shift inappropriate costs to their customers.
Electricity Affordability and PCIA Reform: WestLight has longstanding experience with the Power Charge Indifference Adjustment (PCIA) and continues to pursue reform through regulatory, legislative, and, where appropriate, appellate channels. Our work focuses on ensuring accurate and equitable cost allocation while protecting customers from costs they should not bear.
Clean Energy Procurement: WestLight is pursuing ambitious clean energy goals, including 100% renewable energy annually by 2030 and greater 24/7 matching of renewable generation with customer demand. At the same time, we recognize that the clean-energy transition must remain affordable for customers. This experience informs our approach to state procurement mandates and the need to balance environmental benefits, customer costs, and the resources the grid actually needs.
Capturing the Full Value of Distributed Energy Resources: WestLight is advocating for regulatory structures that recognize the full system value of distributed resources, including appropriate Resource Adequacy value for virtual power plants and the transmission and distribution investments that DERs can defer or avoid. Better valuation of these benefits can improve DER economics while reducing overall system costs.
Making Electrification Cheaper and Easier: WestLight is using implementation experience to identify ways to electrify transportation and buildings with less infrastructure and lower costs, particularly for customers and communities that face the greatest barriers to electrification. This includes managed charging, EV submetering, Level 1 multifamily charging, right-sized home electrification, and technical assistance on Reach codes.
48 Thought Leadership and Market Transformation: WestLight is developing a series of white papers and other public-facing analysis that use lessons from our programs, procurement, and regulatory work to challenge existing assumptions, identify policy and market barriers, and advance more efficient, affordable, and equitable approaches to decarbonization that can be replicated or adopted statewide.
Retreat Discussion
Gubernatorial transitions create a relatively rare opportunity to reconsider established approaches. Transition teams also seek concrete ideas that can demonstrate early progress.
At the retreat, Board members will be asked to think beyond WestLight's existing advocacy agenda and consider what they would advise the incoming Governor to do and where WestLight can make the greatest contribution.
Board members are encouraged to come prepared to consider:
What are the state issues that most impact your cities and communities? If the incoming Governor asked WestLight for three actions he should take on energy in his first 100 days, what would you tell him?
Of the issues discussed, where should WestLight focus its policy leadership? What (if any) issues should WestLight choose not to engage on?
STRATEGIC PLAN
Driving Innovation
ATTACHMENTS:
Canary Media Newsoms complicated legacy on climate.pdf
49 Gavin Newsom’s complicated legacy on
climate and clean energy
Newsom’s 8-year term as California’s governor is drawing to an end. Here’s how he helped — and hindered — the state’s energy transition.
By Jeff St. John
14 September 2026
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (Heather Diehl/Getty Images) Gavin Newsom’s eight-year run as California’s Democratic governor — and as self-styled U.S. climate change warrior — comes to an end in January. At this pivotal moment for the state’s clean energy transition, it’s worth reflecting on how he’s lived up to his clean energy commitments and what kind of climate legacy he leaves for his successor.
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10/9/26, 10:38 AM Gavin Newsom’s complicated legacy on climate and clean… | Canary Media https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/clean-energy/gavin-newsom-complicated-clean-energy-legacy 1/11 50 Under Newsom’s leadership, California has built gigawatts of new clean energy to keep up with its mandate to achieve 100% renewable and carbon-free power by 2045. The state has added millions of electric vehicles to its roads, and committed to end the sale of gasoline-fueled cars by 2035. And it has instituted policies aimed at protecting the environment and communities from industrial and fossil fuel pollution.
But Newsom has also taken heat for backsliding on his environmental justice promises, particularly during his second term. Many critics blame this shift on his unwillingness to take on major oil, gas, and utility interests, even as household energy costs — and corporate profits — have soared.
“I’m a hard grader — I’d give him a B,” said Dan Kammen, a noted climate scientist and longtime professor at the University of California, Berkeley, who is now Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Energy and Climate Justice at Johns Hopkins University.
Kammen faults Newsom for not acting as aggressively as he could have to curb fossil fuel use or raise the cost of emitting carbon dioxide under the state’s cap-and-invest regime. But he thinks those flaws have been counterbalanced by the governor’s successes in shepherding the growth of technologies at the core of the global transition to a clean electric economy.
In particular, California’s “solar and energy storage and EV story is amazing,” Kammen said.
The state has far more electric vehicles, far more utility-scale solar, and a staggeringly larger fleet of batteries now than it did when Newsom took office.
Significantly, California has hit these clean energy marks while growing its economy, proving that clean energy can coexist with prosperity. That, in turn, has strengthened Newsom’s credibility as the de facto U.S. climate representative in the face of the Trump administration’s depredations.
Newsom’s out-front and early opposition to the Trump administration has earned accolades even from those who think his record on climate is weak. “He was the leading Trump critic before anyone,” Kammen said, “and you cannot overstate how important that was.” Still, Newsom has fallen short on his ambitions. His 2022 “climate commitment” to spend $54 billion over five years has been steadily eroded to cover shortfalls in state revenues. And Clean energy journalism for a cooler tomorrow
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10/9/26, 10:38 AM Gavin Newsom’s complicated legacy on climate and clean… | Canary Media https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/clean-energy/gavin-newsom-complicated-clean-energy-legacy 2/11 51 he dealt with a series of emergencies in ways that strengthened the hand of fossil fuel interests and the states’ biggest utilities.
Under his watch, air regulators responded to oil companies’ threats to close refineries and send prices at the pump soaring by weakening the state’s carbon cap-and-trade program. In addition, California has continued to subsidize biofuels that experts say cannot be scaled up to decarbonize the transportation sector without adding more carbon emissions than they reduce.
If anything, Newsom’s wins have thrown his failures into greater relief, said Barry Vesser, chief program officer at The Climate Center, a California nonprofit think tank. “He’s such a complicated person in terms of his climate legacy,” Vesser said. “Truly, he’s done some remarkable things, and truly he’s missed some tremendous opportunities.” Backsliding on distributed clean energy
Newsom’s failure to embrace small-scale distributed solar and batteries encapsulates one of the biggest missed opportunities. Time after time, his administration has hampered efforts to harness these resources to help the California grid when they threaten the state’s politically powerful utilities.
“On distributed energy, he’s been pretty uniformly bad,” Vesser said. “And this is a place where California is completely poised to demonstrate a model for the rest of the world that can help with affordability, with reliability, with resilience, and with clean supply.” In 2023, the California Public Utilities Commission, whose five members were appointed by Newsom, gutted the rooftop-solar net-metering regime that over two decades had boosted the state’s rooftop and distributed solar fleet to a nation-leading 20-plus gigawatts. The abrupt cuts to solar compensation for customers of the state’s three major investor-owned utilities — Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison, and San Diego Gas & Electric — were a huge setback for the rooftop solar industry, although supporters of the subsidy clawback say the market has since recovered.
Many environmentalists and energy economists argued the cuts were both justified and necessary to end incentives that rewarded wealthy homeowners while shifting the cost of maintaining the grid onto everyone else. But the California Public Utilities Commission has Clean energy journalism for a cooler tomorrow
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10/9/26, 10:38 AM Gavin Newsom’s complicated legacy on climate and clean… | Canary Media https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/clean-energy/gavin-newsom-complicated-clean-energy-legacy 3/11 52 increasingly strained this underlying cost-shift logic to undermine solar programs for schools, farms, and apartments, as well as to reject a widely supported plan to boost community-scale solar and battery systems.
Newsom has also personally intervened to block policies that would enlist consumer technologies to mitigate growing stress on utility grids. He has vetoed not just bills to restore rooftop solar credits to schools, but also ones aimed at creating virtual power plants out of the batteries and electric vehicles that Californians lead the country in buying. Those VPPS could help reduce reliance on polluting gas plants whose sole purpose is to provide power in rare moments of peak electricity demand.
Those are puzzling decisions from a governor who “sees himself as so tech-forward,” said Arnab Pal, executive director of Deploy Action, a nonprofit that promotes distributed energy to combat rising electricity costs. “He missed the technological revolutions that are happening in the energy space,” Pal said. Instead, Newsom “listened to utilities and stuck with the traditional approach.”
But that business-as-usual utility model is now faltering under the weight of the costs it is pushing onto Californians. Lawmakers have continued to introduce bills meant to make better use of VPPs, including two that are on Newsom’s desk awaiting signature or veto this month.
Even Severin Borenstein, faculty director of the Energy Institute at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and one of the most prominent proponents of cutting rooftop solar subsidies, recognizes the value of using distributed energy resources to curb the cost of overbuilding grids.
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10/9/26, 10:38 AM Gavin Newsom’s complicated legacy on climate and clean… | Canary Media https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/clean-energy/gavin-newsom-complicated-clean-energy-legacy 4/11 53 “The grid is only very constrained less than 100 hours a year,” he said. “That’s when you’re imposing a cost by using electricity, but the rest of the time we’re not.” Finding a way to reduce those costs will be critical, he said. Over the past quarter century, the rates charged by California’s major investor-owned utilities have risen far faster than inflation. The surge accelerated in the past half decade or so, pushing up typical household rates to roughly twice the U.S. average, even as utilities have reported record profits.
Expensive electricity is a major barrier to getting households to switch to electric cars and heat pumps, and getting industries to swap out fossil-fueled furnaces and boilers for cleaner grid-powered alternatives. It’s also a serious burden for the nearly one in five California households struggling to pay their utility bills.
Tamping down utility costs isn’t easy, particularly when demand for electricity is rising. But there’s also no politically viable way to achieve the transition without tackling the problem, Kammen said.
“You’re not going to solve climate without integrating justice. And you’re not going to solve justice without making clean and reliable and affordable energy available to everyone,” he said.
Solutions that outlast the politics of the moment
To be clear, California’s electricity affordability crisis isn’t Newsom’s fault, Kammen said.
Even his harshest critics concede that he was dealt a tough hand, having to confront one Clean energy journalism for a cooler tomorrow
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10/9/26, 10:38 AM Gavin Newsom’s complicated legacy on climate and clean… | Canary Media https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/clean-energy/gavin-newsom-complicated-clean-energy-legacy 5/11 54 emergency after another during his governorship.
Roughly three weeks after Newsom was sworn into office in January 2019, Pacific Gas & Electric, the state’s biggest utility and a key supporter of his political rise, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The utility had been staggering under the weight of tens of billions of dollars of liabilities after a poorly maintained transmission line sparked the state’s deadliest wildfire.
Newsom ushered through a deal, both unpopular and largely viewed as the best available option at the time, that allowed PG&E to emerge from bankruptcy in July 2020. But it also committed the Newsom administration to a status quo approach to managing the state’s politically powerful utilities, rather than pressing the advantage to institute more radical reforms.
“There were people calling for a statewide publicly owned grid — you’d basically wipe out the regulated monopoly utility model,” said Vesser of The Climate Center. That would have been a truly radical option — “but there was a lot you could do before you got” to a public takeover “to add new reforms,” he said. Instead, “he just passed bills and bailed [the utilities] out.”
Then, close on the heels of PG&E’s restructuring, California underwent another energy emergency: rolling blackouts triggered by heat waves, which strained the grid past its limit.
Newsom responded with a series of all-of-the-above emergency actions. He authorized the use of more dirty diesel generators and aging gas peaker plants. He ordered regulators to issue procurements driving a massive expansion of clean energy and batteries. And he launched programs that pay customers with batteries, EV chargers, and other fast-responding devices to earn money for turning their spare capacity to serve grid needs.
But in the years since, the Newsom administration has withdrawn support for the more innovative customer-facing parts of that portfolio. Most notably, it has nearly eliminated funding for the state’s most successful VPP program to date, the Demand Side Grid Support program, which has enlisted more than 500 megawatts of customer-owned, grid-relieving batteries.
Newsom has also sought to retain some of the more questionable parts of the state’s core centralized energy portfolio. He pushed to postpone the long-planned closure of PG&E’s Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant despite significant concerns over the costs and safety Clean energy journalism for a cooler tomorrow
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10/9/26, 10:38 AM Gavin Newsom’s complicated legacy on climate and clean… | Canary Media https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/clean-energy/gavin-newsom-complicated-clean-energy-legacy 6/11 55 risks. And the California Public Utilities Commission delayed closure of the Aliso Canyon underground fossil-gas storage site, despite Newsom’s pledge to shutter it after a massive leak over four months in 2015 and 2016, because it supplies power needed during times of high electricity demand.
To Michael O’Boyle, senior director of policy and strategy at think tank Energy Innovation, these decisions reflect a pattern of reactive policymaking. During the grid emergencies of 2020 and 2022, “there was a collective sense in California that the grid was falling apart,” he said. But as milder weather and rising battery capacity have eased peak grid pressures, Newsom’s interventions have given way to “trying to preserve the existing structure of investor-owned utilities,” he said — even as “public faith in the institution of investor-owned utilities has degraded.”
California regulators have good reason to be leery of obstructing steady increases in utility grid investments, even as utilities’ regulated profits on those investments have boomed. But wildfire threats in particular have become a black hole of utility spending, driving the lion’s share of near-term rate increases.
Ultimately, Newsom may have simply kicked the can down the road — to California’s next governor. The final legislative session of Newsom’s tenure recently ended with lawmakers rejecting a plan to insulate the state’s major utilities from potentially ruinous wildfire liability. The next day, PG&E unveiled a strategic review, meant to reverse a precipitous slide in its share price, that included deferring $2 billion in capital investments for 2027. Such a drastic reduction could crimp its ability to meet grid expansion and clean-energy interconnection goals.
In a sense, PG&E has Newsom over a barrel — just as it did when he first took the reins.
California’s next governor will have no quick fixes for these problems. Xavier Becerra, the Democratic nominee and presumptive frontrunner for the November election, has put forth some politically attractive plans, like offering two hours of free electricity per day supplied by the state’s surplus of afternoon solar power.
A new report compiling input from 20 California energy experts highlights that addressing rising energy costs will likely take longer than any single governor’s tenure. But that hard work is vital if California leaders are to convince skeptics that clean energy progress and affordable power can coexist.
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10/9/26, 10:38 AM Gavin Newsom’s complicated legacy on climate and clean… | Canary Media https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/clean-energy/gavin-newsom-complicated-clean-energy-legacy 7/11 56 Subscribe to our newsletters
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10/9/26, 10:38 AM Gavin Newsom’s complicated legacy on climate and clean… | Canary Media https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/clean-energy/gavin-newsom-complicated-clean-energy-legacy 11/11 60 DATE: October 9, 2026
MEETING DATE: October 22, 2026
SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING: None
VOTE REQUIRED: None
TO: Honorable WestLight Energy Board of Directors
FROM: Roy Xu, Senior Director of Power Resources
SUBJECT: Power Procurement Updates: Managing Today's Portfolio, Preparing for Tomorrow's Needs (Discussion)
Item No. 8
WestLight Energy
JPA Board Correspondence
BACKGROUND
Since its inception in 2016, WestLight Energy has made significant progress in long-term resource procurement, adding 970 MW of new renewable generation and 530 MW of new energy storage capacity to its power supply portfolio. As an increasing number of these contracted resources become operational, WestLight is entering a new phase of portfolio development: transitioning from rapidly building up its resource portfolio through procurement to effectively managing and optimizing a growing fleet of operational assets.
As part of this transition, Power Resources team is shifting its strategic focus towards maximizing the value of contracted resources in the market, reducing overall power supply costs, and effectively leveraging these resources to meet compliance obligations. Optimally managing the existing portfolio will be increasingly important to ensuring that WestLight achieves its sustainability objectives to reduce emissions while maintaining affordability and contributing to grid reliability.
Looking ahead, some long-term procurement needs will remain as WestLight continues to pursue industry-leading renewable goals, and as existing resource contracts approach expiration. However, future procurement decisions will be more selective, reflecting both WestLight's evolving power supply needs and a procurement environment facing tremendous uncertainties. To maintain a cost-effective portfolio, WestLight will need greater flexibility to adjust its procurement strategy in response to changing market conditions, regulatory requirements, and resource availability.
DISCUSSION
Roy Xu, Senior Director of Power Resources, will highlight WestLight’s accomplishments in long-term procurement to date and discuss the shift in emphasis from portfolio building to operational management. He will also provide an overview of anticipated future procurement 61 needs and examine key challenges that could increase procurement risk, including federal actions, state-mandated procurement requirements, and limited resource diversity.
Amid significant external uncertainties around procurement, many beyond WestLight’s control, the presentation and Board discussion will explore how WestLight can adapt its internal policies and procurement targets to preserve procurement flexibility while balancing its core objectives of sustainability, affordability, and regulatory compliance.
STRATEGIC PLAN
Procurement: PCE will maintain a 100% zero-carbon power resource portfolio while working towards delivering 100% renewable energy on an annual basis by 2030 through strategic and cost-effective procurement that can maximize PCE's 24/7 hourly matching of renewable energy to PCE's load while prioritizing reducing grid emissions and lowering customer costs. 62 DATE: October 13, 2026
MEETING DATE: October 22, 2026
SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING: None
VOTE REQUIRED: None
TO: Honorable WestLight Energy Board of Directors
FROM: Gwen Rose, Director of Marketing and Community Relations; Leslie Brown, Director of Account Services;
Rafael Reyes, Senior Director of Community Energy Programs SUBJECT: Customer Corner - Lessons Learned and Impacts of WestLight Energy's Customer-First Strategy (Discussion)
Item No. 9
WestLight Energy
JPA Board Correspondence
BACKGROUND
At the November 2023 Board Retreat, staff first discussed what it would mean for Peninsula Clean Energy to become more customer centric: placing customer needs and expectations at the center of how the agency communicates, designs services, and works across departments. The discussion identified three interconnected elements:
Brand strategy. Bridge the gap between the agency’s aspirations and customer perceptions. With 59% of customers being unaware of who the agency was and what it did, priorities included building awareness, reducing confusion with PG&E, and becoming a trusted guide in electrification.
Connected ecosystem. Make it easier for customers to find and use the agency’s tools and services by connecting digital channels with personal support. An outdated website and disconnected platforms created barriers to information and assistance.
Customer experience. Provide positive experiences and build long-term relationships. Working across departmental silos and sharing customer information would help teams understand needs and respond consistently.
Together, these building blocks connect how customers understand the agency, how they access its services, and what they experience when they seek support or participate in a program. Progress in each area reinforces the others.
This shift requires sustained investment in time, people, and resources to build shared frameworks, improve systems and workflows, and align strategies across teams. It also means making customer insights part of everyday decisions and giving teams the capacity to act on them. New tools support this work alongside staff expertise, cross-department collaboration, and ongoing learning.
63 By the December 2024 Board update, this approach was taking shape through the launch of the Contact Center, preparations for the new website, and the initial rollout of Home Upgrade Services. These efforts paired better access to information with personalized assistance.
Surveys, web analytics, and customer calls provided a foundation for understanding needs and improving the customer experience.
The 2026–2030 Strategic Plan, adopted in October 2025, formalizes this approach by placing customer and community needs at the forefront of decisions and program design, with customers as partners in the clean energy transition. Its five-year goals include maintaining electricity service participation above 96%, increasing program participation by 200%, achieving at least 60% brand awareness, and achieving high customer confidence and satisfaction ratings under operational objectives.
The agency’s 2026 Customer Focus goal translates this direction into annual priorities: evolve how we reach and engage customers, introduce the new agency name and expand brand awareness, build toward higher engagement and satisfaction, and celebrate the agency’s first decade of service.
The October 2026 retreat update will review progress toward the agency’s customer goals, share what we are hearing from customers, and identify the work ahead to turn feedback into coordinated action. It will also provide an opportunity to discuss how this work should develop in 2027.
DISCUSSION
Since the agency began its concerted effort to become more customer focused, staff have advanced changes to the brand, customer tools, and services. The following update reviews progress, customer response to date, and opportunities for further improvement.
Progress Across the Three Building Blocks
Brand Strategy & Rebrand. The WestLight transition introduced a new name and visual identity, supported by messaging guidelines and a clearer structure for presenting agency offerings. These changes support recognition and understanding of the agency’s role and customer benefits.
Metrics. Early monitoring suggests limited disruption during the name transition. As of September 30, customer participation remained high at 96.8%, above the Strategic Plan target of 96%. Overall opt-outs decreased in July–September 2026 compared with the same period in 2025. Account Services recorded 121 name-change-related calls, with only two confirmed opt-outs explicitly attributed to the name change. Continued monitoring and future survey results will help assess changes in brand awareness and understanding.
Connected Ecosystem. The website was rebuilt in 2025, and the teams have onboarded a number of new platforms that give staff better ways to reach and support customers, including:
ActiveCampaign supports drip and nurture email campaigns BlastPoint supports audience analysis and segmentation
HappyFox supports chatbot and email ticketing functions Salesforce was migrated from a third-party-owned environment to an agency-owned 64 environment, giving WestLight direct control and flexibility to customize and expand the platform over time. Salesforce will serve as the foundation for managing customer relationships, interactions, and program data across the agency.
Bynder, FormAssembly, and WordPress dashboards are platforms that reduce manual work in managing content and screening applications, freeing staff time for customer communications and program support without increasing team size.
These tools provide a stronger foundation for customer engagement. Further connections among platforms will help teams coordinate outreach and support across the customer journey.
Customer Experience. The in-house Contact Center has expanded to support customer programs, including EV Advisor guidance for customers considering an electric vehicle.
Personalized Support, full-service Home Upgrades, and emergency hot water services provide additional assistance with home electrification decisions and projects. Together, these offerings connect information with practical help, addressing barriers to adoption and building trust and engagement.
Metrics. Customer satisfaction scores for programs ranged from 4.7 to 4.9 out of 5 during July – Sept 2026, indicating positive experiences among survey respondents.
What We Are Hearing From Customers
Customer listening has been a significant focus this year. The annual survey provides a broad view of awareness, attitudes, and preferences. Voice of Customer brings together feedback from everyday interactions, focus gorups, and workshops, and program participation, while Community Feedback Forums allow staff to explore selected topics in greater depth. Together, these sources help explain how customers view the agency, where they need support, and what may be preventing them from taking action.
Annual customer survey
The 2026 awareness survey covers San Mateo County and Los Banos residents. It examines awareness and favorability of electricity service providers, energy priorities, communication preferences, electrification interests and barriers, and climate attitudes. Key findings were compared to previous surveys in 2022 and 2023. The survey was offered in both English and Spanish. Selected findings point to customer priorities and opportunities.
Customer awareness, familiarity, and favorability of the Peninsula Clean Energy brand all increased from 2023. This increase was especially dramatic in Los Banos. These findings create a baseline to compare progress in introducing the WestLight brand to our customers. 65 Interestingly, the 9% of the respondents who took the survey in Spanish showed significantly lower awareness and familiarity than English speakers in San Mateo County, but higher levels of awareness, familiarity, favorability than English speakers in Los Banos. This indicates that the high-touch, in-person bilingual community outreach approach we use in Los Banos is effective to reach this population, and that there is an opportunity to further scale up this approach in San Mateo County.
Additional key finding and opportunity is that 82% of respondents identified lower rates as their first priority for an electricity provider, while 52% identified that Peninsula Clean Energy offers lower rates. 39% were unsure. There is an opportunity to keep communicating this and other basic messages about who we are and what we offer.
66 Voice of Customer
WestLight Energy engages with customers across departments, from contact center calls and emails to program participation, marketing communications, and community outreach. Teams already collect substantial information through customer calls and emails, program surveys, community conversations, and marketing engagement. Voice of Customer is building a consistent way to bring these sources together, identify patterns across departments, and use the findings to improve communications and services.
The 2026 work with See Change Institute focuses on building this foundation through a shared tagging framework, analysis guides, and reporting templates. Bringing departmental findings together and reviewing them with teams will help identify opportunities to improve programs, customer support, and communications. It will also help distinguish findings that warrant action from those that require further investigation.
Community Feedback Forums
The Board instituted Community Feedback Forums following the sunsetting of the Community Advisory Committee. The forums began this year and provide a new source of customer input within this broader Voice of Customer program.
The structure we have developed for the Community Feedback Forums is to present background information on topics of particular interest to customers. Participants then break out into small group discussions facilitated like focus groups to listen to customer feedback on that topic. Participation is available both in person and on Zoom for the San Mateo County Forums. The Affordability and Health Forums are repeated in person in Los Banos. Spanish interpretation of the presentation and dedicated Spanish discussion groups are available for all the Forums. We usually partner with a community-based organization in our Outreach Grant program to help with Forum logistics and outreach.
The table below summarizes the forums held and currently planned, along with topics and locations. As of October 8, we have already surpassed our initial goal of 200 community participants in the Community Feedback Forums in 2026. The Feedback Forums on Energy Affordability drew more participation in Spanish than in English, a measure of the strong bilingual outreach capacity of our partners and staff.
67 Date Topic Reach Location
3/4/2026 Energy Resilience 84 Half Moon Bay and Zoom
5/4/2026 Climate Action 71 Redwood City and Zoom
8/24/2026 Energy Affordability 37 Los Banos
10/8/2026 Energy Affordability 30 San Bruno and Zoom
10/23/2026 Gas Combustion and Health Redwood City and Zoom 11/16/2026 Gas Combustion and Health Los Banos
These forums provide opportunities to explore customer concerns in greater depth and understand how local conditions shape their needs. These findings help staff identify implications for services, communications, and areas for further exploration.
Moving from Customer Insights to Action
Customer feedback is already informing changes to services and communications. Requests for individualized electrification guidance led to Personalized Support, for example. Account Services has also used feedback to expand cash-out options and is simplifying customer notices. The retreat presentation will illustrate these and other examples in greater detail.
Marketing uses campaign engagement data to refine messaging and creative materials.
Recurring customer questions and misconceptions help identity topics for website content, blogs, and social media. Planned website user testing will help identify changes to site navigation and organization so customers can more easily find information and services.
One challenge is bringing together data from different sources and formats to identify common themes and emerging trends across departments. We are exploring the best way to do this with our partners at See Change Institute. More work also remains to establish regular reporting and sharing of findings and developing a clear process for deciding which insights call for immediate action, longer-term planning, or further research.
What’s Ahead
The next phase will build on tools, services, and listening practices now in place, focusing on making customer information easier to bring together and analyze consistently. Through Voice of Customer, further work is needed to align data sources and formats, establish consistent measures, and create a regular reporting process across departments.
Regular cross-department meetings will help teams interpret findings together and agree on where action or further investigation is needed. We will also need to define how findings are shared, who is responsible for follow-up, and how to assess whether changes improve the customer experience. The aim is to make customer insight a regular part of planning and decision-making.
Improvements to the connected ecosystem will support this work. Further platform connections will help staff coordinate outreach and support, while dashboards and shared reporting will provide a more consistent view of customer engagement, participation, and service outcomes.
Now that WestLight has its own Salesforce environment, the plan is to continue expanding its use beyond managing customer programs to provide a more centralized view of customer 68 data and interactions. By the first half of 2027, we plan to integrate Salesforce with our marketing platforms, including BlastPoint and ActiveCampaign, to bring campaign activity and customer segmentation data into Salesforce. Looking ahead to 2027–2028, we will explore bringing contact center functions, including email, live chat, chatbots, and potentially phone support, into Salesforce.
Together, these efforts will reduce reliance on separate systems and give staff a more complete view of customer interactions across the agency.
STRATEGIC PLAN
The activities described in this update support WestLight Energy’s 2026–2030 Strategic Plan in the following areas:
Customer-Focused Approach. Brand awareness efforts, expanded customer support, and improvements to programs and communications support the goals of maintaining high participation, increasing program engagement, and building customer confidence and satisfaction. Voice of Customer and Community Feedback Forums help ensure customer needs inform decisions and service design.
Organizational Excellence. Shared feedback categories, cross-department reporting, and platform integrations support more consistent use of customer data in planning and decision-making. Improvements to systems and workflows reduce manual work and help staff expand customer communications and support without increasing team size.
Equity Programs. Bilingual outreach, Community Feedback Forums, and partnerships with community-based organizations help staff understand different customer needs and barriers to participation. These insights inform more accessible communications and services, including assistance for customers facing language or internet-access challenges. 69 DATE: October 8, 2026
MEETING DATE: October 22, 2026
SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING: Yes
VOTE REQUIRED: Majority Vote
TO: Honorable WestLight Energy Board of Directors
FROM: Blake Herrschaft, Senior Programs Engineer
SUBJECT: Vote to add WestLight Energy as a Signatory to Joint CCA Letter of Support Regarding Bay Area Air District Rule 9-6 (Action)
Item No. 10
WestLight Energy
JPA Board Correspondence
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Board review the attached Joint CCA sign-on letter to the Bay Area Air District regarding the proposed amendments to Rule 9-6, and provide direction as to whether the CEO should sign onto the letter on WestLight's behalf.
BACKGROUND
The Bay Area Air District is a regional public agency responsible for protecting air quality and public health across the San Francisco Bay Area. The agency, which has an appointed 24- member board of local elected officials, has state and federal authorities for monitoring and controlling sources of air pollution, especially stationary sources including commercial facilities and residential appliances. Rule 9-6 limits nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions from natural gas-fired water heaters and small boilers sold, purchased, or installed in the nine-county Bay Area.
Nitrogen oxide are highly reactive, corrosive gases that pose significant risks to human health including asthma, lung and cardiovascular diseases, especially to children and the elderly. The 9-6 rule has been in place since 1993. The Air District Board amended the rule on March 15, 2023 to establish a zero-NOx standard for newly manufactured water heating equipment. The rule applies to sale and installation of water heaters only. It does not require an operating water heater to be removed, is not triggered by the sale of a property, and does not apply to stoves, ovens, or clothes dryers. It generally affects the replacement equipment available when an existing water heater reaches the end of its useful life.
Under the rule currently in effect, water heaters rated at 75,000 BTU per hour or less must meet the zero-NOx standard if manufactured on or after January 1, 2027. Based on products currently available in the United States, this would generally mean installing an electric water heater, most often a heat pump water heater. The current rule contains no project-specific affordability, space, or electrical exemptions.
Following a two-year implementation development process, the Air District released draft 70 flexibility amendments in July 2026[1]. The Air District Board is expected to consider the amendments on November 4, 2026. Until the Air District takes final action, the July proposal remains a draft and the January 1, 2027 compliance date remains in effect. Detail on the rules and WestLight programs to support customers was provided to the Board at its meeting on September 24, 2026[2].
[1] Overview of amendments:
Full background on the rules
[2] WestLight Board memo from September on the Air District rules
DISCUSSION
An initial set of prospective modifications were proposed in July 2026, and most recently the proposed amendments are as follows:
Timeline
The implementation timeline for the rules as currently adopted have the water heater requirements taking effect on January 2027. The published timeline modifications are:
Home water heaters (75,000 BTU/hr or less): January 1, 2028, unchanged from July. Air District staff are also offering January 1, 2029, as a Board option, but recommend against the later date.
Larger water heaters and boilers: January 1, 2033, unchanged.
Hydronic systems: delay pushed from 2031 to 2033 to match multifamily.
Exemptions
The rules as currently adopted have very limited exemptions. Exemptions would allow the continued installation of gas fueled equipment for a range of hardship conditions. Following significant public input, the following exemptions are proposed:
Low-income: expanded to households at or below 80% of Area Median Income or enrolled in one of 15 listed programs. It can now be used again at the same address, with no end date.
Space, ceiling height, and electrical constraints: unchanged from July. One time per address, even after a sale, and existing buildings only. Electrical needs a licensed contractor's certification.
Time-limited group (units made before 2033): hydronic, multifamily (5+ units), deed-restricted affordable housing, high-demand businesses, and newly added nonprofit housing co-ops.
Mobile homes have been added and need no certificate. Units 30 gallons or smaller stay outside the zero-NOx standard remain exempted (no certificate process either).
How many installs could be exempt: Of roughly 120,000 small gas water heaters replaced each year, Bay Area Air District staff cite that up to 50% could be exempt, with low-income rising to about 23,800 because of the 80% AMI change. WestLight staff note that there is an exemption pathway for every single home in the nine counties and anticipates that exemptions may be higher than projected by the Air District in the first 1-3 years of implementation.
Multifamily, affordable housing, co-ops, hydronic, and business exemptions are still not estimated, so the real share may be higher.
71 Joint CCA Sign-on Letter
WestLight has not taken a recent policy position on the Air District rule or proposed amendments, but has participated in the rule-making process through the Air District’s working group and related forums providing technical information, especially detail on costs and challenges. In addition, WestLight’s programs have been structured to address challenges and ensure that undue cost burdens that may arise are significantly reduced.
WestLight support for customers in anticipation of the new rules includes rebates (currently up to $4,000 for market rate customers, full-cost coverage for income-qualified customers), 0% loans, personalized support, and both turnkey and emergency replacement services.
Since 2023, Bay Area CCAs have coordinated and exchanged information throughout the Air District rules process. Some CCAs, including WestLight in 2023, have sent formal comment letters to raise particular technical issues.
Currently, a joint CCA sign-on letter has been proposed in relation to the Air District rules amendment.
The available draft of the letter is attached and is summarized as follows:
Adopt the amendments and a January 1, 2028, compliance date, rather than 2029, allowing time for market preparation, customer education, and exemption procedures.
Support proposed exemptions for space/electrical constraints and low-income households, with limits on temporary exemptions and periodic review of the open-ended low-income exemption.
Monitor costs, customer impacts, and exemption use, while keeping exemption applications simple, fast, and multilingual.
Commit CCA support through incentives, contractor training, and coordinated public outreach.
If the Board so directs, WestLight would sign-on to the letter and it would be submitted prior to the Air District Board meeting on November 4th. As this is an action item, Board members may either vote in support of WestLight signing the letter, vote not to sign the letter, or abstain.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no new fiscal impact associated with this item.
ATTACHMENTS:
Air District Rule - Sign-on Letter.docx
20260717_Water_Heater_Rule_Flyer_EN_final pdf.pdf
72 RESOLUTION NO. _____________
WESTLIGHT ENERGY, COUNTY OF SAN MATEO, AND THE CITY OF LOS BANOS,
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
VOTE TO ADD WESTLIGHT ENERGY AS A SIGNATORY TO JOINT CCA LETTER OF SUPPORT REGARDING BAY AREA AIR DISTRICT RULE 9-6 (ACTION) RESOLVED, by WestLight Energy of the County of San Mateo, and the City of Los Banos, State of California, (“WestLight”) that:
WHEREAS, WestLight Energy was formed as Peninsula Clean Energy on February 29, 2016, and adopted the name WestLight Energy on May 28, 2026; and WHEREAS, reducing greenhouse gasses to reduce the adverse public wellbeing and economic impacts of climate change is an organizational priority for WestLight; and WHEREAS, methane gas use in buildings for space and water heating is a major source of greenhouse gasses; and
WHEREAS, WestLight has developed a robust set of programs to support customers in transitioning to clean, efficient, and cost reducing electric equipment, and WHEREAS, the Bay Area Air District has developed rules to encourage the transition to cleaner appliances including a set of amendments to the rules to reduce potential hardships that could result from the rules; and
WHEREAS, the rules with the amendments are deemed reasonable and supportive of WestLight’s mission, and
WHEREAS, the Board wishes to delegate to the Chief Executive Officer authority to sign a joint letter from peer CCAs supporting the proposed amendments.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY DETERMINED AND ORDERED that the WestLight Energy Board delegates authority to the Chief Executive Officer to sign the joint CCA letter to the Bay Area Air District regarding Rule 9-6.
73 November 3, 2026
Bay Area Air District
375 Beale Street, Suite 600
San Francisco, CA 94105
RE: Draft Rule Language for Regulation 9, Rule 6 Amendments (Small Water Heaters)
The undersigned Bay Area Community Choice Aggregators ("Joint-CCAs") write in support of the proposed amendments to Regulation 9, Rule 6 ("Rule 9-6") and the implementation timeline that Air District staff will present to the Board on November 4, 2026. The Joint-CCAs respectfully urge the Board to adopt the amendments as recommended by staff, including the January 1, 2028 compliance date for small water heaters.
Over the past year, the Joint-CCAs have commented on both the Concept Paper and the Draft Rule Language published on July 13, 2026. In each letter, the Joint-CCAs identified three issues most likely to determine whether Rule 9-6 is implemented smoothly and equitably: space-constrained installations, affordability protections, and a clear end date for temporary exemptions. The proposed amendments make meaningful progress on all three. The Joint-CCAs commend staff for a process that has been data-driven, collaborative, and responsive to the contractors, distributors, program administrators, and community members who will carry out this transition.
Support for the January 1, 2028 Compliance Date
The Joint-CCAs support staff's recommended January 1, 2028 compliance date for small water heaters and urge the Board to adopt it rather than the January 1, 2029 alternative presented for the Board's consideration. The additional time allows the heat pump water heater market to keep maturing with the help of the Joint-CCAs' customer incentives, gives contractors and distributors time to gain experience and adjust stocking practices, and creates space for public education so customers learn about the rule before an emergency replacement rather than during one. It also gives the Air District time to design, test, and communicate the exemption process. A firm date provides the market certainty that manufacturers, contractors, and program administrators need to plan and invest.
Support for Targeted Exemptions
The Joint-CCAs support the proposed exemptions for space-constrained installations and for lower-income households. These exemptions protect residents from undue burden where a zero-NOx water heater is not yet technically or financially feasible. The Joint-CCAs appreciate that the space and electrical constraint exemptions are limited to one use per address, and that the multifamily, affordable housing, and other temporary exemptions end with units manufactured before 2033. These limits keep the transition on schedule and encourage continued product innovation. Because the low-74 income exemption has no end date, the Joint-CCAs ask that the Board direct staff to review it periodically as heat pump water heater costs fall and incentives grow, and to report back on whether it remains needed in its current form.
The Joint-CCAs thank the Air District for including an income threshold of 80 percent of Area Median Income, which will be simple for customers and contractors to understand and use. The Joint-CCAs also understand staff's decision to include several exemption pathways so the rule reflects the range of households and projects that may need flexibility. As implementation moves forward, the Joint-CCAs encourage the Air District to continue monitoring installation costs, product availability, customer impacts, and the number of exemptions issued by type, and to share that information with the Board and program partners. Staff now estimate that up to half of small water heater installations could qualify for an exemption or delay, so this tracking will show how the transition is progressing. The Joint-CCAs also ask that the process to access any exemption remain fast, simple, and available in multiple languages.
CCA Commitment to Implementation
The Joint-CCAs serve millions of customers across the nine-county Bay Area and share the Air District's goals of cleaner air and lower greenhouse gas emissions. The Joint-CCAs will continue to support this transition through customer incentives, contractor training and engagement, and outreach that helps residents and businesses plan ahead. The Joint-CCAs look forward to coordinating with Air District staff so that CCA programs and public education efforts are aligned with the rule as it takes effect.
The Joint-CCAs are encouraged by the thoughtful consideration Air District staff have given to the issues raised throughout the development of these amendments. The Joint-CCAs remain committed to helping customers and communities benefit from cleaner, healthier technologies and look forward to continued collaboration with the Air District and other partners to support this transition.
Sincerely,
75 Water Heater Rule
Draft Amendments
Overview—
July 2026
The Bay Area Air District has released draft
amendments to the rule that sets air pollution
standards for residential water heaters. The
amendments are designed to make compliance
with the rule more affordable by providing
exemptions for low-income property owners
and addressing situations where installing a
compliant water heater would be particularly
expensive. The draft amendments and
supporting material can be found at:
baaqmd.gov/building-appliances
The public is invited to provide comments via
the Air District’s comment portal:
https://comments.baaqmd.gov/
Comments are due by 6 p.m. on
August 13, 2026.
WHAT IS THE WATER HEATER RULE?
Regulation 9, Rule 6 (Rule 9-6) sets pollution
limits for nitrogen oxides (NOx) from natural
gas-fired water heaters. This rule has been in
place since 1992 and has set cleaner standards
over time. Water heaters sold or installed in
the Bay Area must meet the pollution limits in
Rule 9-6.
When an old water heater is replaced, the new
water heater must meet the requirements of the
rule. So, over time, dirtier water heaters are
replaced with cleaner ones.
WHY IS THE AIR DISTRICT CONCERNED
ABOUT NOx?
As many as 85 premature deaths in the Bay Area
every year are caused by pollution from natural
gas-fired water heaters and furnaces subject to
Rule 9-6 and Rule 9-4. NOx causes smog and
combines with other pollutants to form fine
particulate matter.
DO I HAVE TO GET RID OF MY GAS
WATER HEATER?
No. This standard does not apply to existing
hot water heaters; it only applies to those
manufactured after the effective date. In 2023,
the Air District revised the rule to set a pollution
standard of zero NOx to go into effect January
2027. The rule does not require or exclude any
specific technology, but right now only electric
appliances emit zero NOx.
WHY IS THE AIR DISTRICT CONSIDERING
THESE AMENDMENTS?
Given the challenges of switching from gas to
electric, the Air District Board of Directors asked
for a report on the costs and challenges of
implementing this zero-NOx standard for
water heaters.
In December 2024, Air District staff presented
that readiness report. It indicated that changes
to the rule would make it easier and more
affordable for certain property owners
to comply.
76 If the existing rule is not changed, the new
hot water emission standard will apply on
January 1, 2027. Staff have been working with
stakeholders and have had several public
discussions with the Board to develop and
propose amendments to address both the
affordability and implementation challenges
before the current rule takes effect.
WHAT DO THE DRAFT AMENDMENTS
COVER AND HOW WOULD THEY WORK?
The draft amendments provide exemptions for
low-income property owners and for situations
like low-capacity electrical panels that make
compliance with the zero-NOx standard
unusually challenging or expensive. The Air
District will issue exemption certificates for
qualifying situations. Property owners or their
contractors will be able to use those exemption
certificates to purchase a gas appliance that
does not comply with the zero-NOx standard.
The Air District expects most of the exemptions
to fall into the categories below. The draft rule
amendments include more details including
other exemptions for multi-family and affordable
housing. All of these exemptions are explained
further in the Updated Regulatory Overview.
Low-Income Property Owners:
• Participants in programs for low-income
households such as Medi-Cal or
CalFresh/SNAP
• Anyone paying more than 28% of their
household income for mortgage and
property taxes
Space-Constrained Properties:
• Not enough physical space to install a
compliant unit
• Not enough ventilation space
Electrical Challenges:
• Not enough power to the panel (e.g. less
than 100 amps)
• Not enough room on the panel
• Water heater is too far from the panel,
requiring more than 50 feet of new
conduit
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO GET AN
EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE?
The Air District will set up a mobile-friendly
website where property owners can put in the
needed information and receive an exemption
certificate immediately. Property owners can
self-certify for the low-income and space
constraint exemptions, but they’ll need the
assistance of a contractor to ensure they meet
the electrical constraint exemptions.
WON’T THESE EXEMPTIONS REDUCE
THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF THE RULE?
Space constraints and electrical exemptions are
available once per physical address. This will
delay the emissions reduction benefits from the
properties that qualify for these exemptions but
provides the property owner time to make the
electrical or space upgrades needed to install
a cleaner water heater. Also, heat pump water
heater technology is improving rapidly, so
future devices may work with less power or in
smaller spaces.
There are many incentive programs to
encourage property owners to switch to these
appliances. Incentives for low-income property
owners are especially generous. The Air District
website and exemption system will connect all
property owners to incentives available to them.
We expect that, given some help with funding,
many low-income property owners will choose
to install cleaner equipment.
WHEN IS THIS ALL GOING TO HAPPEN?
JANUARY 2027 IS COMING UP SOON.
The Air District is proposing to extend the
compliance date by one year, moving the
deadline to January 2028. This will give the Air
District time to set up an exemption request
system and to do more outreach to retailers,
distributors, contractors, communities, and the
general public.
77 DATE: October 8, 2026
MEETING DATE: October 22, 2026
SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING: None
VOTE REQUIRED: None
TO: Honorable WestLight Energy Board of Directors
FROM: Rafael Reyes, Senior Director of Energy Programs
SUBJECT: Community Energy Programs Quarterly Report
Item No. 12
WestLight Energy
JPA Board Correspondence
BACKGROUND
Major updates in programs include:
1. Programs are being adversely impacted by the loss of federal tax credits , high interest rates and adverse economic conditions. Conditions are resulting lower building electrification rates and complicating solar initiatives.
2. Reach code approvals for residential codes remain delayed at the state Building Standards Commission.
3. Home Upgrade performance has significantly accelerated following program restructuring last year. Direct install projects are now being solicited across the service territory.
4. GovPV projects continue to come on-line with 29 now in operation.
5. Virtual power plant is now online and dispatching batteries.
6. Commercial electrification program is under development for Q1 launch.
7. Major Salesforce systems migration was completed and enhancements are in-progress.
The following programs are in progress, key metrics are provided in the table here and detailed information is provided below.
Buildings
Home Upgrade Rebates
(Appliance Rebates)
6,913 measures rebated (+180 Q2); 1,426 loans issued (+25 Q2)
Home Upgrade Full-Service &
Emergency Water Heater
2024- phase (new): 116 homes completed
Emergency Water Heater Installations: 21
2021-2014 phase (old): 305 homes completed. Closed.
78 Home Upgrade Personalized
Support
341 support calls completed (66 in Q2 ‘26)
GovBE 6 GovBE projects, 12 schools projects
Reach Codes
4 cities adopted existing building codes: Menlo Park, San Mateo, Portola Valley, East Palo Alto. Waiting on state approval.
Commercial Electrification BOD approved June 2026, est. launch Jan 2027 Distributed Resources
Residential Solar + Storage
Low-income (SGIP): 160 installations complete, 59 under development
General market: 555 installs under prior program.
FLEXmarket
First round: 11 commercial and 13 residential projects
CPUC approved round two for 2026-2029, to open in Q3
GovPV
29 / 36 sites have PTO – 4.3MW / 4.9MW
Energy Efficiency CPUC application submitted in March, approval late ‘27 Virtual Power Plants
Dispatching 600kWh of battery energy capacity daily from 77 customers, SGIP installed systems.
Transportation
EV Charging Ports to date: 3,219 (+157 in Q3 26)
Used EV 1,754 EVs since 2021. (+51 M/M)
E-Bikes 3,864 rebates since 2021 (n/a, paused)
GovEV (fleets)
20 enrolled, 7 TA completed, 2 installs completed (East Palo Alto and Burlingame), ~2 more expected in next 6 months.
Other
Member Agency Energy
Grants
Proposals received from all cities. Projects in-progress.
DISCUSSION
1. Building and EV Reach Codes
Background: In 2018 the Board approved a building “reach code” initiative to support local governments in adopting enhancements to the building code for low-carbon and EV ready buildings. The initiative is a joint project with Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE). May 2026 the Board approved the new contract with TRC to continue the program through December 2029.
The program includes no-cost technical assistance, model codes and other tools. The tools and model code language are available on the project website (www.BayAreaReachCodes.org). Program has received multiple extensions and expanded to 79 provide technical assistance to builders and facilities managers. The program has had a major influence on state code. The most recent state code (effective January 1st) built on the local reach codes implementing an EV charger or outlet for every new multi-family residence with an assigned parking space. Code also requires heat pump water and space heating in the proscriptive path for new construction, the most common choice of builders. The new phase of the project largely focuses on retrofit and other existing building reach code development, as well as options for more complex multi-family housing codes and Building Performance Standards. Additional partners have been brought on to assist with equity analysis and Building Performance Standard development.
Status
2026 Reach Codes: Menlo Park, San Mateo, Portola Valley, and East Palo Alto have adopted existing building reach codes targeting: major renovations, air conditioning replacements, pre-wiring at opportune times. A number of additional cities are exploring adoption including Burlingame who held a community workshop on October 6 th.
Several cities have been experiencing significant delays in code approval with the Building Standards Commission (BSC). Local legislative officials have been engaged in outreach to BSC to learn more.
For more information, please visit https://bayareareachcodes.org/ Buildings Programs
2.1 Home Upgrade Rebates and Zero Percent Loans
Background: Approved by the Board in May 2020, WestLight launched the heat pump water heater (HPWH) rebates in January 2021. Additionally, in August 2021, the Board approved an On-Bill Financing program (referred to as the Zero Percent Loan) and expansion of the program to include heat pump heating and cooling systems. The program offers qualified residential customers a 0% interest loan up to $10,000 to fund the cost of eligible electrification upgrades. The Zero Percent Loan program launched in October 2022.
Status: A limited time offer campaign to further incentivize heat pump water heater projects launched on September 1 and runs through October 31. Customers received an additional $500 (total of $4,000 rebate) during this time.
For more information, please visit https://www.westlightenergy.org/residential/home-upgrade-services/ Customer Satisfaction
Scores 1-5, 5=High
Metric Q3 26 Lifetime
Program Satisfaction Paused during
Salesforce
Transition
4.8 Satisfaction with Water Heater 4.5
Satisfaction with HVAC 4.7
80 2.2 Home Upgrade “Full-Service Installation” (includes Low-Income Direct-Install and Emergency Water Heater Service)
Background: In May 2020, the Board approved implementing a direct-install low-income home upgrade program to offer minor home repair, energy efficiency, and electrification measures to income-qualified homeowners at no cost to them. The measures implemented in each home varied depending on the home’s needs but included at least one electrification measure. The program launched on September 2021. The Board extended the program through June 30, 2024. The program served 305 homes, including 9 homes who received whole home electrification as part of a pilot within the program.
Following a competitive selection process, the Board approved the $26M contract with Franklin Energy on February 22, 2024 to provide whole home electrification upgrades at no-cost to low-income residents, full-service electrification installation services to non-income qualified residents at a low cost, and an emergency heat pump water heater replacement service. Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) also contracted with Franklin for the joint program.
The program experienced operational performance challenges and was restructured to improve performance in the second half of 2025, removing Franklin Energy as third-party implementor. WestLight selected 3 contractors (Fuse Electric, Villquin, and Super Brothers), following a competitive bid process, to work with directly in this program and WestLight transitioned to manage the program directly. The Board approved 3 contracts for these newly selected contractors for total of $18M in November 2025.
Status: The program has been operating in its current iteration for nearly a year. Over 250 applications have been received and nearly 80 homes projects have been completed.
Permitting is a significant challenge for select jurisdictions. Our contractors have referenced higher than average: permit fees, permit wait times, and expected paperwork associated with each permit. Additional outreach is being developed for Q4 2026.
For more information, please https://www.westlightenergy.org/residential/home-upgrade-services/full-service-home-electrification/
2.3 Local Government Building Electrification Program (GovBE) Background: In August 2023, the Board approved a local government building electrification program to help fund building electrification at local government facilities. The program will offer roughly $1 million per year in incentives and creates a $10 million dollar revolving loan fund. Incentives are based on therms saved at a given facility. Incentives and loan are capped at $600k per jurisdiction per year, each. The program requires a 25% cost-share from non- WestLight funds, and will have a streamlined, annual application process.
Status: Four projects with cities are completed or in-progress including the retrofit electrification of Brisbane’s municipal pool, the first such project in the state. GovBE’s applications remain open but has had limited uptake overall. The team is considering new options to provide to cities which might be more attractive. City staff has indicated staff bandwidth is the primary barrier to taking advantage of these funds.
A separate $5 million from the surplus funds were allocated for schools, which is open for applications on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted. WestLight is coordinating closely with 81 the San Mateo County Sustainability Department and the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE).
SMCOE coordinates with local districts to promote decarbonization and increase awareness of WestLight programs
San Mateo County leads a program performing inventories of fossil-fuel fired equipment to aid in decarbonization assessments and planning. The County also provides this service for member agencies, which is a first-of-its-kind program in California.
Twelve school districts have been approved for funding. There has been a recent increase in applications from school districts, which staff are reviewing now. All contracts signed to-date have been HVAC electrification projects, with many districts performing portfolio-wide heating system electrification while improving air conditioning for classrooms.
For more information, please visit https://www.westlightenergy.org/public-organization/govbe-program-electrification-for-public-buildings/
2.4 Personalized Support Services (Concierge)
Background: In March 2023, the Programs Team presented the Building Electrification Strategy to the BOD which included a “hotline” provided electrification planning and technical support. In July 2024, WestLight hired a new building electrification expert to provide customized support to WestLight customers.
Status: The service launched in 2025. 340+ support calls have been conducted. A new post-call personalized electrification planner is now provided to customers. Staff are planning to expand this service to include support for solar and storage inquiries in early 2027.
More info at https://www.westlightenergy.org/residential/home-upgrade-services/personalized-support/ Customer Satisfaction
Scores 1-5, 5=High
Metric Q3 26 Lifetime
Program Satisfaction
Paused during
Salesforce Transition
4.7 2.5 Commercial Electrification
Background: In August 2023, the Board approved commercial electrification program to help fund building electrification for business customers. The program will offer roughly $1 million per year in incentives. Incentives will be offered as a $/widget, menu style, appliance rebates for commercial HVAC, water heating and cooking equipment. Incentives and loan are intended to be capped at $50k per customer.
Status: Program is in pre-launch planning with a goal of launching in Q1 2027. 3 Distributed Energy Programs
82 WestLight Energy is advancing the distributed energy efforts below to reduce customer electricity bills, provide backup power, enable decarbonization, and to shape customer demand in a way that complements our renewable supply portfolio.
3.1 Solar and Storage for Public Buildings (“GovPV”)
Background: The Solar and Storage for Public Buildings / GovPV Program aggregates local government facilities into a group procurement of solar and optionally battery storage systems. WestLight Energy provides no-cost site assessments, preliminary designs, financial analysis, contracting support, public approval management, equipment procurement, and other project development support. Participating sites have systems installed as part of Power Purchase Agreements (“PPAs”) directly with WestLight Energy, which enable customers to get solar and battery storage at their facilities with no upfront investment. This model enables significant cost savings for participating agencies.
Initial site scoping and up to $8 million in capital was approved by the Board in October 2020 for the first round, known as “GovPV1”. At the January 2023 Board Meeting, the Board of Directors approved the installation contract and power purchase agreements with 10 jurisdictions in the first round for a total of 12 sites yielding 1.7 MW solar.
Round 2 – or “GovPV2” – was approved by the Board in January 2024, with a budget of $23 million. This portfolio includes 24 sites and 3.5MW solar. McMillan Electric, a local union firm, is providing construction services on round 2 and most of round 1.
Round 3 – or GovPV3 – was approved by the Board in February 2025 with a budget increase of $7 million. In March 2026, the Board approved a further increase in the GovPV3 budget by $5 million. Both of these approvals included an expanded scope of work with McMillan Electric to add batteries to existing GovPV sites, and to build several new solar+storage facilities.
Status: All 12 GovPV1 systems, totaling 1.7MW, were commissioned as of 2025. Of the 24 GovPV2 systems, 17 are operational, and six are fully finished and awaiting utility approvals.
One system is expected to complete construction by the end of the year. All eligible systems have been grandfathered into the more favorable NEM 2 tariff. Based on modeling done earlier in 2026, the projects collectively are projected to save participants approximately $40 million over 25 years.
Staff has been developing the battery portion of this program throughout 2026. Key program development activities have included developing the contracts for program participants, creating a financial model to determine the Power Purchase Agreement price, and vetting battery equipment suppliers for cost, safety, system operability, and compliance associated with federal incentives. Staff expects to propose some battery projects with some agencies by the end of 2026. However, high interest rates, loss of tax credits and tariffs are having a material effect on project economics.
The development of the battery projects under GovPV3 has been transitioned to the Innovation Strategy team as of October. The Energy Programs team will continue to consult on the development of those projects, and will continue to own program operations and strategy for all GovPV portfolios.
For future GovPV rounds, staff has explored approaches for continuing the program with less reliance on WestLight capital. The initial focus surrounding this exploration was with California 83 IBank. However, the terms and interest rate were challenging, so further exploration is currently on pause. Staff will revisit program expansion following the execution of other programmatic priorities, likely in 2027.
For more information, please visit https://www.westlightenergy.org/public-organization/govpv-solar-battery-for-public-buildings/
3.2 Residential Solar + Battery Backup
Background: WestLight’s programs for residential solar are split up into two customer segments: general market and low income. WestLight’s first general market program through a partnership with Sunrun is no longer accepting enrollments, but is currently dispatching batteries and providing backup power to each home. These batteries are discharged daily to reduce WestLight’s peak load. WestLight receives >1.5MW of daily peak load reduction through 2032 from these resources. WestLight is developing a successor general market program.
Separately, WestLight implemented a program to help low-income single-family homeowners access the State of California’s Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP), called the Solar Battery Savings Program. SGIP provides behind-the-meter (BTM) storage or solar + storage systems to eligible low-income single-family homeowners to deliver bill savings and resilience benefits. The Solar Battery Savings Program leverages state SGIP incentives for low or no-cost system installation for income qualified customers. Reaching WestLight’s target of 200 installations would result in approximately 1MW of solar and 2.5MWh of battery storage. In October 2024, the Board approved WestLight’s contract with Haven Energy to manage the development and installation of these systems.
Status: Haven received 219 approvals for SGIP incentives and has completed 160 installations of battery-only, and solar and battery systems. In total, Haven has applied for over $5.8 million in state incentives to fund these solar and storage installations for low-income customers.
In 2025, WestLight ran a competitive solicitation to find the provider for the general market residential solar and storage program that will be geared towards our broader customer base.
The new program had been intended to launch in 2026 however, negotiations with two prospective partners were not successful and will result in timing delays. Loss of federal tax credits has significantly complicated the market. Alternative approaches are now under consideration.
3.3 FLEXmarket
Background: In November 2021 the Board approved a program plan for the establishment of an innovative meter efficiency and load-shaping program using what is known as FLEXmarket. FLEXmarket is a market-based program structure that provides incentives to program “aggregators” to implement programs for energy efficiency and load shaping. The novel elements of the structure include a “pay-for-performance” approach which only provides incentives on confirmed performance using meter data. This novel structure was innovated by MCE. In addition, the program plan was developed for submission to the CPUC to allow Peninsula Clean Energy to run the program with fully reimbursed funding through the CPUC.
Peninsula Clean Energy’s billing data services provider Calpine has entered into a strategic partnership with the firm Recurve to provide FLEXmarket services through a streamlined 84 structure. Providers of energy efficiency and building electrification equipment can apply for incentives through this program.
Staff developed the commercial version of the program and launched the market in July 2023.
Like the residential version, providers of commercial energy efficiency and building electrification equipment, as well as aggregators of these projects, can pursue incentives through the Commercial FLEXmarket. This iteration of the program closed in May 2025 as the funding cycle ended. In May of 2025, WestLight applied to renew funding for a commercial-only program for another 3 years. WestLight received CPUC for this funding in January 2026.
Status: The FLEXMarket Program has delivered approximately $1.8 million in combined energy and grid benefits, helping lower overall system costs for customers.
The program has paused new enrollments due to the closure of the current funding cycle as of May 2025. Project savings for enrolled projects concluded in Q4, and final payments for round one projects were issued in Q2 2026. Launch activities have initiated for the round two funding. WestLight has been engaging with Calpine to recontract devices for the FLEXMarket platform through Recurve. This process has taken longer than anticipated, but it is in the finalization stages and should have a signed contract for July 2026. However, due to this delay we missed our targeted relaunch date of Q2, but we anticipate the program reopening for enrollment in Q3 2026.
For more information, please visit https://www.westlightenergy.org/business/rebates-offers-business/flexmarket-program/
3.4 Energy Efficiency
Background: As part of WestLight Energy’s strategy to diversify revenue and leverage external funding for customer programs, we are preparing to submit our first Application for Third-Party Administration (ATA) to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). This application aims to secure a third-party portfolio under the CPUC’s energy efficiency framework. In alignment with CPUC priorities, the portfolio will emphasize greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions and decarbonization, to the extent permitted within CPUC cost-effectiveness and policy constraints. This is WestLight’s first ATA submission; currently, only one other Community Choice Aggregator (CCA) holds an approved third-party portfolio, making this a strategic and precedent-setting effort.
Status: WestLight submitted its Energy Efficiency application in March 2026. The application proposes eight new programs to be fully funded by the CPUC for the years 2028-2031.
Totaling $36 million over the term, the programs focus on customer segments in WestLight service territory not fully served by current programs including commercial sectors, multifamily buildings and additional support for underserved residential households.
The next immediate steps in the process include responding to stakeholder comments on the application, addressing data requests over the coming months, and participating in other CPUC procedural activities. Approval is currently expected in late 2027.
To learn more about our Energy Efficiency application, please visit:
https://www.westlightenergy.org/public-information/regulatory-filings/ and navigate to the Energy Efficiency Business Plan Application section.
85 3.5 Virtual Power Plants
Background: As part of the 2026-2030 Strategic Plan, WestLight established a 5-year goal to launch a 10 MW Virtual Power Plant (VPP) by 2030. WestLight will aggregate behind-the-meter DERs under this VPP, using a Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS), a centralized software system that helps entities monitor, control, and optimize behind-the-meter DERs. In May 2025, the Board approved a 5-year, $3.1 million contract with Lunar Energy for their DERMS, Lunar Gridshare.
Status: WestLight and Lunar designed and began executing the dispatch plans for the first devices in the VPP: solar and storage systems installed under WestLight’s Solar Battery Savings Program. As of December, the VPP is dispatching approximately 600 kWh of battery energy capacity from 77 active customers. Communications and customer education materials went out to customers that explain the VPP and the Account Services Team has been supporting customers if they have any questions or concerns. The VPP will continue to expand to more Solar Battery Savings Program customers as they complete their system installations. WestLight and Lunar are actively evaluating how best to integrate other existing WestLight solar and storage programs, like the GovPV program and the developing a general residential solar and storage program, as well as pilots of smart control thermostat devices being installed with funding WestLight Energy has received from the California Energy Commission’s Equitable Building Decarbonization Program. 4 Transportation Programs
4.1 Used Electric Vehicle (EV)
Background: Originally launched in March 2019, the Used EV Rebate Program currently provides a $2,000 rebate to income-qualified residents. Customers have been able to receive the WestLight rebate at the point of sale with participating dealerships.
Status: The program made moderate changes effective July 1, including requiring that all rebates be redeemed at participating dealerships only, updating income requirements to match CARE/FERA, and limiting one rebate per customer per lifetime.
Staff are monitoring the possible implementation of a new California EV point of sale rebate in FY 27 and possible implications for the WestLight rebate offering.
For more information, please visit https://www.westlightenergy.org/residential/rebates-offers/ev-rebate-program/ Customer Satisfaction
Scores 1-5, 5=High
Metric Q3 26 Lifetime
Program Satisfaction
Paused during
Salesforce
development
4.9 4.2 “EV Ready” Charging Design Assistance & Incentives 86 Background: In December 2018, the Board approved the EV Ready program, consisting of EV charging infrastructure incentives and technical assistance. The program is open and available to multi-family housing, affordable housing, workplace charging, and general public-access sites, through there is a general focus on multi-family housing, which has been a historically underserved population in state EV charging programs.
WestLight offers free project design assistance, facilitated through Ecology Action (previously through CLEAResult). There are currently 300+ active projects receiving this assistance and, on average, projects receiving assistance more than double the overall size of their EV charging projects.
Status: The program has facilitated installation 3,219 chargers (70%+ at multi-family housing) with more than 2,300 additional chargers in progress. Key elements of the program are being replicated by a number of other state and regional programs, including the CEC “Communities in Charge” program.
Some of the largest multi-family EV charging projects in the nation are occurring currently in the EV Ready program. This includes the installation of over 200 chargers in South San Francisco, the single largest retrofit multi-family EV charging project in the state, which is hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony on July 29 featuring CEC Commissioner Skinner and CPUC Commissioner Baker. Local news report: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdTpDQSz6Ys&t To help address EV charging affordability issues, WestLight is also currently leading an innovation grant opportunity. This will develop new EV charging systems that can be submetered to a multi-family residential unit, even though the charger is connected to a separate meter, reducing or eliminating price markups experienced by EV drivers. Orange Charger has been awarded this innovation grant and work has begun. Major regulatory hurdles exist and staff are now engaging with the CPUC on submetering regulation improvements.
For more information, please visit https://www.westlightenergy.org/business/rebates-offers-business/ev-ready-program/
4.3 E-Bike Rebate Program
Background: The Board originally approved the income-qualified E-Bikes Rebate program in July 2020 and has run in annual cycles to provide rebates to residents with low to moderate incomes. The program has provided over 3,500 rebates since 2021. Customers can use the rebate at qualifying bike shops for a point-of-sale discount. with 20+ participating bike shops in San Mateo County and Merced County (for Los Banos-based customers).
Status: As of late May, the program has been paused while undertaking backend systems updates. The program is expected to relaunch in spring 2027 with several program modifications, including a monthly limit of 150 rebates with a first-come, first-served application process opening around the 1
st of every month. Community-based organizations are available to assist customers with applications.
For more information, please visit https://www.westlightenergy.org/residential/rebates-offers/e-bikes/ 87 Customer Satisfaction
Scores 1-5, 5=High
4.74.8 Metric Q3 26 Lifetime
Program Satisfaction Paused during
Salesforce
development
4.8 Satisfaction with E-Bike
4.4 Public EV Fleet Program (GovEV)
Background: The Board approved the GovEV Fleet Program in November 2020. This program is comprised of three components to help local agencies begin their fleet electrification efforts: hands-on technical assistance, gap funding, and a vehicle to building resiliency demonstration that will assess the costs and benefits of utilizing fleet EVs as backup power resources for agencies in grid failures and other emergencies. In August 2022, the Board of Directors approved a contract with Optony to provide technical assistance in this program, which was further extended twice.
Status: 20 local municipal fleets have enrolled, including: Bay Area Air District, Brisbane, Burlingame, Caltrain (non-revenue fleet), Cabrillo USD, Central Coast Water Authority, Daly City, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Half Moon Bay, Menlo Park, Millbrae, Redwood City Elementary School District, Rethink Waste San Bruno, San Carlos, San Mateo, San Mateo Community College District, Sequoia Union High School District, and South San Francisco.
East Palo Alto recently installed fleet EV chargers at their building inspection department and Burlingame is currently completing construction of fast chargers at their Corporation Yard after receiving design and technical assistance through GovEV. San Bruno and Menlo Park are expected to begin construction shortly.
The program is expected to close for new fleets imminently.
For more information, please visit https://www.westlightenergy.org/public-organization/govev-program-public-fleet-electrification/ 5 Other Programs
5.1 Member Agency Energy Grants
Background: In December 2023 the Board directed WestLight to implement a set of initiatives utilizing a one-time allocation from surplus funds. One of the programs is the Member Agency Energy Grants with up to $11.5 million for grants to member agencies as flexible funding for a range of clean energy projects. Funding is provided by formula in a non-competitive allocation for qualifying projects required to execute within two years.
Status: Proposals have been received from all member agencies with 17 grant agreements and projects underway.
88 89
DATE: October 13, 2026
MEETING DATE: October 22, 2026
SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING: None
VOTE REQUIRED: None
TO: Honorable WestLight Energy Board of Directors
FROM: Gwen Rose, Director of Marketing & Community Relations SUBJECT: Marketing, Outreach Activities, and Media Relations Quarterly Report Item No. 13
WestLight Energy
JPA Board Correspondence
BACKGROUND
This report summarizes Marketing and Community Relations activities during the third quarter of 2026. The quarter included the July 1 public launch of WestLight Energy, the organization’s 10-year anniversary and Impact campaign, customer research and listening, program marketing, media relations, and community engagement.
DISCUSSION
WestLight Energy Brand Launch
WestLight Energy publicly launched its new name and identity July 1. A multichannel brand campaign began July 15, and the new name appeared on PG&E bills beginning July 17.
Marketing & Community Relations updated customer communications, program materials, outreach resources, and other public-facing assets. The initial rebrand campaign concluded in September. Campaign insights will inform future messaging, segmentation, and paid media. 10-Year Anniversary and Impact
WestLight launched a 10-Year Impact Report, dedicated landing page, paid media campaign, and short documentary. The September 30 Local Leaders, Lasting Impact Summit brought together nearly 200 guests to celebrate the organization’s first decade and discuss local clean energy leadership. WestLight also partnered with Caltrain and San José Clean Energy on the On Track for a Cleaner Future campaign, with train advertising and station signage launching in September.
Voice of Customer
We conducted the 2026 Customer Awareness Survey based on input from more than 2,000 customers. Initial findings are informing EV campaign messaging and highlighted lower awareness among Spanish-speaking customers. An August 24, the Community Feedback Forum in Los Banos focusing on affordability drew 37 participants. Other listening included a focus group on appliance financing, renter-focused discussions, and feedback on energy efficiency equity metrics. The team also advanced communication tagging and qualitative 90 feedback analysis with See Change Institute.
Program Marketing and Customer Communications
In August, campaigns launched for Home Upgrade Services and emergency and non-emergency heat pump water heater replacement, using paid search, social media, and video.
Marketing continued supporting EV Ready, and began planning an EV Consideration campaign and supported Account Services on the joint-rate mailer with PG&E.
Community and Partner Engagement
WestLight continued to expand its community outreach and electrification education through new resources, events, and partnerships. WestLight and its partners published a Realtor Electrification Toolkit, while a Spanish-language electrification-themed La Lotería activation with El Concilio reached approximately 300 people at Redwood City’s Fiestas Patrias. Across 15 events—including EV showcases, electrification workshops, energy discount enrollment assistance, Community Feedback Forums, and the Los Banos Fall Street Fair—WestLight reached an estimated 1,200+ customers. To support continued community engagement, WestLight also launched its 2027 Outreach Grant RFP in September, bolstered by an additional $70,000 in Calpine funding, and convened outreach grantees to share program and research updates.
Media Relations and Public Affairs
Media outreach during the quarter highlighted the WestLight Energy launch and tangible benefits of local clean energy projects. WestLight issued or partnered on the following news releases:
The July 1 announcement of its new name and appearance on PG&E bills The July 29 announcement of approximately 200 EV chargers at Peninsula Pines apartments in South San Francisco, demonstrating an approach to expanding charging access for renters. Press attended the event, follow up interviews to learn more took place and the announcement had 8 earned media placements, including coverage in the San Mateo Daily Journal and SFGate.
The August 27 announcement of a funding milestone for the Pescadero Community Microgrid, developed with PG&E, San Mateo County, and Arriba South Coast to improve energy resilience. There were 9 earned media placements, follow up interview requests, and the announcement generated coverage in KCBS Radio, Microgrids Now, the San Mateo Daily Journal, Bay City News and Coastside News.
Joint media outreach with Caltrain and San José Clean Energy for October Clean Air Day activities, building on the September On Track for a Cleaner Future campaign, as well as a national Green Power Leadership Award for our innovative partnership powering Caltrain’s electric fleet with 100% renewable energy.
Looking Ahead
Fourth-quarter priorities include reviewing rebrand, Impact and program campaign performance, sharing Customer Awareness Survey findings, continuing affordability and health Community Feedback Forums. The team will continue strengthening its customer listening and campaign measurement capabilities.
STRATEGIC PLAN
The Marketing & Community Relations activities described in this report support WestLight 91 Energy's 2026–2030 Strategic Plan by advancing customer engagement, environmental leadership, economic development, innovation, equity, distributed energy resources, and organizational excellence.
Customer-Focused Approach. Program marketing, community events, and Voice of Customer initiatives strengthened customer engagement and participation. Marketing campaigns increased awareness of customer programs, community events provided opportunities for direct engagement, and Voice of Customer activities helped ensure customer feedback informs communications and program development.
Environmental Impact. Marketing and outreach efforts promoted electrification, energy efficiency, and clean energy solutions through customer campaigns, educational events, and partnerships, supporting customers in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and advancing the agency's decarbonization goals.
Economic Development. Communications highlighted WestLight Energy's affordability and customer value by promoting rebates, incentives, and competitive rates. Partnerships with community organizations helped expand access to programs that provide financial benefits to customers.
Innovation. Brand implementation, thought leadership, and earned media increased awareness of WestLight Energy's leadership in community choice energy and clean energy innovation. Strategic communications and media outreach highlighted innovative projects, including the Pescadero Community Microgrid, and demonstrated the agency's impact.
Equity. Community-based outreach, multilingual engagement, school partnerships, and the Outreach Grant Program expanded access to WestLight Energy's programs for historically underserved communities. Customer listening activities also helped ensure diverse community perspectives inform outreach and communications.
Distributed Energy Resources. Marketing campaigns and customer education increased awareness of home electrification, electric vehicles, battery storage, and other distributed energy resources that help customers reduce emissions and improve energy resilience.
Organizational Excellence. Implementation of the WestLight Energy brand, marketing technology improvements, cross-departmental coordination, and expanded Voice of Customer capabilities strengthened organizational effectiveness and supported data-informed decision-making. 92 DATE: October 13, 2026
MEETING DATE: October 22, 2026
SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING: None
VOTE REQUIRED: None
TO: Honorable WestLight Energy Board of Directors
FROM: Brianna Arroyo, Deputy Clerk
SUBJECT: Social Media FAQ's
Item No. 14
WestLight Energy
JPA Board Correspondence
ATTACHMENTS:
Social Media Talking Points.pdf
1-Sheeter_ Handling Incendiary Comments on Nextdoor (WestLight).pdf 93 Social media FAQs
Here are some helpful tips for responding to frequently asked questions about WestLight Energy (formerly Peninsula Clean Energy) on social media. Frame your response in a way that is accurate, concise, and friendly—all while staying true to WestLight Energy’s mission and values. Feel free to adapt these prompts to your own voice, keeping it casual, personable, and polite.
Depending on the social media platform, your response could also encourage people to contact WestLight Energy Support for more information at [email protected] or 1-866-966-0110.
Why did Peninsula Clean Energy change their name to WestLight Energy? WestLight Energy (formerly Peninsula Clean Energy) is the same local electricity provider, just with a new name that is simpler and clearer. WestLight Energy better reflects the communities the organization serves, and this new name helps avoid confusion with PG&E. Nothing else is changing. They’re still providing clean electricity, offering the same programs, and supporting the community.
What is WestLight Energy? How is it different from PG&E? WestLight Energy (formerly Peninsula Clean Energy) is your local community electricity provider.
WestLight Energy provides the majority of the electricity supply—97%, in fact—for San Mateo County and Los Banos.
WestLight Energy provides you with electricity from sources like wind, solar, geothermal and hydro, while PG&E delivers it to you through their poles and wires. It’s kind of like ordering takeout from your favorite restaurant (WestLight Energy) and having a food delivery service (PG&E) deliver it to your door.
Does WestLight Energy cost more than PG&E?
No! WestLight Energy’s rates are lower than PG&E’s, so you save money when you’re a WestLight Energy customer. You can compare rates here:
https://www.pge.com/assets/pge/docs/account/alternate-energy-providers/pce-sm_rateclasscomparison.pdf Why was I automatically enrolled?
Your city or county voted to join WestLight Energy to bring cleaner, affordable energy to your community.
Can I opt out of WestLight Energy?
Yes, customers can opt out at any time. However, since WestLight Energy’s rates are typically lower than PG&E’s, opting out may increase your electricity costs. 94 I opted out of WestLight Energy and my bill went down.
When you opted out of WestLight Energy, PG&E put you on a special temporary rate (TBCC) for six months. Recently, this rate has been lower than WestLight Energy’s, which is probably why your bill went down. However, after six months, you’ll be switched back to PG&E’s regular rates, which are at least 5% higher than WestLight Energy’s. So, even though it seems like you’re saving money now, your bill will likely go up in the long term.
What clean energy options do I have?
WestLight Energy’s standard rate isECOplus, which is 100% clean, 50% from renewable sources, and cheaper than PG&E. If you want to do even more good for the environment, you can upgrade to ECO100, which is 100% renewable energy for a small 1 to 1.5¢ additional cost.
I have solar power. Why do I still have fees?
WestLight Energy only charges for the electricity you use beyond what your solar panels generate.
If your panels produce less energy than your household needs, you’ll see charges for the extra electricity you pulled from the grid. If your solar panels generate more energy than you use, WestLight Energy gives you a credit!
Why did my bill go up after switching to WestLight Energy? In many cases, bill increases are due to PG&E delivery charges, not WestLight Energy generation charges. WestLight Energy works to keep rates stable and has maintained a discount of 5 - 10% since service began in 2016.
95 How to Handle Comments on Nextdoor
What qualifies as an incendiary comment?
● The post contains aggressive or accusatory language.
● The post spreads misinformation about WestLight Energy’s programs, services, or billing—or about clean energy.
● The post escalates negativity within the Nextdoor community, even if the original post is not negative.
How do I know if WestLight Energy should respond?
Does the comment contain misinformation that could harm WestLight Energy’s reputation? Is the comment receiving significant, negative attention (likes, replies, etc.)? Does responding to the post align with WestLight Energy’s values and commitment to candor, transparency, and community support?
Is someone asking a question related to WestLight Energy’s billing or services? It may be helpful to respond proactively, even if the original comment isn’t particularly negative. This early intervention can help prevent misinformation and keep the community conversation on track.
I found an incendiary comment. What should I do next?
1. Notify the Marketing team.
Send an email with the subject line: “Nextdoor comment for review” with a direct link to the post and any necessary screenshots to the following WestLight Energy team members:
● Aleisha Juarez, [email protected]
● Kerstin Grune (cc’d), [email protected]
● Gwen Rose (cc’d), [email protected]
● Kirsten Andrews-Schwind (cc’d), [email protected] ● Jayden Hanan (cc’d), [email protected]
2. Be prepared to take action.
Given Nextdoor’s limited access, we may ask you to respond via your personal profile. If the Marketing team confirms that a response is necessary, we will provide you with the appropriate post copy.
Helpful reminders
● When you see a negative Nextdoor comment, be a calm observer and collect details for escalation. ● Do not engage with incendiary comments, unless the Marketing team provides you with copy to post. ● Responses on behalf of WestLight Energy should always reflect the organization’s values. ● Stay ahead of the negativity: Responding to questions early can help keep the tone positive and prevent the situation from escalating.
96 DATE: October 13, 2026
MEETING DATE: October 22, 2026
SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING: None
VOTE REQUIRED: None
TO: Honorable WestLight Energy Board of Directors
FROM: Nelly Wogberg, Board Clerk
SUBJECT: Acronym List
Item No. 15
WestLight Energy
JPA Board Correspondence
ATTACHMENTS:
Acronym Sheet - As of 3-30-26.docx
97 2075 Woodside Road | Redwood City, CA | 94061 | 650.260.0005 | PenCleanEnergy.com
COMMONLY USED ACRONYMS AND KEY TERMS
AB xx – Assembly Bill xx
ALJ – Administrative Law Judge
AMP - Arrears Management Plans
AVCE - Apple Valley Choice Energy
AQM – Air Quality Management
AVA - AVA Community Energy – Alameda Valley Community Energy, Formally East Bay Community Energy
BAAQMD – Bay Area Air Quality Management District
BLPTA – Buyer Liability Pass Through Agreement
CAISO – California Independent System Operator
CalCCA – California Community Choice Association
CAM – Cost Allocation Mechanism
CAP – Climate Action Plan
CAPP – California Arrearage Payment Program
CARB – California Air Resources Board, or California ARB CARE - California Alternative Rates for Energy Program
CBA – California Balancing Authority
3CE - Central Coast Community Energy (Formerly Monterey Bay Community Power-MBCP) CCA – Community Choice Aggregation (aka Community Choice Programs (CCP) or CCE – Community Choice Energy (CCE)
CCCFA – California Community Choice Financing Authority CC Power – California Community Power
CEC – California Energy Commission
CEA - Clean Energy Alliance
CPA – Clean Power Alliance
98 CPSF - Clean Power SF
CPE - Central Procurement Entity
CPP - Critical Peak Pricing
CPSF – Clean Power San Francisco
CPUC – California Public Utility Commission (Regulator for state utilities) (Also PUC) CRR – Congestion Revenue Rights
CSD – California Department of Community Services and Development CSGT - Community Solar Green Tariff
Customer Centricity - culture, framework and business strategy based on providing a positive customer experience and building long-term relationships DA – Direct Access
DAC-GT - Disadvantaged Communities Green Tariff
DER – Distributed Energy Resources
DCE - Desert Community Energy
DERMS – Distributed Energy Resource Management System
DG – Distributed Generation
DOE – Department of Energy
DR – Demand Response
DRP – Demand Response Provider
DRP/IDER – Distribution Resources Planning / Integrated Distributed Energy Resources EBCE – East Bay Community Energy now known as Ava Community Energy ECOplus – PCE’s default electricity product, 50% renewable and 50% carbon-free (in 2021) ECO100 – PCE’s 100% renewable energy product
EDAM – Extended Day-Ahead Market
EDR – Economic Development Rate
EE – Energy Efficiency
EEI – Edison Electric Institute; Standard contract to procure energy & RA EIR – Environmental Impact Report
99 ELCC – Effective Load Carrying Capability
EPIC – Energy for Palmdale’s independent Choice
ESP – Electric Service Provider
ESS – Energy Storage Systems
ESSA – Energy Storage Services Agreement
ERRA – Energy Resource Recovery Account
EV – Electric Vehicle
EVSE – Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (Charging Station) FERA - Family Electric Rate Assistance Program
FERC – Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
FFS – Franchise Fee Surcharge
GHG – Greenhouse gas
GHG-Free – Greenhouse gas free
GTSR – Green Tariff Shared Renewables
GWh – Gigawatt Hours (Energy) = 1000 MWh
Heavy Duty Vehicle – large vehicles such as busses and long-haul trucks HPWH – Heat Pump Water Heater
HP HVAC – Heat Pump Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning HR xx – House of Representatives Bill xx
IDER – Integrated Distributed Energy Resources
IGFC – Income Graduated Fixed Charge
IOU – Investor-Owned Utility (e.g. PG&E, SCE, SDG&E)
IIJA – Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
IRA – Inflation Reduction Act
IRP – Integrated Resource Plan
IVR – Interactive Voice Response
ITC – Investment Tax Credit (it’s a solar tax credit)
100
JCC – Joint Cost Comparison
JPA – Joint Powers Authority
JRC – Joint Rate Comparison
JRM – Joint Rate Mailer
kW – kilowatt (Power)
kWh – Kilowatt-hour (Energy)
LCE – Lancaster Choice Energy
LDV - Light Duty Vehicle - passenger vehicles such as cars and small pickup trucks LDS – Long Duration Storage
LDES – Long Duration Energy Storage
LIHEAP- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
LS - Load Shaping – changing when grid energy is used
LSE – Load Serving Entity
MCE – Marin Clean Energy
MG - Methane Gas - formerly known as ‘natural gas’
Microgrid – building or community energy system
MDV - Mid Duty Vehicle – vehicles such as passenger vans MW – Megawatt (Power) = 1000 kW
MWh – Megawatt-hour (Energy) = 1000 kWh
MTR – Mid-Term Reliability
MUD – Multi-unit Dwelling
NBCs – non-by passable charges
NBT – Net Billing Tariff
NEM – Net Energy Metering
NERC – North American Electric Reliability Corporation
NDA – Non-Disclosure Agreement
NG – Natural Gas
101
OBF – On-bill Financing
OBR – On-bill Repayment
OCPA – Orange County Power Authority
OES – Office of Emergency Services
OIR – Order Instituting Rulemaking
PACE – Property Assessed Clean Energy
PCC – Portfolio Content Category (aka “buckets”) – categories for RPS compliance PCC1 – Portfolio Content Category 1 REC (also called bucket 1 REC) PCC2 – Portfolio Content Category 2 REC (also called bucket 2 REC) PCC3 – Portfolio Content Category 3 REC (also called bucket 3 REC or unbundled REC) PCEA – Peninsula Clean Energy Authority
PCIA – Power Charge Indifference Adjustment
PCL – Power Content Label
Pioneer Community Energy
PLA – Project Labor Agreement
POU – Publicly Owned Utility
Pomona Choice Energy
PPA – Power Purchase Agreement
PPSA – Project Participation Share Agreement (CC Power) PRIME – Pico Rivera innovative Municipal Energy
PSPS – Public Safety Power Shutoff
PV – Photovoltaics (solar panels)
RMEA - Rancho Mirage Energy Authority
RA – Resource Adequacy
RE – Renewable Energy
REC – Renewable Energy Credit/Certificate
RCEA - Redwood Coast Energy Authority
102
RICAPS - Regionally Integrated Climate Action Planning Suite RPS – California Renewable Portfolio Standard
S xx – US Senate Bill xx
SB xx – CA Senate Bill xx
SBCE - Santa Barbara Clean Energy
SBP – Solar Billing Plan
SCP – Sonoma Clean Power
SDCP – San Diego Community Power
SJCE – San Jose Clean Energy
SJP - San Jacinto Power
SJVAPCD - San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District SMD – Share My Data, interval meter data
SQMD – Settlement Quality Meter Data
SVCE – Silicon Valley Clean Energy
TOB – Tariff on Bill
TOU Rates – Time of Use Rates
Valley Clean Energy
VGI – Vehicle-Grid Integration
V2G – Vehicle-to-Grid
VPP – Virtual Power Plant
WECC – Western Energy Coordinating Council
WREGIS – Western Renewable Energy Generation Information System WSPP – Western Systems Power Pool; standard contract to procure energy and RA WWGPI - West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative
103