PIONEER COMMUNITY ENERGY
GOVERNING BOARD
March 17, 2022
Minutes
Entry No. 1
Heard General Administration Functions, Part I.
Call to Order
Pioneer Community Energy Governing Board met in open session at 3:00 PM on March 17, 2022.
Pursuant to Government Code section 54953(e) and other applicable provisions of the Brown Act, the meeting was conducted via live streamed teleconference accessed and viewed at the following web link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/i/89967227073.
Roll Call
p A Title Name
X Chair Alice Dowdin Calvillo
X Vice Chair Jeff Duncan
X Director Wes Heathcock
X Director John Hidahl
X Director Jim Holmes
X Director Greg Janda
X Director Suzanne Jones
X Director Dan Karleskint
X Director Michael Saragosa
Chair Dowdin Calvillo presided over the meeting .
Agenda Review
Agency
City of Auburn
Town of Loomis
City of Colfax
County of El Dorado
County of Placer
City of Rocklin
County of Placer
City of Lincoln
City of Placerville
Reviewed the meeting agenda for March 17, 2022 as follows:
Staff recommended that Consent Item ld, Affirming existing committee members to the Energy Procurement Review Committee, the Audit & Finance Committee, and the Expansion Committee through January 2023, be removed from the agenda for future review and consideration.
Approved the Agenda as amended without objection and did substitute the previous roll call for the vote.
Public Comment
There were no comments from members of the public on items not listed on this agenda.
Chair Dowdin Calvillo announced that Auburn City Council voted to opt-up to Pioneer's Greenl00 rate at their February 28, 2022 meeting, making the City of Auburn is Pioneer's first member agency to be served with 100% renewable energy; and encouraged other member agencies to consider taking similar action.
Entry No. 2
Acted on the Consent Agenda as follows:
Approved minutes of the February 17, 2022 regular meeting.
Determined pursuant to Government Code Section 54953(e), that: (1) the Board has reconsidered the circumstances of the state of emergency created by the COVID-19 pandemic; and (2) the state of emergency continues to directly impact the ability of the members to meet safely in person.
Received Draft Financial Reports for January 2022 .
Governing Board Minutes
March 17, 2022
Approved the Consent Agenda less Item ld, Affirming existing committee members to the Energy Procurement Review Committee, the Audit & Finance Committee, and the Expansion Committee through January 2023, was removed from the agenda for future review and consideration.
MOTION: Hidahl/Holmes. Vote: 7:0:2.
ROLL CALL: Dowdin Calvillo, Duncan, Hidahl, Holmes, Jones, Karleskint, Thomas.
No/Abstain: None.
Absent: Heathcock, Janda.
Entry No. 3
Approved staff recommendation to conduct meetings of the Board of Directors in a hybrid format in Pioneer's office space and to maintain social distancing by limiting in-person Board members to five in attendance (Option 1).
MOTION: Holmes/Jones. Vote: 7:0:2.
ROLL CALL: Dowdin Calvillo, Duncan, Hidahl, Holmes, Jones, Karleskint, Thomas.
No/Abstain: None.
Absent: Heathcock, Janda.
Chair Dowdin Calvillo encouraged Executive Director Eckert to proceed with office preparations and to pursue meeting venue options at County of Placer, County of El Dorado, and City of Auburn.
Entry No. 4
Received and approved the 2022 Pioneer Legislative Policy and Platform which includes the following recommendations: adopt a support position on AB 1814 (Grayson), AB 1956 (Mathis), SB 612 (Portantino), and SB 833 (Dodd); adopt a support if amended position on SB 881 (Min); adopt an oppose position on SB 529 (Hertzberg) and SB 1287 (Bradford).
MOTION: Hidahl/Holmes. Vote: 7:0:2.
ROLL CALL: Dowdin Calvillo, Duncan, Hidahl, Holmes, Jones, Karleskint, Thomas.
No/Abstain: None.
Absent: Heathcock, Janda.
Chair Dowdin Calvillo requested staff to add AB 1944 and AB 2449, the two Brown Act bills mentioned by General Counsel, to the watch list; and to amend Pioneer's position on SB 881 (Min) from support if amended to oppose unless amended.
Entry No. 5
Adopted Resolution 2022-7 adopting the FY 2021-22 Mid-Year Operating Budget.
Director Koehn requested for the Board to approve the Mid-Year Operating Budget adjustments per the Audit & Finance Committee recommendation.
MOTION: Holmes/Karleskint. Vote: 7:0:2.
ROLL CALL: Dowdin Calvillo, Duncan, Hidahl, Holmes, Jones, Karleskint, Thomas.
No/Abstain: None.
Absent: Heathcock, Janda.
Entry No. 6
Received a progress report on the objectives that support the priorities in the Fiscal Year 2021-2024 Pioneer Community Energy Strategic Plan.
Director Hidahl recommended adding trend analysis (up/down arrows) to reports.
Governing Board Minutes
March 17, 2022
Chair Dowdin Calvillo recommended fellow Directors to promote Pioneer on their websites and social media accounts.
Entry No. 8
Heard General Administration Functions, Part II.
A. Board Member Communications
Director Duncan reported that on March 3, 2022, the Audit & Finance Committee 1) approved another year term for Chair Janda and Vice Chair Duncan; 2) received a report from Hutchinson and Bloodgood regarding the I.T. Audit and requested that a presentation be received by the Board at a future meeting; 3) Michael Berwanger with PFM, Pioneer's prepayment financial advisor, presented an overview of Energy Prepayment Transactions which for certain energy power purchase agreements could allow Pioneer to use its tax exempt status to realize a discount for a portion of Pioneer's energy supply and directed staff to move forward with a Request for Proposal for energy prepayment banking services and to further explore the prepayment possibilities; 4) received an update on Pioneer's generation rates that were effective March 1, 2022; 5) received presentation on the Mid-Year Budget which was on the today's Board agenda; and, 6) received presentation regarding customer meter data that is used for a variety of purposes related to Pioneer operations and requested that the presentation be shared with the Board at a future meeting.
Director Hidahl inquired if solar customers would be able to utilize the Time of Use (TOU) "calculator" feature on the Pioneer website.
Executive Director Eckert commented that as of now, the calculator would only work for the E-1 customers.
B. Executive Director Communications
Executive Director Eckert introduced Pioneer's new Power Resources Manager, Devin Reaves. Before joining Pioneer, Devin was a Sr. Consultant with NewGen Strategies and Solutions where he performed cost of service studies and rate design. Devin also has experience in power trading and asset management in various markets including CAISO, WECC, MID-C, SPP and ERCOT. Devin is a graduate of the Colorado School of Mines with a degree in Petroleum Engineering.
Executive Director Eckert provided a Rates Update. Pacific Gas & Electric ("PG&E") rate schedules were released in late February. On average, a 2017 Power Cost Indifference Adjustment ("PCIA") vintage customer (most of Placer County) will receive a 10% discount compared to PG&E's generation rate and 2021 PCIA vintage customers (all El Dorado County and City of Placerville) will receive a 6% discount.
The discounts are projected to create approximately $19 million of ratepayer savings for 2022. For 2017 PCIA vintage customers, the discount is lower than the 18% discount discussed in the December rates proceeding. The drivers for the variance are the actual rates released in February included a slighter lower PG&E generation rate and a higher PCIA rate. This is due to a dip in power supply prices in January and over-collection on the PCIA rate. The resolution passed in December 2021 allowed staff to implement rate adjustments if the discount was at least 6%. Staff did act and the new rates are effective March 1, 2022.
Executive Director Eckert concluded his report by announcing that the TOU webinar with PG&E was a success with about 70 people in attendance.
C. Informational Items
Received the Glossary of Terms.
Governing Board Minutes
March 17, 2022
D. Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 4:44 PM
ATTEST:
Minutes approved as presented by a majority vote of
the Governing Board on April 21, 2022.
Teresa Willock, Board Secretary