Agenda — Pioneer Community Energy Board of Directors, July 23, 2026 (part 1 of 2)

Board of Directors
Chair: Alice Dowdin Calvillo
Vice Chair: Greg Janda
City of Auburn
Alice Dowdin Calvillo
Sandra Amara, Alternate
City of Colfax
Sean Lomen
Kim Douglass, Alternate
County of El Dorado
Lori Parlin
Brian Veerkamp, Alternate
City of Grass Valley
Tom Ivy
Jan Arbuckle, Alternate
City of Lincoln
Richard Pearl
John Reedy, Alternate
Town of Loomis
David Ring
Danny Cartwright, Alternate
Nevada City
Gary Petersen
Lou Ceci, Alternate
County of Placer
Anthony DeMattei
Suzanne Jones
Bonnie Gore, Alternate
City of Placerville
Ryan Carter
David Yarbrough, Alternate
City of Rocklin
Greg Janda
David Bass, Alternate
Pioneer Community Energy
Board of Directors
July 23, 2026

REGULAR MEETING
3:00 PM
Pioneer Community Energy Board Room
2510 Warren Drive, Suite B, Rocklin, CA 95677

REMOTE LOCATION
45590 South Caspar Drive, Mendocino CA 95460
This regular meeting will convene in person at the address printed above, be accessible on the Zoom platform at the following link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89020017279;
and live streamed for viewing on the Pioneer website:
https://pioneercommunityenergy.org/about-us/meetings-and-agendas/.

Members of the public may participate in person or by remote audio/visual access. Those who participated remotely and wish to comment should be prepared to use the Zoom platform via computer or telephone. Public comment will be opened for each agenda item in sequence.

How to Participate Using Zoom
You can join the meeting using the following link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89020017279.

When you join the meeting, you will be muted by default. To inform the Clerk that you would like to make a public comment, you will use the “Raise Hand” feature.

Public Comment via Computer or Smartphone
If you would like to make a comment, you will use the “Raise Your Hand” feature.

Please note that you should only raise your hand during the item to which you will comment. Instructions for using the “Raise Hand” feature when using a computer or mobile device can be found at the link:
https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/205566129-Raising-your-hand-in-a-webinar Public Comment via telephone (Audio Only Option)

1. Dial 1 (699) 900-6833

2. When asked for the meeting ID, enter 890 2001 7279#

3. When asked for your participant ID, press # to continue.

You will be muted by default. To inform the Clerk that you would like to make a comment, during each agenda item, dial *9 to “Raise your hand.” When it is your turn to speak, the Clerk will identify you by the last three digits of your phone number; at that time, dial *6 to unmute yourself and state your name and comment for the record. Please note that you should only raise your hand during the item to which you will comment.

I. GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTION – PART 1
A. CALL TO ORDER

1. Roll Call
B. PRESENTATIONS BY THE PUBLIC ON MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA WITHIN THE

JURISDICTION OF THE BOARD
Persons may address the Board on items not on the agenda and within the jurisdiction of the Board.

Please limit comments to 3 minutes per person. According to State Law (the Brown Act), items must first be noticed on the agenda before any discussion or action, so the Board is prohibited from discussing issues not on the agenda brought to them at this time. Public comments on matters listed on the agenda shall be heard at the time the matter is called.

C. AGENDA REVIEW
II. CONSENT AGENDA
1) APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA
All items on the Consent Agenda have been recommended for approval by the Chief Executive Officer.

All Consent items will be approved by a single vote. Anyone may ask to address Consent items prior to the Board acting, and the item may be moved for discussion. a) ADMINISTRATION
Approve the minutes of the June 18, 2026 Special and Regular meetings. (ECKERT) b) FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
Receive Fiscal Year 2025-26 Draft Monthly Financial Reports through May 2026. (KOEHN) c) FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
Adopt Resolution approving a 3% Cost-of-Living Adjustment and Salary Schedule Adjustment. (KOEHN)
d) FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
Adopt Resolution approving the job descriptions and salary range for the Chief People Officer. (KOEHN)
III. REGULAR AGENDA
2) ADMINISTRATION
Consider the Implementation of an Economic Development Rate (ACTION- ECKERT) Recommendation: Provide direction to staff on consideration of an Economic Development Rate to incentivize commercial and industrial customer location in Pioneer Community Energy service territory. 3) POWER RESOURCES
Adopt Resolution Approving Pioneer’s 2025 Integrated Resource Plan (ACTION-KANG) Recommendation: Adopt Resolution approving the Pioneer Community Energy 2025 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) in substantive form and authorizing submission of the IRP to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) pursuant to the requirements of CPUC Rulemaking 25-06-019, under Senate Bill 350.
4) POWER RESOURCES
Adopt Resolutions Approving and Authorizing a Battery Optimization Software Agreement with Ascend Analytics, LLC and Amendment No. 2 to Energy Services Agreement for Battery Optimization Software with ZGlobal, Inc. (ACTION-KANG)
Recommendation: (1) Adopt Resolution approving and authorizing the Chief Executive Officer to execute a service agreement with Ascend Analytics, LLC, for SmartBidder Battery Optimization software and managed Optimization Services with a total amount not to exceed $157,300; and, (2) Adopt Resolution approving and authorizing the Chief Executive Officer to execute Amendment No. 2 to the Energy Services Agreement with ZGlobal, Inc., authorizing an additional $94,858.34 with a total amount not to exceed $271,611.29 for Battery Optimization Software and Energy Services. 5) PROGRAMS
Approval to Develop and Issue a Request for Proposals for the Strategic Energy Management Pilot Program (ACTION-KANG)
Recommendation: Approve the development of a two-year Strategic Energy Management Pilot Program and authorize the Chief Executive Director or designee to issue a Request for Proposals, negotiate and execute agreement(s) with a qualified third-party implementer within the approved budget, and begin program delivery.

IV. GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTION – PART 2
A. BOARD MEMBER COMMUNICATIONS

1. July 13, 2026 Audit & Finance Committee Report (Committee Chair Petersen)

2. Board Member Communications
B. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER COMMUNICATIONS
C. ITEMS FOR INFORMATION

1. Glossary of Terms
D. ADJOURNMENT
Upcoming Meeting of the Board:

September 17, 2026
Accommodations
Pioneer Community Energy is committed to ensuring that persons with disabilities are provided with the resources to participate fully in its public meetings. If you are hearing impaired, we have listening devices available. If you require additional disability-related modifications or accommodations, including auxiliary aids or services, please contact the Clerk of the Board. If requested, the agenda shall be provided in appropriate alternative formats for persons with disabilities. All requests must be in writing and must be received by the Clerk five business days prior to the scheduled meeting for which you are requesting accommodation. Requests received after such time will be accommodated only if time permits.

Affidavit of Posting
I, Teresa Willock, Board Secretary, declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing agenda for the July 23, 2026 regular meeting of the Pioneer Community Energy Governing Board was posted and available for public review on July 20, 2026 at the offices of Pioneer Community Energy, 2510 Warren Drive, Suite B, Rocklin, CA 95677; at remote location 45590 South Caspar Drive, Mendocino CA 95460; and, was on the Pioneer website at: https://pioneercommunityenergy.org/about-us/meetings-and-agendas/.

All public materials related to an item on this agenda submitted to the Governing Board after distribution of the agenda packet are also made available for public inspection on Pioneer’s website at:
https://pioneercommunityenergy.org/about-us/meetings-and-agendas/. Any document provided at the meeting by staff or by the public will be provided by the Board Clerk upon request by phone at (916) 251-8573, or by email at: [email protected].

PIONEER COMMUNITY ENERGY

GOVERNING BOARD

SPECIAL MEETING
June 18, 2026

MINUTES
Entry No. 1
Heard General Administrative Functions – Part I
Call to Order
Pioneer Community Energy Governing Board met in open session at 2:52 PM on June 18, 2026. The Members convened in person and the meeting was accessible to the public at Pioneer Community Energy, 2510 Warren Drive, Suite B, Rocklin, California 95677; remote location at Nevada City – City Hall, Wetherall Conference Room, 317 Broad Street, Nevada City, California 95959; the meeting was accessible for viewer participation on the Zoom platform at the following link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89020017279; and, was live streamed for viewing on the Pioneer website:
https://pioneercommunityenergy.org/about-us/meetings-and-agendas/.

Roll Call

Present: City of Auburn (Dowdin Calvillo), County of El Dorado (Parlin), City of Grass Valley (Ivy), Town of Loomis (Ring), Nevada City (Petersen), County of Placer (DeMattei), City of Placerville (Carter).

Absent: City of Colfax (Lomen), City of Lincoln (Pearl), County of Placer (Jones), City of Rocklin (Janda).

Director Petersen participated by teleconferencing from a remote location (Zoom); the remote location was noticed on the meeting agenda as Nevada City – City Hall, Wetherall Conference Room, 317 Broad Street, Nevada City, California 95959; and, was open to the public.

Chair Dowdin Calvillo presided over the meeting.

Public Comment
There were no comments from members of the public.

Closed Session
Adjourned to Closed Session at 2:53 PM with expected time of 3:00 PM to convene the Regular Meeting.

Conference with Labor Negotiators (GC §54957.6)
Name of Agency Negotiator to Attend Closed Session: Don Eckert, Chief Executive Officer; Brad Koehn, Director of Finance & Administration.

Unrepresented Employee: All Employees
Public Report of Closed Session
The Public Report of Closed Session was heard in open session when the regular meeting reconvened.

DRAFT - ITEM 1a

PIONEER COMMUNITY ENERGY

GOVERNING BOARD
REGULAR MEETING and PUBLIC HEARING
June 18, 2026

MINUTES
Entry No. 1
Heard General Administrative Functions – Part I
Call to Order
Pioneer Community Energy Governing Board met in open session at 3:07 PM on June 18, 2026. The Members convened in person and the meeting was accessible to the public at Pioneer Community Energy, 2510 Warren Drive, Suite B, Rocklin, California 95677; remote location at Nevada City – City Hall, Wetherall Conference Room, 317 Broad Street, Nevada City, California 95959; the meeting was accessible for viewer participation on the Zoom platform at the following link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89020017279; and, was live streamed for viewing on the Pioneer website:
https://pioneercommunityenergy.org/about-us/meetings-and-agendas/.

Director Janda and Director Jones arrived prior to the Regular Meeting.

Roll Call

Absent: City of Colfax (Lomen), City of Lincoln (Pearl).

Chair Dowdin Calvillo presided over the meeting.

Public Report of Closed Session
Conference with Labor Negotiators (GC §54957.6)
Name of Agency Negotiator to Attend Closed Session: Don Eckert, Chief Executive Officer; Brad Koehn, Director of Finance & Administration.

Unrepresented Employee: All Employees
No reportable action was taken in the matter of Conference with Labor Negotiators (Government Code §54957.6).

Agenda Review
Reviewed and made no revision to the meeting agenda for June 18, 2026.

Entry No. 2
Acted on the Consent Agenda as follows:

Approved the minutes of the May 21, 2026 regular meeting as presented.

Received Fiscal Year 2025-26 Draft Monthly Financial Reports through April 2026.

DRAFT - ITEM 1a
DRAFT – June 18, 2026 – page 2
Adopted Resolution 2026-16 authorizing and approving the Chief Executive Officer to execute an agreement with Maher Accountancy for accounting services for a contract amount of $220,400 not to exceed $250,400 as a contingency for potential additional services for a one-year term.

Adopted Resolution 2026-17 authorizing the Chief Executive Officer to execute an agreement with Alive Media for the acquisition of audiovisual equipment, relocation of existing audiovisual equipment, and expansion of the boardroom audiovisual system to accommodate Pioneer’s expanded Board, in an amount not to exceed $194,210.

MOTION: Jones/Ring. Vote: 9:0:2
ROLL CALL: Carter, DeMattei, Dowdin Calvillo, Ivy, Janda, Jones, Parlin, Petersen, Ring.

No/Abstain: None.

Absent: Lomen, Pearl.

Entry No. 3
California Independent System Operator - Summer Readiness and Grid Regionalization Update Received a presentation from Juan Buitrago and Melissa Skelton of California Independent System Operator (CAISO) on Summer Readiness and updates on Grid Regionalization.

Directors expressed appreciation for the presentation; discussed points regarding excess power storage (negative generation) and possibility of calling an inverted “power alert” for consumers to utilize surplus at a lower rate; and, how this would relate to Pioneer’s procurement of buying and selling when the transmission system is not as congested.

Entry No. 4
Prepay Bond Transaction Update
Don Eckert, Chief Executive Officer, provided an update on the Prepay Bond Transaction and noted that the market was calm and there was interest due to involvement from Alphabet, the parent company of Google.

CEO Eckert informed the Board that Pioneer’s first prepay bond transaction in 2023 was $2 million and that this transaction was at $8 million. Pioneer realized a 14% discount on power prepay agreements.

This will be frontloaded for greater savings and help to stabilize the budget.

With a celebratory toast, CEO Eckert expressed appreciation to Sam Kang, Chief Operating Officer, for securing the power purchase agreements; Gina Stassi-Vanacore, Director of Communications, for media and communications; Brad Koehn, Director of Finance & Administration, for financial support; and, to the Board of Directors for their support of Pioneer.

The Board expressed their appreciation for staff.

Entry No. 5
Conduct Public Hearing on the Status of Vacancies and Recruitment and Retention Efforts at Pioneer under Assembly Bill 2561
Conducted a Public Hearing on the status of vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts in compliance with Assembly Bill 2561 (Government Code § 3502.3) with no written or verbal comments received.

DRAFT – June 18, 2026 – page 3
Per Government Code Section 3502.3(a)(1), at least once each fiscal year, at a public hearing before the Governing Board, Pioneer shall present information regarding the status of vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts; and, per Government Code Section 3502.3(a)(3), identify any necessary changes to policies, procedures, and recruitment activities that may lead to obstacles in the hiring process.

Although Pioneer does not have any recognized employee organizations or bargaining units, that could change in the future. The procedures for an Assembly Bill 2561 Public Hearing anticipate and details the protocol and engagement with employee organization if and when Pioneer employees are in a recognized organization.

The status of Pioneer’s vacancies, recruitment and retention efforts were disclosed by stating that Fiscal Year 2025-26 began with 22 filled positions and four newly authorized positions for a total of 26 full time authorized positions; that Pioneer posts each position recruitment brochure on Pioneer’s Career Opportunities page and also contracts with a human resources firm to widely advertise the opportunity and find qualified applicants; and, that as of June 4, 2026, the status of the 26 authorized positions is: 24 positions filled, one position with a start date of June 22, 2026, and one active recruitment.

The Board has provided employee cost-of-living adjustments, adjusted salary ranges based on a 2025 Compensation Study to ensure Pioneer’s compensation package is competitive and provided enhanced employer contributions to employee 401a retirement accounts. These actions have been significant factors in attracting qualified candidates and retaining highly performing employees.

There are no recommended modifications to policies, procedures, or recruitment activities in Pioneer’s hiring process.

Entry No. 6
Adopt Resolution Approving the Recommended Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget Brad Koehn, Director of Finance & Administration, presented the Recommended Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget, noting that since the Board of Directors met on May 21, 2026, favorable pricing from Pioneer’s second Prepay Bond will realize a frontloaded power supply cost savings of $23 million for FY 2026-27; and, comparing non-energy costs relative to both load and total operating budget, Pioneer ranks as more cost-effective compared to other CCAs, especially when considering expansion growth.

Director Koehn also discussed potential deficit mitigation efforts concerning the Fiscal Year 2027 budget currently assumes flat rates, though annual rate discussions in December may result in adjustments that could help offset deficit; and, an extreme weather contingency provides flexibility to help address potential impacts from unforeseen weather events, if unused, would help offset a portion of deficit.

The Board discussed possibility of establishing a “hedge reserve” regarding PCIA and rate-setting with a policy on how and when it would be used; focusing on establishing lower rates; and, number of full-time employees and if number of consultants could be reduced.

Director Ring moved approval for the recommended Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget.

Director Parlin seconded the motion.

Adopted Resolution 2026-18 approving the recommended Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget.

MOTION: Ring/Parlin. Vote: 9:0:2
ROLL CALL: Carter, DeMattei, Dowdin Calvillo, Ivy, Janda, Jones, Parlin, Petersen, Ring.

No/Abstain: None.

Absent: Lomen, Pearl.

DRAFT – June 18, 2026 – page 4
Entry No. 7
Adopt Resolutions Authorizing the Chief Executive Officer to Execute Agreements with Amperon Holdings, Inc. for Meter-Demand Forecasting and with cQuant.IO, Inc. Amendment No. 3 to Consultant Services Agreement for Portfolio Optimization and Slice-of-Day Compliance Requirements Support
Nick Yurashku, Quantitative Analysis & Modeling Manager, presented benefits of an integrated portfolio optimization framework as Pioneer operates in an increasingly complex energy market shaped by regulatory compliance requirements, hourly resource adequacy obligations, evolving customer load patterns, and growing exposure to Day-Ahead and Real-Time market volatility. In addition, the CPUC has issued several decisions intended to improve grid reliability and prevent rolling blackouts, including mid-term reliability procurement requirements and the implementation of the 24-hour Slice-of-Day resource adequacy framework.

Staff recommended continuing the use of two complementary platforms: cQuant for portfolio optimization, valuation, risk analytics, and Slice-of-Day compliance support; and, Amperon for meter-level demand forecasting. Together, these tools provide the data, forecasting, simulation, and optimization capabilities needed to support Pioneer’s modern portfolio management function.

Expected outcomes include: Improved hourly forecast accuracy and reduced market exposure, Stronger Day-Ahead and Real-Time bidding support, Better valuation of renewable, storage, biomass, geothermal, and other contracts, Enhanced Slice-of-Day compliance visibility, and more analytics and procurement rigor brought in-house.

Staff confirmed length of term for cQuant was three years with one-year prior to that to test software; and, that the upfront customization and implementation takes about two to three months.

Director Ring moved approval for both resolutions.

Director Janda seconded the motion.

Adopted Resolution 2026-19 Approving and Authorizing the Chief Executive Officer to Execute Amendment No. 3 to Consultant Services Agreement with cQuant.IO Inc., Authorizing an Additional $740,645, with a Total Amount Not to Exceed $1,195,520.20, for Portfolio Optimization and Slice-of-Day Compliance Requirements Support.

And, adopted Resolution 2026-20 Approving and Authorizing the Chief Executive Officer to Execute an Agreement with Amperon Holdings, Inc., for Meter-Demand Forecasting in an Amount Not to Exceed $82,650.00.

MOTION: Ring/Janda. Vote: 9:0:2
ROLL CALL: Carter, DeMattei, Dowdin Calvillo, Ivy, Janda, Jones, Parlin, Petersen, Ring.

No/Abstain: None.

Absent: Lomen, Pearl.

Entry No. 8
Information Technology and Security Audit Presentation
Eric Ponce, Information Technology Analyst, provided a presentation on the Information Technology (IT) and Security Audit results.

DRAFT – June 18, 2026 – page 5
The Audit confirmed a strong and well-managed security posture with no critical or high-risk findings, no history of security incidents, and a clear plan in place to continue strengthening Pioneer’s environment, building on the progress made with Board-approved IT policies. As cybersecurity is never static, Pioneer will continue to monitor, strengthen, and adapt defenses to stay ahead of evolving threats.

The Board expressed appreciation for staff’s diligence and proactive efforts in this area.

Entry No. 9
Heard General Administrative Function – Part II
Board Member Communications
Committee Chair Dowdin Calvillo reported that the Governance Committee convened with all members present on June 15, 2026, adjourned to Closed Session regarding labor negotiations, then reconvened open session, provided the public report of the Closed Session, and approved the meeting minutes of the December 17, 2025 Committee meeting as presented. The Committee discussed governance related to expansion and impacts to the JPA; and, Chief Executive Officer Eckert reported on a meeting with Liberty Utilities regarding power supply issues for City of South Lake Tahoe. The Committee will be meeting again in late July for further discussion related to administration of Board meetings.

Chief Executive Officer Communications
CEO Eckert introduced Elliott Sherman, Programs Manager, experience in commercial and industrial programs; provided an update on meeting with Liberty Utilities; and informed the Board that Pioneer will be participating in the El Dorado County Fair this weekend and in the Placer County Fair the following weekend.

Items for Information
Received the Glossary of Terms.

Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 4:37 PM.

Page 1 of 1 ends

Staff Report – Item 1b
To: The Governing Board
From: Linda Praseudsuk, Sr. Financial Analyst
Item 1b: Receive Fiscal Year 2025-26 Draft Monthly Financial Reports Through May 2026 Date: 7/23/2026

RECOMMENDATION
Receive Fiscal Year 2025-26 Draft Monthly Financial Reports through May 2026.

BACKGROUND
The Year-To-Date (YTD) financial reports are produced by Maher Accountancy for Board member and management review. Although these reports are unaudited, they provide the most up-to-date financial data for Pioneer Community Energy. The mPOWER program accepted its last application August 2021 and mPOWER activity is now limited to administering the outstanding mPOWER Bonds. Financials for the mPOWER program will be included in the audited year-end reports. For May 2026, the financial reporting package includes the following reports for the CCA Fund only:
• Statement of Net Position (Balance Sheet) – Accounting of Assets, Liabilities and Net Position as of the reporting period end date for the CCA program. • Statement of Revenues, Expenses, and Changes in Net Position (P&L) – Accounting of all revenues, expenses, and changes in net position on a YTD basis through the reporting period end date for the CCA program.
• Budgetary Comparison Schedule (Budget to Actuals) – Comparison of budget to actuals on a YTD basis through the reporting period end date for the CCA program.

STRATEGIC PLAN
Strategic Priority: Be Fiscally Strong and Resilient

FISCAL IMPACT
The YTD change in net position through eleven months of the fiscal year is $10.9 million.

ATTACHMENTS

1. Financial Reports through May 31, 2026
Plf)NEER

COMMUNITY ENERGY
1 ACCOUNTANTS’ COMPILATION REPORT
Management
Pioneer Community Energy
Management is responsible for the accompanying financial statements of the CCA Program of Pioneer Community Energy (a California Joint Powers Authority) which comprise the statement of net position as of May 31, 2026, and the related statement of revenues, expenses, and changes in net position for the eleven months then ended in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. We have performed a compilation engagement in accordance with Statements on Standards for Accounting and Review Services promulgated by the Accounting and Review Services Committee of the AICPA. We did not audit or review the accompanying statements nor were we required to perform any procedures to verify the accuracy or completeness of the information provided by management. Accordingly, we do not express an opinion, conclusion, nor provide any assurance on these financial statements.

Management has elected to omit substantially all of the disclosures and the statement of cash flows required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America in these interim financial statements. Pioneer Community Energy’s annual audited financial statements include the note disclosures and statement of cash flows omitted from these interim statements. If the omitted disclosures and the statement of cash flows were included in these financial statements, they might influence the user’s conclusions about Pioneer Community Energy’s financial position, results of operations, and cash flows. Accordingly, these financial statements are not designed for those who are not informed about such matters.

We are not independent with respect to Pioneer Community Energy because we performed certain accounting services that impaired our independence.

Maher Accountancy
San Rafael, CA
July 8, 2026
1101 Fifth Avenue, Suite 200 San Rafael, CA 94901 415 459 1249 mahercpa.com CCA Program
ASSETS
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents 48,816,270$
Investments 134,293,087
Accounts receivable, net of allowance 14,402,290
Accrued revenue 6,965,171
Other receivables 481,930
Interest receivable 482,000
Prepaid expenses 3,348,627
Deposits 1,159,494
Total current assets 209,948,869
Noncurrent assets
Capital assets, net of depreciation and amortization 1,319,268 Deposits 3,423
Total noncurrent assets 1,322,692
Total assets 211,271,561

LIABILITIES
Current liabilities
Accrued cost of electricity 14,463,140
Accounts payable 547,694
Other accrued liabilities 1,114,761
Lease liability 133,937
Supplier security deposits 312,000
Total current liabilities 16,571,532
Noncurrent liabilities
Lease liability 645,434
Supplier security deposits 60,000
Total noncurrent liabilities 705,434
Total liabilities 17,276,966

NET POSITION
Net investment in capital assets 539,897
Unrestricted net position 193,454,698
Total net position $ 193,994,595

PIONEER COMMUNITY ENERGY

STATEMENT OF NET POSITION
As of May 31, 2026

CCA PROGRAM
See accountants' compilation report. 2
CCA Program

OPERATING REVENUES
Electricity sales, net 191,118,609$
Other income 136,000
Total operating revenues 191,254,609

OPERATING EXPENSES
Cost of electricity 172,491,470
Contract services 5,794,789
Staff compensation 4,994,767
Other operating expenses 2,488,200
Depreciation and amortization 172,970
Total operating expenses 185,942,196
Operating income (loss) 5,312,413

NONOPERATING REVENUES (EXPENSES)
Investment income 5,640,105
Interest expense (57,311)
Nonoperating revenues (expenses), net 5,582,794
CHANGE IN NET POSITION 10,895,207
Net position at beginning of period 183,099,388
Net position at end of period 193,994,595$
Eleven Months Ended May 31, 2026

AND CHANGES IN NET POSITION

STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENSES

CCA PROGRAM

PIONEER COMMUNITY ENERGY
See accountants' compilation report. 3
Participation Rates – May 2026
*The implementation of PG&E’s Solar Billing Plan created a situation where two meters are installed for each customer: one for generation and one for usage. Effective in June 2026(and at the urging of another CCA (WestLight Energy, formerly Peninsula Clean Energy), these accounts are now consolidated for billing purposes. The consolidation was applied to the May 2026 billing period and will continue to be applied prospectively.

While the number of active accounts has changed, the change in billing eliminates the duplicate billing created by SBP and creates a more accurate customer count.

Participation
Rate May 2026 May 2025
AUBURN INC 85.63% 85.61%
COLFAX INC 88.21% 87.96%
GRASS VALLEY INC 96.19% 96.59%
LINCOLN INC 83.26% 82.73%
LOOMIS INC 87.35% 87.13%
NEVADA CITY INC 97.66% 97.75%
PLACERVILLE INC 85.53% 85.47%
ROCKLIN INC 90.26% 90.15%
UNINC EL DORADO CO 79.82% 79.74%
UNINC PLACER CO 84.79% 84.74%
Grand Total 84.40% 84.29%
1 ACCOUNTANTS’ COMPILATION REPORT
Management
Pioneer Community Energy
Management is responsible for the accompanying financial statements of the CCA Program of Pioneer Community Energy (a California Joint Powers Authority) which comprise the statement of net position as of May 31, 2026, and the related statement of revenues, expenses, and changes in net position for the eleven months then ended in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. We have performed a compilation engagement in accordance with Statements on Standards for Accounting and Review Services promulgated by the Accounting and Review Services Committee of the AICPA. We did not audit or review the accompanying statements nor were we required to perform any procedures to verify the accuracy or completeness of the information provided by management. Accordingly, we do not express an opinion, conclusion, nor provide any assurance on these financial statements.

We are not independent with respect to Pioneer Community Energy because we performed certain accounting services that impaired our independence.

Maher Accountancy
San Rafael, CA
July 8, 2026
1101 Fifth Avenue, Suite 200 San Rafael, CA 94901 415 459 1249 mahercpa.com 2025/26 YTD
Amended
Budget
2025/26 YTD
Actual
2025/26 YTD
Variance
(Under) Over
2025/26
YTD
Actual/
Amended
Budget %
2025/26
Amended Budget
2025/26
Amended
Budget
Remaining

ENERGY REVENUES
Energy Sales $ 196,821,846 $ 193,664,914 $ (3,156,932) 98% $ 215,101,717 $ 21,436,803 Green100 Sales 132,351 69,102 (63,249) 52% 147,684 78,582 Congestion Revenue Rights and Battery Optimization 8,302,006 8,326,471 24,465 100% 8,700,000 373,529 Less Uncollectible Accounts (2,658,274) (2,615,410) 42,864 98% (2,905,867) (290,457) Total Operating Revenues 202,597,928 199,445,077 (3,152,851) 221,043,534 21,598,457

ENERGY EXPENSES
Power Supply 189,567,480 180,817,941 (8,749,539) 95% 206,171,746 25,353,805 GROSS MARGIN 13,030,448 18,627,136 5,596,688 14,871,788 (3,755,348)

OPERATING EXPENSES
Administration
Compensation 858,683 696,283 (162,400) 81% 942,200 245,917 Contract services 974,697 135,512 (839,185) 14% 999,830 864,318 Operating expenses 819,278 785,449 (33,828) 96% 841,770 56,321 Total Administration expenses 2,652,657 1,617,244 (1,035,413) 61% 2,783,800 1,166,556 Finance
Compensation 1,046,516 984,478 (62,038) 94% 1,145,745 161,267 Contract services 556,156 431,463 (124,693) 78% 596,000 164,537 Operating expenses 294,913 229,861 (65,052) 78% 307,025 77,164 Total Finance expenses 1,897,585 1,645,802 (251,783) 87% 2,048,770 402,968 Power Procurement
Compensation 1,095,460 1,029,556 (65,904) 94% 1,199,593 170,037 Contract services 2,100,152 1,338,552 (761,600) 64% 2,289,187 950,635 Operating expenses 363,542 347,490 (16,052) 96% 369,500 22,010 Total Power Procurement expenses 3,559,154 2,715,598 (843,556) 76% 3,858,280 1,142,682 Customer Care
Compensation 618,616 615,961 (2,655) 100% 676,672 60,711 Contract services 2,745,833 2,745,334 (499) 100% 2,985,000 239,666 Operating expenses 159,171 146,770 (12,401) 92% 159,050 12,280 Total Customer Care expenses 3,523,620 3,508,065 (15,555) 100% 3,820,722 312,657 Marketing & Communications
Compensation 683,216 634,546 (48,670) 93% 762,599 128,053 Contract services 268,333 125,711 (142,622) 47% 300,000 174,289 Operating expenses 547,200 299,157 (248,043) 55% 612,400 313,243 Total Marketing & Communications expenses 1,498,749 1,059,414 (439,335) 71% 1,674,999 615,585 Legislative & Regulatory
Compensation 833,592 759,629 (73,963) 91% 912,100 152,471 Contract services 332,474 236,842 (95,632) 71% 357,807 120,965 Operating expenses 28,383 18,047 (10,336) 64% 30,600 12,553 Total Legislative and Regulatory expenses 1,194,449 1,014,518 (179,931) 85% 1,300,507 285,989 Programs
Compensation 423,104 274,314 (148,790) 65% 461,568 187,254 Contract services 539,444 12,000 (527,444) 2% 700,000 688,000 Operating expenses 933,159 1,064,431 131,272 114% 990,926 (73,505) Total Programs expenses 1,895,707 1,350,745 (544,962) 71% 2,152,494 801,749 Total Operating Expenses 16,221,922 12,911,386 (3,310,536) 80% 17,639,572 4,728,186 OPERATING INCOME (LOSS) (3,191,474) 5,715,750 8,907,224 (2,767,784) (8,483,534)

NON-OPERATING REVENUES (EXPENDITURES)
Investment gains (losses) 4,846,174 5,640,105 793,931 116% 5,550,000 (90,105) Miscellaneous income - 136,000 136,000 - (136,000)
Term Loan Debt Service (950,000) (534,466) 415,534 56% (950,000) (415,534) Additional Term Loan Principal (700,000) (1,075,279) (375,279) 0% (700,000) 375,279 Line/Letter of Credit Fees (750,000) (549,985) 200,015 73% (750,000) (200,015) Nonoperating revenues (expenditures), net 2,446,174 3,616,375 1,170,201 3,150,000 (466,375) Contribution to/(from) Reserves (745,300)$ 9,332,125$ 10,077,425$ 382,216$ (8,949,909)$

BUDGETARY COMPARISON SCHEDULE
Eleven Months Ended May 31, 2026

PIONEER COMMUNITY ENERGY

CCA PROGRAM
449389.1 Page 1 of 2
Staff Report – Item 1c
To: The Governing Board
From: Brad Koehn, Director of Finance and Administration Item 1c: Adopt Resolution to Approve a 3% Cost-of-Living Adjustment and Salary Schedule Adjustment
Date: 7/23/2026

RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Board Adopt Resolution to Approve a 3% Cost-of-Living Adjustment and Salary Schedule Adjustment.

BACKGROUND
Pioneer employees are not represented by a union or an employee association but instead are unrepresented and historically the Board has considered cost of living adjustments and benefit modifications annually.

One of the strategic goals of Pioneer’s approved Strategic Plan is for Pioneer to be a Great Place to Work with the objective of Employer of Choice. The task assigned to that objective is to have a committee of Board members review Cost-of-Living-Adjustments (COLA) and evaluate benefit enhancements. The review of employee health and benefit package supports the strategic goal by positioning Pioneer to attract qualified candidates, retain Pioneer’s high performing workforce; and salary and benefit adjustments help Pioneer avoid falling behind in the job market that could require sweeping changes in the future.

COLA: The Governance Committee recommended a 3% upward COLA, and a corresponding 3% salary schedule increase. The Board at the June 2026 closed session meeting received the Governance Committee’s recommendation and discussed and provided feedback on the recommendation. The COLA and salary schedule recommendations are presented today for Board approval.

ANALYSIS & DISCUSSION
Salary Schedule: Pioneer’s salary schedule is structured as a salary range rather than a salary step system.

Even when the salary schedule is adjusted upward an employee will only advance in the range contingent on the employee receiving a satisfactory annual evaluation. The current salary range and the recommended range increase of 3% are presented in the salary schedule that is provided as an Attachment to the Resolution.

Cost-of-Living Adjustment: A 3% Cost of Living increase for all employees is recommended and would be effective July 27, 2026 (FY 26-27 cost is $139,000). A survey of Pioneer’s member agencies found that cost of living adjustments ranged from 2% to 5% and that the Consumer Price Index (Feb 25 -Feb 26) was 2.5%.

Summary: The overall goal of the COLA increase is to maintain Pioneer’s competitiveness for recruiting and attracting qualified job candidates and retain high performing employees. With the recommended cost of living adjustment, and the FY 26-27 Budget approved increase in authorized full-time staff to 33 (increase of 7 FTE) labor costs will account for approximately 4% of the overall expense budget.

STRATEGIC PLAN
The recommended COLA and salary schedule modification support the 2025-2027 Strategic Plan which is to be a Great Place to Work.

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Agenda Item: x Agenda Date: 7/23/2026
449389.1 Page 2 of 2

FISCAL IMPACT
The Fiscal Year 2026-27 cost of providing the 3% COLA is estimated to be $139,000. Overall staff compensation costs (33 FTE) are approximately 4% of the overall budget and the anticipated COLA was included in the budget.

ATTACHMENTS

1. Resolution to Approve a 3% Cost-of-Living Adjustment and Salary Schedule Adjustment. 449388.1
Before the Governing Board of
Pioneer Community Energy
Resolution No.: ____________
The following Resolution was duly passed by the Governing Board of Pioneer Community Energy at a regular meeting held July 23, 2026, by the following vote on roll call:

Ayes:

Noes:

Absent:

Signed and approved by me after its passage.
______________________________
Chair of the Governing Board
Attest:
_______________________
Secretary
WHEREAS, the Governing Board of Pioneer Community Energy (“Pioneer”) adopted the 2025- 2027 Strategic Plan with a Strategic Goal for Pioneer to Be a Great Place to Work and an Objective to be an Employer of Choice; and
WHEREAS, the Governance Committee, consisting of Pioneer Board members, reviewed and provided input on employee cost of living adjustments and salary schedule adjustment; and WHEREAS, the Governing Board reviewed and provided input on an employee cost of living adjustment and salary schedule adjustment; and
WHEREAS, employees advance on the salary schedule only upon receiving a satisfactory annual evaluation, and employees who have reached the top of the salary range for their position do not receive further increases unless the Board directs a Cost-of-Living Adjustment; and
WHEREAS, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index for all items in San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward for the period of February 2025 to February 2026 is 2.5%; and In the matter of: ADOPT RESOLUTION TO APPROVE
A 3% COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENT AND SALARY
SCHEDULE ADJUSTMENT.

Resolution 2026-___
July 23, 2026
2 449388.1
WHEREAS, Pioneer’s member agencies have provided Cost-of-Living salary adjustments in a range of 2% to 5%; and
WHEREAS, the Governance Committee recommends a Cost-of-Living adjustment that will directly increase all employee current salaries by 3%, and a corresponding 3% increase to the minimum and maximum range in the salary schedule, to reflect the Cost-of-Living adjustment; and
BE IT RESOLVED, the Governing Board of Pioneer Community Energy, State of California, hereby finds, declares, and resolves as follows:

1. The above recitals are true and correct.

2. Approve a 3% Cost-of-Living salary increase to all positions (including the Chief Executive Officer) effective July 27, 2026.

3. Approve a corresponding 3% salary range increase to all positions in the salary schedule effective July 27, 2026, as presented in Attachment A, to reflect the Cost-of-Living adjustment.

Exhibit A: Salary Schedule
Class/Position Title Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum
Administrative Assistant $51,090 $76,380 $52,622 $78,671 Account Representative I $78,637 $117,564 $80,996 $121,091 Account Representative II $86,505 $129,324 $89,100 $133,204 Board Clerk/Executive Assistant $82,297 $123,034 $84,766 $126,725 Chief Executive Officer $319,972 $478,356 $329,571 $492,707 Chief Operating Officer $274,218 $409,956 $282,444 $422,255 Commercial Coordinator $73,470 $109,836 $75,674 $113,131 Communications Coordinator $79,137 $118,309 $81,511 $121,858 Community Outreach Manager $132,011 $197,354 $135,971 $203,274 Community Outreach Specialist $107,061 $160,056 $110,273 $164,858 Customer Care Coordinator $97,326 $145,501 $100,246 $149,866 Customer Care Manager $123,532 $184,680 $127,238 $190,220 Customer Care Specialist $104,621 $156,408 $107,760 $161,100 Director of Communications $205,671 $307,464 $211,841 $316,688 Director of Finance and Administration $228,524 $341,628 $235,380 $351,877 Financial and Administrative Analyst I $79,137 $118,309 $81,511 $121,858 Financial and Administrative Analyst II $87,050 $130,139 $89,662 $134,043 Financial and Administrative Manager $132,715 $198,408 $136,697 $204,360 Information Technology Administrator $100,053 $149,580 $103,055 $154,067 Information Technology Analyst I $88,311 $132,024 $90,961 $135,985 Internal Operations Coordinator $93,850 $140,304 $96,666 $144,513 Key Accounts Manager $126,028 $188,412 $129,809 $194,064 Legislative and Regulatory Analyst I $100,060 $149,592 $103,062 $154,080 Legislative and Regulatory Analyst II $110,067 $164,551 $113,369 $169,487 Legislative and Regulatory Manager $132,683 $198,360 $136,663 $204,311 Management Analyst $85,315 $127,548 $87,875 $131,374
Manager, Quantitative Analysis and Modeling $138,421 $206,940 $142,573 $213,148 Power Resources Manager $141,270 $211,200 $145,508 $217,536 Power Resources Analyst I $101,772 $152,148 $104,825 $156,712 Power Resources Analyst II $117,039 $174,972 $120,550 $180,221 Power Supply Contract Manager $135,612 $202,740 $139,680 $208,822 Program Manager $128,679 $192,372 $132,539 $198,143
Program Specialist I $90,878 $135,864 $93,605 $139,940
Project Development Manager $126,577 $189,233 $130,374 $194,910 Residential Coordinator $83,335 $124,584 $85,835 $128,322 Senior Commercial Coordinator $84,491 $126,312 $87,025 $130,101 Senior Financial Analyst $110,599 $165,340 $113,917 $170,300 Senior Information Technology Analyst $111,709 $167,004 $115,060 $172,014 Senior Manager, Quantitative Analysis and
Modeling
$152,267 $227,640 $156,835 $234,469
Senior Manager, Power Resources $155,399 $232,320 $160,061 $239,290 Senior Residential Coordinator $95,833 $143,268 $98,708 $147,566 3% Increase, Effective July 27, 2026

ATTACHMENT A

SALARY SCHEDULE
October 2025 Board Approved Recommended Salary Ranges with a 3% October 16, 2025 (Effective October 20, 2025)
450729.1 Page 1 of 1
Staff Report – Item 1d
To: The Governing Board
From: Brad Koehn, Director of Finance and Administration Item 1d: Approve Resolution to Approve the Job Description and Salary Range for the Chief People Officer
Date: 7/23/2026

RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Board Approve Resolution to Approve the Job Descriptions and Salary Range for the Chief People Officer.

BACKGROUND
The Board has historically approved Pioneer job descriptions and has authorized the Chief Executive Officer to modify as needed over time. As a small organization that is growing and adjusting to best meet the service needs of Pioneer’s customers, it is essential for Pioneer to respond with appropriate job descriptions that fulfill the service need.

ANALYSIS & DISCUSSION
Personnel
Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget authorizes 33 full-time positions of which one will need job description approval.

The human resources position in the approved Budget would provide the needed human resources expertise for recruitment, benefits, performance management, and employee relations for a growing organization. Highlights of the job description are below.

New Job Description Highlights:
• Understand, interpret, and share relevant labor laws related to Human Resources and public agency administration and ensure all Human Resource processes, policies and actions comply with these laws. • Develop and manage risk management programs such as workers’ compensation, Illness and Injury Prevention Program, Safety Programs, Wellness Initiatives, and training platforms. • Develop and implement target recruitment strategies to ensure a robust and diverse applicant pool for all openings.
• Develop internal staff training and identify relevant available external trainings such as inclusive workplace and harassment prevention.
• Train, coach and support managers to navigate evaluation, training, promotion, discipline, termination, and other Human Resource issues.

Staff has also considered the salary of similar positions at other Community Choice Aggregators to develop a salary range for the Chief People Office. Based on that research, staff proposes the following salary range:
$211,841 to $316,688.

FISCAL IMPACT
The approval of the job descriptions does not have a budgetary impact. A Comparison of other Community Choice Aggregators with a similar position was used to develop the salary range.

ATTACHMENTS

1. Resolution Approving the Job Description and Salary Range for Chief People Officer.

Plf)NEER

COMMUNITY ENERGY
BEFORE the Governing Board of
Pioneer Community Energy
Resolution No.: ____________
The following Resolution was duly passed by the Governing Board of Pioneer Community Energy at a regular meeting held July 23, 2026, by the following vote on roll call:

Ayes:

Noes:

Absent:

Signed and approved by me after its passage.
______________________________
Chair of the Governing Board
Attest:
_______________________
Secretary
WHEREAS, the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Approved Budget has proposed a new position that needs a job description; and
WHEREAS, the Governing Board has expressed interest to transition to in-house human resource services; and
WHEREAS, the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget includes authorization of 33 full time positions; and WHEREAS, the approval of a new job description does not increase the approved number of positions; and
WHEREAS, State laws, regulations and human resources best practices may modify in the future; and
WHEREAS, position duties, tasks and responsibilities may transition over time; and WHEREAS, similar positions at other Community Choice Aggregators were considered to develop the salary range.

In the matter of: RESOLUTION APPROVING THE

JOB DESCRIPTION AND SALARY RANGE FOR
THE CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER.

Resolution 2026-__
July 23, 2026
2 BE IT RESOLVED, the Governing Board of Pioneer Community Energy, State of California, hereby finds, declares, and resolves as follows:

1. The above recitals are true and correct.

2. Approve Job Description for the Chief People Officer as presented in Exhibit A;

3. Approve the salary range of $211,841 to $316,688 for the Chief People Officer and include in the approved Salary Schedule;

4. Authorize the Chief Executive Officer to modify job descriptions as needed to address state laws and regulations, human resources best practices and position duties, tasks and responsibilities changing over time.

5. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption.

Exhibit A: Job Description for the Chief People Officer Pioneer Community Energy
Job Description
Employee’s Name:

Job Title: Chief People Officer
Department: Human Resources
Reports To: Chief Executive Officer
FLSA Status: Exempt
Updated Date: July 2026
Summary: Under the general direction of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the Chief People Officer leads all human resources functions across Pioneer. This role serves as a key business partner on the executive team, developing initiatives, systems, and best practices to recruit, develop, and train a diverse, high-performing workforce while fostering a culture that advances Pioneer’s mission and strategic plan. The Chief People Officer reports to the Chief Executive Officer.

In this leadership role, the Chief People Officer will collaborate with management and staff to develop talent strategy, internal communication processes, performance management, leadership and professional development. Also, the Chief People Officer will drive a strategy to support efforts to attract, develop and retain a diverse high-performing workforce and encourage innovation and learning. In doing so the Chief People Officer will review and refresh the core human resource functions including hiring processes, onboarding, training and performance management.

This position is a full-time, in-person position located at headquarters in Rocklin, CA.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: include the following. Other duties may be assigned. • Collaborate with executive leadership, management, and staff to develop and implement strategies that foster a positive, inclusive, team culture and work environment. • Draft, recommend, implement, and update human resources policies, procedures, rules, and guidelines in response to legislative changes, organizational needs, best practices, and workplace trends.
• Understand, interpret, communicate, and apply federal, state, and local employment laws, regulations, and public agency requirements to ensure human resources processes, policies, and actions remain compliant.
• Review existing human resources systems, processes, and practices - identify opportunities for improvement, and recommend & implement new systems or processes. • Develop, manage, and support risk management programs and related initiatives, such as workers’ compensation, the Illness and Injury Prevention Program, safety programs, wellness initiatives, and employee training platforms.
• Develop and implement target recruitment strategies to support a robust and diverse applicant pool for all positions.
• Conducts initial screening interviews, coordinate candidate evaluations, and complete reference checks and background clearance processes, as applicable.

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• Manage the hiring process to ensure consistency across departments, timely communication, and appropriate coordination among hiring managers, leadership, administrative and fiscal staff.
• Develop, coordinate, and provide on-boarding services and agency orientation for new employees. Partner with hiring managers and executives to ensure an effective and welcoming introduction.
• Train, coach and support managers regarding employee evaluations, training, promotions, performance concerns, and other Human Resource issues. • Collaborate with managers to update job descriptions across the agency and implement a process for regular review and maintenance of job descriptions. • Design, implement and maintain performance management tools and processes that support meaningful employee feedback, evaluation, accountability, and development. • Develop internal staff trainings and identify relevant external trainings such as inclusive workplace, harassment prevention, leadership development, and other professional development topics.
• Work with staff, managers and executive leadership to quickly respond to employee concerns and issues, identify training and career development opportunities and address Human Resource related matters with the goal of ensuring that all employees have an equitable opportunity to reach their full potential • Manage and resolve employee relations issues. Conduct effective, thorough, and objective investigations as needed. Escalate issues to leadership and legal counsel when appropriate.
• Responsible for owning all Human Resource systems including but not limited to - technology, data, reporting, and related administrative processes to support accurate and efficient Human Resource operations.
• Manage benefits programs and vendor relationships.
• Assist employees with benefit questions, enrollment, and issue resolution. • Maintain accurate and confidential human resources records, personnel files, and related documentation in accordance with applicable laws, policies, and record retention requirements.

Supervisory Responsibilities: This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Measures of Performance: The Chief People Officer shall be considered to be performing in an acceptable manner when the following have been accomplished:

1. Verbal Communication – Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; Listens and gets clarification; Tailors the content of speech to the level and experience of the audience; Uses appropriate grammar and choice of words in oral speech; Organizes ideas clearly in oral speech; Responds well to questions; Remains open to other’s ideas and tries new things; Participates in meetings.

2. Written Communication – Writes clearly and informatively; Edits work for spelling and grammar; Varies writing style to meet needs; Presents numerical data effectively; Able to read and interpret written information.

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3. Teamwork – Balances team and individual responsibilities; Exhibits objectivity and openness to others' views; Gives and welcomes feedback; Contributes to building a positive team spirit; Puts success of team above own interests; Able to build morale and group commitments to goals and objectives; Supports everyone's efforts to succeed; Listens and responds constructively to other team members’ ideas; Offers support for others’ ideas and proposals; Is open with other team members about his/her concerns; Expresses disagreement constructively.

4. Professionalism – Approaches others in a tactful manner; Reacts well under pressure; Treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position; Accepts responsibility for own actions; Follows through on commitments.

5. Quality – Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Applies feedback to improve performance; Monitors own work to ensure quality.

6. Attendance/Punctuality – Is consistently at work and on time; Ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent; Arrives at meetings and appointments on time.

7. Dependability – Follows instructions, responds to management direction; Takes responsibility for own actions; Keeps commitments; Commits to long hours of work when necessary to reach goals. Completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan.

8. Judgment - Displays willingness to make decisions; Exhibits sound and accurate judgment; Supports and explains reasoning for decisions; Includes appropriate people in decision-making process; Makes timely decisions.

9. Delegation - Delegates work assignments; Matches the responsibility to the person; Gives authority to work independently; Sets expectations and monitors delegated activities; Provides recognition for results.

10. Leadership - Exhibits confidence in self and others; Inspires and motivates others to perform well; Effectively influences actions and opinions of others; Accepts feedback from others; Gives appropriate recognition to others.

11. Managing People - Includes staff in planning, decision-making, facilitating and process improvement; Takes responsibility for subordinates' activities; Makes self available to staff; Provides regular performance feedback; Develops subordinates' skills and encourages growth; Solicits and applies customer feedback (internal and external); Fosters quality focus in others; Improves processes, products and services.; Continually works to improve supervisory skills.

12. Business Acumen - Understands business implications of decisions; Displays orientation to profitability; Demonstrates knowledge of market and competition; Aligns work with strategic goals.

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13. Cost Consciousness - Works within approved budget; Develops and implements cost saving measures; Contributes to profits and revenue; Conserves organizational resources.

Routinely monitors budget and suggests modifications, as needed.

14. Organizational Support - Follows policies and procedures; Completes administrative tasks correctly and on time; Supports organization's goals and values; Supports affirmative action and respects diversity.

15. Strategic Thinking - Develops strategies to achieve organizational goals; Understands organization's strengths & weaknesses;
Develops and proposes a long term strategy for the organization based on an analysis of the industry and marketplace.

Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience: A combination of education and experience that would provide the knowledge and abilities listed. Typically, equivalent to bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in human resources, business, psychology, or a related field and ten plus years of progressively responsible experience in human resources, with at least five years’ experience supervising professional staff. Familiarity or experience working in the energy sector and/or government is desirable. SPHR or SHRM-SCP certification strongly preferred.

Language Skills: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, members, governmental bodies/boards and the general public.

Mathematical Skills: Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference, and fundamentals of plane and solid geometry and trigonometry. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.

Reasoning Ability: Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

Computer Skills: To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge of Internet software and the Microsoft Office Suite of products. Knowledge of basic office equipment should include: Internet and email, copy and fax machines, postage meter, and telephone.

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Other Skills and Abilities:

Ability to:
• Recognize and resolve problems of a sensitive or political nature. • Analyze complex employment situations, assess benefits, and potentially provide proposed action and alternatives, and make effective recommendations to implement or ensure implementation of recommendations.
• Conduct mediation and group problem solving.
• Tact, diplomacy, and discretion in dealing with sensitive and complex issues. • Effectively communicate, both orally and in writing, including making presentations of findings, recommendations, and policies orally or in writing to Board members, department directors, and employees.
• Proven track record of providing thoughtful, strategic, collaborative and effective executive leadership.
• Creative problem solver and self-starter.

Physical and Emotional Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The inability to cope with a stressful work environment does not constitute a protected disability.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and talk or hear.

The employee is occasionally required to walk and use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is occasionally required to stand, reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.

Acknowledgements: I have reviewed and understand the above job description and believe it to be accurate and complete. I also understand that the company retains the right to change this job description at any time. I also understand that this job description is not a contract for work.

I certify that I possess all the “Essential Requirements” of the job outlined herein, except as noted here (If none, so state):

PIE)NEEA

COMMUNITY ENERGY
I certify that I am fully capable (with or without a reasonable accommodation) of performing all the essential functions documented herein, and I do not have a physical or mental disability that would jeopardize the health and or safety of my co-workers.
□ I do not require an accommodation in order to perform the essential functions of this job as indicated in this job description.
□ I require an accommodation in order to perform the essential function of this job as indicated on this job description. The accommodation I require is:

I understand, and fully agree, that this job description does not constitute a written or implied contract for employment and that my employment relationship with the company is “at will,” for an unspecified duration, and may be terminated at any time by me or the company as specified by Section 2922 of the California Labor Code.

I understand that I am an exempt employee and therefore, may be required to work in excess of 40 hours per week without overtime compensation.

Employee’s Signature Date
Supervisor’s Signature Date

PIE)NEEA

COMMUNITY ENERGY

Page 1 of 4 ends

Staff Report – Item 2
To: The Governing Board
From: Donald Eckert Jr., Chief Executive Officer
Item 2: Consider the Implementation of an Economic Development Rate Date: 7/23/2026

ACTION REQUESTED
Provide direction to staff on consideration of an economic development rate to incentivize commercial and industrial customer location in Pioneer Community Energy’s (“Pioneer”) service territory.

RECOMMENDATION
There is no recommendation to the report.

AUDIT & FINANCE COMMITTEE
On July 13, 2026, Audit & Finance Committee received a presentation from staff on the opportunity, concept of an economic development rate, and potential subsidy investment required. The committee also received an update from the City of Rocklin’s Assistant City Manager on the opportunity and its importance to the city.

The Committee had an in-depth discussion and directed staff to agendize the topic to the Governing Board.

BACKGROUND
What is the Opportunity?
Pioneer was approached about this opportunity from the City of Rocklin in early June. To respect the wishes of the potential new customer, they will be referred as “Company A”. Company A is considering relocating operations to California and specifically the Sacramento region. They have reached a decision point between the City of Rocklin or Roseville for location with the cost of electricity being the primary driver.

Company A is an established US based technology company with a global presence in multiple industries. Their primary business is the manufacturing of semiconductors along with consulting services.

Other important information:
• Facility being targeted is near the Oracle Complex. This would house engineering, research and development functions including a 24/7 laboratory but not include manufacturing semiconductors. • Estimated usage is between 1.5 million to 2 million kWh’s per year placing it in Pioneer’s top 100 accounts.
• Term of the lease are ten years, which indicates a long-term commitment by Company A to stay in Pioneer’s service territory with an anticipated move-in date during the summer of 2027. • Capital investment in the facility is approximately $3 million. • Initial employment is projected to be approximately 80 positions with an average salary of $160,000.

Potentially could increase to 100 positions.

Why Should Pioneer Consider Solutions?
Our Vision Statement states, “As a community partner in reliable energy solutions dedicated to generating a positive local impact, we are powering today and empowering tomorrow.” Agenda Item: 2 Agenda Date: 7/23/2026

Page 2 of 4 ends

As Pioneer continues to move towards its vision of being an energy partner to our members, this opportunity to incentive a mid-sized commercial business to locate within our territory fits well with our vision.

ANALYSIS & DISCUSSION
Pioneer’s generation rates are very competitive compared to Roseville Electric. However, when including factors such as Pacific Gas & Electric’s (PG&E) Demand, Transmission, Distribution and the Power Charge Indifference Adjustment (PCIA) charges, the total electric rate is not competitive. The table below illustrates the rate challenge based on the projected rate class Customer A would land as a medium-sized commercial customer with less than 500kW of demand:

Pioneer’s discount to PG&E’s generation rate has typically served as an economic incentive for a business to locate within Pioneer’s service territory compared to being in PG&E’s territory without Pioneer’s generation rate.

Competing with adjacent utilities and including transmission and distribution charges requires an economic development rate.

Principles of Economic Development Rates
When developing an economic development rate, the following principles should be applied:

1. Protection of existing ratepayers – An economic development rate should not impact the rates of current customers.

2. Limit Participation – There are various thresholds that can be applied to limit qualification into the rate such as identifying a minimum electric load size, specifying a rate class, it only applies to new customers, and setting a cap of how many customers can participate.

3. Discount for a period – An economic development rate needs to sunset, so the customer is paying its full cost of service in the future. Typically, economic development rates are applied over three to five years with a gradual ramp down of the discount.

4. Rates are Non-Discriminatory – It is best to introduce an economic development rate through an electric tariff compared to a special contract with a specific customer. An electric tariff is transparent, is clear on qualifications and sunset, and can be changed through a formal process.

Business Case
Staff conducted a financial analysis of the impact of such an economic development rate would be to Pioneer if applied to Customer A’s profile. The following are key assumptions in the analysis:
• Economic development rate would make Customer A indifferent to Roseville Electric in Year 1 by subsidizing the difference in the demand rate and the energy charges. The PCIA rate is not included as there is too much volatility in the PCIA rate to be able to comfortably hedge. • Economic development rate would sunset after five years with a 20% per year ramp down. Example, in year 1, Company A would be 100% covered with the difference between Roseville Electric and PG&E with Pioneer but in year 2, it would be reduced to 80% and so on. • Based on historical usage, 1.8 million kWh was assumed with winter rates applied to 67% of the load and summer rates applied to 33% of the load. Approximately 3,300 kW’s annual demand was projected in the demand charge.
• Time period considered is ten years.
• Discount rate of 7% includes 3% inflation and 4% cost of capital reflecting current T-bill rates which are applied to calculate net present value.

Roseville Electric PG&E with Pioneer Difference
Demand ($/kW) $6.16 $22.41 $16.25
Energy ($/kWh)
Winter $0.1502 $0.2020 $0.0518
Summer $0.1793 $0.2354 $0.0561
PCIA ($/kWh) $0.0000 $0.0378 $0.0378
Agenda Item: 2 Agenda Date: 7/23/2026

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The graph below illustrates the projected cash flow impact over the next 10 years.

Conclusion: By year 5, as the economic development rate ramps down, the impact is nearly break-even.

However, due to Pioneer’s tight margins resulting from 20% reduction in rates over the past three years, even with modest increases in Pioneer’s rates, the revenues in the outer years do not compensate for the investment in the early years.

Options
Option #1 – Reject: If the Board views this economic development rate investment with traditional finance metrics, then the decision should be to reject. While the impact is minimal to Pioneer’s overall budget, the business case results in a negative net present value with a significant long payback.

Option #2 – Accept: If the Board views this investment as a program, then the Board should consider accepting the concept. If the economic development rate is funded through the Programs budget, then there is no impact to current ratepayers who are already funding the programs budget.

Program’s objective is not cash flow generation but is funded with the objective to benefit our ratepayers through energy efficiencies and reduced utility bills. Economic development rates could be classified as a Program to incentivize economic activity in Pioneer’s service territory.

STRATEGIC PLAN
There is no recommendation to the report, but the proposal supports the following strategic goals:
• Being a Community Partner
• Provide Exceptional Customer Experience
• Be Fiscally Strong & Resilient

FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27 budget. However, if this proposal were to be accepted, the projected fiscal impact in FY 2027-28 would be $161,000. $200,000
$150,000
$100,000
$50,000
$0
$50,000
$100,000
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10 Projected Cash Flow
Net Present Value $182,110
Payback Year >10 Years
Agenda Item: 2 Agenda Date: 7/23/2026

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ATTACHMENTS
There are no attachments to the report.

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Staff Report – Item 3
To: The Governing Board
From: Devin Reaves, Power Resources Manager
Item 3: Adopt Resolution Approving Pioneer’s 2025 Integrated Resource Plan Date: 7/23/2026

RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a resolution approving the Pioneer Community Energy 2025 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) in substantive form and authorizing submission of the IRP to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) pursuant to the requirements of CPUC Rulemaking (R.) 25-06-019, under Senate Bill (SB) 350.

BACKGROUND
CPUC Proceeding R. 25-06-019 (the “Proceeding”) is the CPUC’s “umbrella” planning proceeding which is intended to consider all of the Commission’s electric procurement policies and programs and for purposes of ensuring that California has a safe, reliable, and cost-effective electricity supply. The Proceeding is also the CPUC’s primary venue for implementation of certain requirements reflected in SB 350 that are related to IRP (Public Utilities Code Sections 454.51 and 454.52). The Proceeding is intended to ensure that the integrated resource planning efforts of California’s load-serving entities (LSEs) will support the achievement of statewide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions goals. As recognized by both the CPUC and the California Legislature, Pioneer’s Board approves its procurement plan, but the CPUC must certify that Pioneer’s plan provides the requisite information, is consistent with resource adequacy (RA) requirements and demonstrates that its plan meets Pioneer’s share of both renewable resource procurement and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets.

According to the CPUC, details reflected in each IRP should indicate the intended procurement activities that will contribute to California’s achievement of its GHG reduction goals based on a Preferred Conforming Portfolio (“PCP”) that achieve equal to or less than the Pioneer’s proportional share of the 8 million metric ton (“MMT”) greenhouse gas (“GHG”) target by 2045. This plan must adhere to State Policies, including the loading order, which mandates that energy efficiency and demand response be pursued first, followed by renewables, and lastly clean-fossil generation. While the CPUC does not approve the procurement plans, if it finds that they do not comply with State policies and adequately balance safety, reliability, cost, and environmental goals, LSEs may be ordered by the CPUC to modify them.

ANALYSIS & DISCUSSION
Pioneer developed its IRP in compliance with all applicable requirements through the following steps:
• Pioneer compiled data for its existing energy contracts, RA capacity contracts, and its share of capacity for allocated Cost Allocation Mechanism (CAM) resources. • For each IRP planning year, Pioneer identified its short positions relative to Pioneer planning targets in consideration of its assigned load forecast.
• Pioneer populated the Resource Data Template with all current contracts. • Pioneer compiled detailed information on projects for which it is currently negotiating power purchase agreements, including information regarding project status and timing. • Pioneer identified future contracts it expects for new hybrid, solar, wind, long-duration storage, biomass, geothermal, small hydro, and large hydro generation. Pioneer prioritized the selection of future resources that ensure Pioneer’s overall portfolio of new resources is varied, meets all Agenda Item: 3 Agenda Date: 7/23/2026

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regulatory goals, meets the goals expressed by Pioneer’s Board for procurement types, and is estimated to minimize costs to customers.
• Pioneer added generic future contracts with existing resources to help fill its remaining open positions. • Pioneer used the Commission’s Clean System Power Calculator Tool to check the GHG emissions associated with the resulting portfolio to ensure that these emissions are equivalent to Pioneer’s assigned share of the 8 MMT benchmark.
• Pioneer added planned purchases of large hydro-electric energy in sufficient volume to ensure that the portfolio’s emissions were equal to Pioneer’s assigned share of the 8 MMT GHG benchmark • Pioneer identified the resulting portfolio as its 8 MMT Preferred Conforming Portfolio (PCP). • Pioneer checked its 8 MMT PCP for reliability by comparing the total portfolio net qualifying capacity against Pioneer’s RA requirements as shown in the Reliability tab of the RDTv3 template and adding in sufficient RA capacity to ensure reliability. Pioneer further established that its planned incremental capacity procurement exceeded its pro rata share of the related incremental capacity procurement obligation.

To allow for flexibility due to the possibility of unforeseen circumstances that may alter Pioneer’s procurement plans, Pioneer has included the following statement in its IRP:

Notwithstanding the above statement, Pioneer’s IRP proposes a possible combination of energy resources that would meet the mandated Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS), as well as the Board’s direction regarding renewable resource procurement under the 8 MMT GHG emission target scenario. Based on the foregoing, the IRP identifies the following energy resource portfolio scenarios by the year 2045:
8 MMT Target Scenario (4321 MW of new resources)
• Solar, planned existing: 248 GWh
• Solar, planned new: 4,732 GWh
• Hybrid/Collocated: in development 188 GWh
• Wind, planned existing: 62 GWh
• Wind, CA, planned new: 368 GWh
• Wind, New Mexico, planned new: 413 GWh
• Wind, Wyoming, planned new; 541 GWh
• Large Hydro, planned existing: 401 GWh
• Geothermal, planned new: 113 GWh
• Biomass/biogas, planned new: 377 GWh
• Battery storage, new: 9,237 GWh dispatch capability
Additionally, Pioneer’s Preferred Conforming Portfolio (“PCP”) includes capacity-only resources composed primarily of the following resource: CAP capacity resources of 125MW.

Agenda Item: 3 Agenda Date: 7/23/2026

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The resultant GHG emissions in 2045 based on the 8 MMT are listed in the table below.

Benchmark and Results (million metric tons) 2030 2035 2040 2045 Benchmark for Pioneer 0.348 0.276 0.236 0.123
Pioneer 0.344 0.222 0.181 0.122
The Proceeding requires all LSEs to file their IRPs by August 10, 2026. The attached IRP Narrative Template for Pioneer provides a narrative summary of voluminous technical data which will also be submitted as part of its required IRP filing.

STRATEGIC PLAN
The recommendation supports the “Achieve Operational Optimization” goal.

FISCAL IMPACT
There is no direct fiscal impact related to the approval and submission of the IRP. Actual resource procurement is subject to Pioneer’s annual budget process, and long-term contracts and projects are subject to a separate review process.

ATTACHMENTS

1. Resolution approving the IRP and authorizing submission to the CPUC

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Before the Governing Board of
Pioneer Community Energy
Resolution No.: ____________
The following Resolution was duly passed by the Governing Board of Pioneer Community Energy at a regular meeting held July 23, 2026 by the following vote on roll call:

Ayes:

Noes:

Absent:

Signed and approved by me after its passage.
_____________________________
Chair, Board of the Governing Board
Attest:
_______________________
Secretary

THE GOVERNING BOARD OF PIONEER COMMUNITY ENERGY DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:

WHEREAS, This Resolution is for the purpose of approving the Pioneer Community Energy 2025 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) in substantive form, and authorizing submission of the IRP to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) pursuant to the requirements of CPUC R. 25-06-019, under Senate Bill 350; and
WHEREAS, The Proceeding represents an element of the CPUC’s’ planning process to through which the electric procurement policies and programs of load serving entities are considered to ensure that California has a safe, reliable, and cost-effective electricity supply; and
WHEREAS, The Proceeding is the Commission’s primary mechanism for implementation of Senate Bill (SB) 350 requirements related to integrated resource planning (Public Utilities Code Sections 454.51 and 454.52); and In the matter of: Approving the Pioneer Community
Energy 2025 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) in
substantive form and authorizing submission of the IRP
to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)
pursuant to the requirements of CPUC R. 25-06-019,
under Senate Bill 350.

Page 2 of 2 ends

WHEREAS, The Administrative Law Judge for the Proceeding issued their final ruling in the Proceeding; and
WHEREAS, Pioneer finalized its draft IRP in accordance with the instructions and templates provided by the CPUC; and
WHEREAS, Pursuant to the Proceeding, Pioneer is required to submit its IRP to the CPUC on or before August 10, 2026; and
WHEREAS, Projecting the resources that a load serving entity (“LSE”) may procure over the planning horizon covered by the IRP is an inexact matter and subject to change, and that future resources identified in Pioneer’s IRP represent Pioneer’s current good-faith projection of such procurement activities over the IRP planning horizon, in consideration of currently applicable mandates and adopted policies of Pioneer’s Governing Board; and WHEREAS, The resources identified in future iterations of Pioneer’s IRP may change due to new information and changed circumstances, and the eventual mix of Renewables Portfolio Standard and carbon-free energy, as well as other power sources, that may be acquired by Pioneer could be different than what is reflected in the IRP.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Governing Board of Pioneer Community Energy, that the Pioneer Community Energy 2025 IRP attached as Exhibit A is hereby approved; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT, the Chair of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, and General Counsel are hereby authorized and directed to make any necessary non-substantive changes to the IRP as may be necessary to comply with the Proceeding and Pioneer Board policy and direction; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT, Pioneer staff is hereby authorized and directed to take the actions necessary to submit the IRP, to the CPUC pursuant to the requirements of the Proceeding.
# # #
Resolution 2026-___
July 23, 2026
0 Standard LSE Plan

PIONEER COMMUNITY ENERGY
2025 INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLAN
AUGUST 10, 2026
1 Table of Contents
I. Executive Summary.................................................................................................. 3 Plan Summary............................................................................................................... 3 II. Study Design ............................................................................................................. 5 a. Objectives................................................................................................................ 5 b. Methodology .......................................................................................................... 5 i. Modeling Tool(s)................................................................................................ 5 ii. Modeling Approach....................................................................................... 6 iii. Alternative Assumptions .............................................................................. 8 III. Study Results.......................................................................................................... 8 a. Conforming and Alternative Portfolios ............................................................. 9 b. Preferred Conforming Portfolio ........................................................................ 13 c. GHG Emissions Results...................................................................................... 18 d. Local Air Pollutant Minimization and Disadvantaged Communities..... 18 i. Local Air Pollutants ......................................................................................... 18 ii. Focus on Disadvantaged Communities.................................................... 19 e. Cost and Rate Analysis ....................................................................................... 20 f. System Reliability Analysis................................................................................ 22 g. Existing Resource Planning................................................................................ 24 h. Hydro Generation Risk Management .............................................................. 25 i. Long-Duration Storage Planning ...................................................................... 25 j. Clean Firm Power Planning............................................................................... 25 k. Non-CAISO, including Out-of-State, Wind Planning.................................... 26 l. Offshore Wind Planning..................................................................................... 26 m. Transmission Planning.................................................................................... 26 IV. Action Plan ........................................................................................................... 27 a. Proposed Procurement Activities and Potential Barriers.............................. 27 i. Resources to meet IRP mandated procurement requirements, including D.21-06-035 and D.23-02-040:................................................................................ 28 2 ii. Plans for resources that are currently non-candidate in CPUC’s IRPs not described above................................................................................................ 28 iii. Other renewable and/or zero carbon resources not described above.. 29 iv. Other energy storage not described above............................................... 29 v. Other demand response not described above ......................................... 29 vi. Other energy efficiency not described above........................................... 29 vii. Other distributed generation not described above ................................. 30 viii. Transportation electrification, including any investments that correspond to different levels than what is included in Integrated Energy Policy Report (IEPR)............................................................................................... 30 ix. Building electrification, including any investments that correspond to different levels than what is included in Integrated Energy Policy Report (IEPR)........................................................................................................................ 30 x. Potential Centralized Procurement, pursuant to AB-1373 ........................ 30 xi. Other .............................................................................................................. 30 b. Disadvantaged Communities (DACs).............................................................. 31 c. LSEs’ Tribal Customers....................................................................................... 31 d. Procurement Products..................................................................................... 31 e. Commission Direction of Actions ..................................................................... 31 V. Lessons Learned...................................................................................................... 32 Glossary of Terms........................................................................................................... 34 3 I. Executive Summary
Description of Pioneer Community Energy
Pioneer Community Energy (“Pioneer”) is a Joint Powers Authority (“JPA”) formed by the communities of Rocklin, Lincoln, Auburn, Colfax, Loomis and Placer County in July 2017 to provide Community Choice Aggregation (“CCA”) service.

As a JPA, Pioneer is a local government agency. Pioneer is governed by an eleven-member board composed of representatives of its member local governments. Through these representatives Pioneer is controlled by and accountable to the communities Pioneer serves. Pioneer began serving load in February 2018. In January 2022, Pioneer expanded its service to Placerville and unincorporated El Dorado County, and in January 2024 service was expanded to the cities of Grass Valley and Nevada City.

Pioneer currently provides retail electric generation services and complementary energy programs to customers in Pacific Gas and Electric Company (“PG&E”) service territory within the municipal boundaries of the following communities:
• City of Rocklin
• City of Lincoln
• City of Auburn
• City of Colfax
• Town of Loomis
• City of Placerville
• Unincorporated Placer County
• Unincorporated El Dorado County
• City of Grass Valley
• Nevada City
Additionally, Pioneer is planning to expand its service to 16 new territories including the cities of Chico, Colusa, Live Oak, Orland, Orville, Sonora, Williams, Willows, and Yuba City; the Town of Paradise; and the counties of Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Nevada, Sutter, and Tuolumne, with service beginning in October 2027. In June 2025, Pioneer received certification from the California Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”) on its implementation plan for expansion. In March 2026, Pioneer received certification from the CPUC on its amended implementation plan to include the cities of Colusa and Williams, and the county of Colusa. The planned expansion will effectively double Pioneer’s current service territory and require a proportionate doubling of the size of our procurement portfolio, which Pioneer staff are currently working to procure to serve our future load.

Pioneer’s service area is identified in the following map:
0 Figure 1: Service Area Map
Pioneer currently serves approximately 148,000 residential accounts and 21,500 commercial and industrial accounts. Pursuant to its most recent Integrated Energy Policy Report (“IEPR”) filing, Pioneer’s 2026 forecasted peak load is 476 MW, with total energy usage of 1,753 GWh.

Pioneer’s Mission
Pioneer was formed for the express purpose of empowering its member communities to choose the generation resources that reflect their specific values and needs. Pioneer seeks to provide reliable 1 electric service at a lower cost than offered by the incumbent electric utility and prioritizes economic development and environmental stewardship in its service territories.

Consistent with California Public Utilities Code (“PUC”) Sections 366.2(a)(5) and 454.52 (b)(3)1, all procurement by Pioneer, including the portfolios set forth in this Integrated Resource Plan (“IRP”), must comply with policy direction provided by Pioneer’s governing board.

Introduction to Pioneer’s IRP
In accordance with the requirements of California Public Utilities Code (“PUC”) Sections 454.51 and 454.52 and California Public Utilities Commission (“Commission”) Decisions (“D.”) D.18-02-018 and D.22- 02-004, Administrative Law Judge’s Ruling Setting Requirements for Individual Integrated Resource Plans Due June 1, 20262, and guidance provided by the Commission’s Energy Division3, Pioneer is providing its load-serving entity (“LSE”)-specific IRP to the Commission for certification and use in the Commission’s statewide planning process.

In addition to this narrative, Pioneer’s IRP includes the following documents:
• Pioneer’s Resource Data Template
• Pioneer’s Clean System Power Calculator
• Pioneer’s IRP Verification
Pioneer is submitting a single Preferred Conforming Portfolio in this IRP, which achieves emissions that are equal to or less than the LSE’s proportional share of the 8 million metric ton (“MMT”) greenhouse gas (“GHG”) target by 2045.

Projecting resource needs over the planning horizon covered by the IRP is a fluid process and Pioneer expects changes over time. The future resources identified in Pioneer’s IRP represent Pioneer’s current good-faith projection of the resource mix that will be procured over the IRP planning horizon. Such projections are based on best available information regarding planning directives, Pioneer policy, resource availability and other key considerations. The resources identified in future iterations of Pioneer’s IRP may change due to new information and evolving circumstances, and the ultimate resource mix that Pioneer actually procures (in future years) may differ from what is reflected in this plan due to a number of variables, including availability of supply, technology changes, price of supply, and/or other market or regulatory developments.
1 All further citations to statute are to the California Public Utilities Code (“PUC”) unless otherwise noted.
2 Rulemaking (“R.”) 25-06-019, Administrative Law Judge’s Ruling Setting Requirements for Individual Integrated Resource Plans Due June 1, 2026 ("Final Ruling"), January 16, 2026. 3 Energy Division Guidance can be accessed at: https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/industries-and-topics/electrical-energy/electric-power-procurement/long-term-procurement-planning/2024-26-irp-cycle-events-and-materials. 2 Board Council Approval of IRP
In compliance with Public Utilities Code Section 454.52(b)(3), this IRP was formally submitted to the Pioneer’s governing board for approval based on the IRP’s compliance with Sections 454.51 and 454.52 (the “IRP Statute”) and all relevant council-adopted procurement requirements of Pioneer’s governing council. On July 23, 2026, the Pioneer’s board adopted a Resolution which formally approved this IRP and adopted Pioneer’s Preferred Conforming Portfolio (“PCP”). Pioneer’s Resolution also made the following determinations regarding Pioneer’s PCP:
• Pioneer’s PCP is expected to achieve economic, reliability, environmental, security, and other benefits and performance characteristics that are consistent with the goals set forth in Section 454.52(a)(1)(A-I).
• Pioneer’s PCP includes a diversified procurement portfolio consisting of both short-term and long-term electricity and electricity-related and demand reduction products. • Pioneer’s PCP achieves the resource adequacy (RA) requirements established pursuant to Public Utilities Code Section 380.
• Pioneer’s PCP is consistent with the procurement timing, resource mix, and operational attributes of the 2025-2026 Transmission Planning Process Portfolio with updates (“System Reference Plan” or “TPP Portfolio”).
4 • Pioneer’s PCP is compliant with all Pioneer board-adopted procurement directives.

A copy of the final Resolution is available on the Pioneer website.5 Request for Certification
Pioneer respectfully requests that the Commission certify this IRP.

As both the Legislature and the Commission have recognized, the Legislature has granted CCAs broad authority to procure resources on behalf of their respective customers, an authority limited only where “other generation procurement arrangements have been expressly authorized by statute.”6 Likewise, the Legislature has granted CCAs autonomy in setting their own rates and managing interactions with their customers.7 Pioneer understands that the Commission has three primary interests in the CCA IRP process:
4 In Decision 22-02-004 at 105 and Ordering Paragraph (“OP”) 8, the Commission adopted the 30 MMT Core Portfolio with 2020 IEPR Demand and High Electric Vehicle (“EV”) Penetration Scenario. 5 Pioneer to insert.
6 PUC Section 366.2(a)(5).
7 D.05-12-041 at 9-11 (“Nothing in the statute directs the CPUC to regulate the CCA’s program except to the extent that its programs may affect utility operations and the rates and services to other customers.

For example, the statute does not require the CPUC to set CCA rates or regulate the quality of its services… We are confident that existing law protects CCA customers. Entities of local government, such as CCAs, are subject to numerous laws that will have the effect of protecting CCA customers and promoting accountability by CCAs…”).
3 • Ensuring that CCA IRPs provide requisite procurement information needed by the Commission to develop its statewide plan.8
• Ensuring that CCAs’ current and planned procurement is consistent with the RA requirements established pursuant to PUC Section 380.5.9
• Ensuring that CCAs’ current and planned procurement satisfies the CCA’s share of renewables integration resources identified in the Commission’s System Reference Plan, and that the CCA either self-provides or pays for investor-owned utility (“IOU”) procurement to support its share of any renewable integration shortfall.10
Pioneer has prepared its IRP with these interests in mind, and thanks the Commission for recognizing and preserving CCA procurement autonomy as well as the benefits of a collaborative planning approach with CCA organizations in its certification review of Pioneer’s IRP.

Plan Summary
This narrative provides a detailed description of the development and content of Pioneer’s PCP, the portfolio’s compliance with applicable requirements, and an action plan detailing Pioneer’s next steps (to promote conformance with such requirements).

Pioneer developed its IRP through the following steps:
• Pioneer compiled data for its existing energy contracts, including Voluntary Allocation Market Offer contracts from PG&E and GHG-free allocations from the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, RA capacity contracts, and its share of capacity for allocated Cost Allocation Mechanism (“CAM”) resources.
• For each IRP planning year, Pioneer identified its short positions relative to known planning targets and its assigned load forecast.
• Pioneer populated the Resource Data Template with all current contracts. • Pioneer compiled detailed information on projects for which it is currently negotiating power purchase agreements, including information regarding project status and timing. • Pioneer identified future contracts it expects to secure for new solar, storage, geothermal, hybrid and wind generation. Pioneer prioritized the selection of future resources to ensure that Pioneer’s overall portfolio of new resources is varied, is feasible in terms of resource availability, meets all regulatory goals, meets the goals expressed by Pioneer’s governing board, and is estimated to minimize costs to customers, subject to applicable mandates. Pioneer added generic future contracts with existing resources, including renewable and large hydroelectric generators, to help fill its remaining open positions.
8 D.19-04-040 at 17-18 (“The Commission’s portfolio aggregation and evaluation process, which relies of fulfillment of IRP filing requirements by LSEs, is the only process capable of assessing the overall needs of the CAISO grid and meeting the statewide GHG, reliability, and least-cost goals collectively. While LSEs may use their IRP process to meet local planning needs as well, the statewide planning function is the statutorily required process . . .”).
9 Section 454.52(b)(3)(C).
10 Section 454.51.
4 • Pioneer used the Commission’s Clean System Power Calculator Tool to check the GHG emissions associated with the resulting portfolio to ensure that these emissions are less than Pioneer’s assigned GHG emissions benchmarks in 2035 and 2045; Pioneer added planned purchases of additional energy from renewable or GHG-free resources in sufficient volume to ensure that portfolio emissions were less than Pioneer’s assigned GHG benchmark. • Pioneer evaluated the portfolio for reliability by comparing the total portfolio capacity against Pioneer’s RA requirements as shown in the Reliability tab in the RDT and adding sufficient RA capacity contracts to ensure reliability. Pioneer further established that its planned incremental capacity procurement met or exceeded its assigned shares of the various incremental capacity procurement obligations.
• Pioneer identified the resulting portfolio as its PCP.

Pioneer reached the following findings regarding its PCP:
• Pioneer’s PCP includes the procurement of the following new resources throughout the planning period:
o New solar resources totaling 2,113 MW
o New battery storage resources totaling 1,677 MW
o New wind resources totaling 466 MW
o New geothermal resources totaling 15 MW
o New biomass resources totaling 50 MW
• Pioneer’s PCP provides for the following overall resource mix in 2045:
o 401 GWh of Large Hydro
o 188 GWh of Hybrid/Collocated
o 113 GWh of Geothermal
o 377 GWh of Biomass
o 1,384 GWh of Wind
o 4,979 GWh of Solar
o 9,237 GWh of Battery Storage Discharge Capability
o 125 MW of utility capacity resources allocated under the Cost Allocation Mechanism • Pioneer’s PCP is consistent with procurement timing, resource quantities, and general resource attributes identified in the System Reference Plan.
• Pioneer’s PCP would have GHG emissions of 0.344 MMT, 0.222 MMT, 0.181 MMT, and 0.122 MMT in 2030, 2035, 2040, and 2045, respectively, which is equivalent to or less than Pioneer’s assigned GHG benchmarks for those years.
• Pioneer’s PCP meets all relevant reliability metrics. • Pioneer’s PCP is consistent with the Commission’s System Reference Plan and can be used in an 8 MMT (2045) consolidated statewide portfolio.

To implement its PCP, Pioneer is adopting the action plan described in Section IV, below. This action plan consists of the following steps:
5 • Pioneer will periodically solicit offers for new renewable generation and storage projects. These resources are typically secured through long-term power purchase agreements. Pioneer expects to secure power purchase agreements for new projects in multiple solicitations conducted over the next several years.
• Periodically throughout the year, Pioneer will solicit offers for short-term renewable energy, resource adequacy, system energy, and other products needed to balance the portfolio and adhere to position limits established through Pioneer’s risk management policy and practices.

These solicitations may take the form of a formal request for offers processes, bilateral discussions, and/or transactions arranged through broker markets. • Pioneer will continue to procure resources to meet any remaining assigned requirements from D.19-11-016, D.21-06-035, D.23-02-040, and D.26-02-057 as well as the specific sub-categories from those decisions.

II. Study Design
a. Objectives
Pioneer had the following objectives in performing the analytical work to develop its IRP:

1. Identify a PCP with lower emissions than Pioneer’s assigned GHG emissions benchmarks, as determined using the Commission’s emissions calculator.

2. Identify a PCP that achieves economic, reliability, environmental, security, and other benefits and performance characteristics that are consistent with the goals set forth in Section 454.52(a)(1)(A-I).

3. Identify diverse and balanced PCP that includes both short-term and long-term electricity products as well as electricity-related demand reduction products.

4. Identify a PCP that achieves the resource adequacy requirements established pursuant to PUC Section 380 and provide Pioneer’s share of system reliability and renewable integration resources.

5. Identify a PCP that complies with all of Pioneer’s Board-adopted procurement directives.

6. Identify a PCP that is compliant with Pioneer’s obligations under the Renewables Portfolio Standard (“RPS”) program.

7. Identify a PCP that is cost-effective and minimizes rate impacts on Pioneer’s customers. b. Methodology
i. Modeling Tool(s)
In developing its planned portfolios, Pioneer used the inputs, assumptions, and modeling performed by the Energy Division using RESOLVE and SERVM to identify candidate resources and portfolio characteristics needed to meet the assigned GHG benchmarks. Internal models were used to assess open positions and to incorporate RESOLVE/SERVM planning assumptions to specify a mix of planned resources, including considerations relating to the timing of resource acquisition, the type of resources acquired, and the assumed mix of procurement of new vs. existing resources. The RDTv3 and CSP 6 templates were used to test the portfolio for reliability and GHG emissions. Pioneer assessed its resulting physical and financial positions for conformance with Pioneer’s risk management policies and business practices.

Pioneer utilizes a commercial energy trading and risk management system to monitor its positions, market exposure, credit exposure, value-at-risk, and other risk management metrics. Pioneer used the outputs of its energy trading and risk management system to develop reports and data which were then analyzed to assess annual, monthly, and hourly open positions by considering all forecasted electric loads and expected deliveries from Pioneer’s resource portfolio. Pioneer also used a proprietary financial model to project power supply costs based on existing and planned procurements as well as an overall financial assessment of revenues, costs, and cash flows. Current market conditions were considered when compiling any costs associated with expected/planned purchases; actual costs, based on existing procurement contracts, were incorporated as appropriate, and RESOLVE cost assumptions were used for new candidate resources.
ii. Modeling Approach
The modeling approach was to identify a portfolio of resources that meets the objectives outlined above and that considers resource availability under the assumption that other LSEs would procure in a manner consistent with the 2025-2026 TPP Portfolio with updates. Pioneer relied on the 2025 Inputs and Assumptions documentation for information on expected cost and availability of new candidate resources and used this information to guide selection of technology types and timing of procurement for the new resources in the portfolio. Overall renewable energy and carbon-free energy content follows a trajectory towards 98% and 112% by 2045, which were the levels deemed necessary to meet or beat the assigned GHG limits.

Load Forecast
Pioneer developed this IRP using its assigned load forecast from the file Load Forecasts + GHG Benchmarks document published by the CPUC on 1/16/2611 (also contained in the CSP templates), as directed in the Final Ruling. This forecast is shown in Table 1 below.

Table 1: Pioneer’s 2026-2045 Load Forecast (GWh)
Year Load Forecast
2026 1,768.05
2027 2,234.26
2028 3,644.54
2029 4,112.03
2030 4,311.92
2031 4,499.41
2032 4,698.84
2033 4,904.00
2034 5,120.84
11 See Load Forecasts + GHG Benchmarks (January 16, 2026) (hereinafter, “GHG Benchmarks”), available at https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/industries-and-topics/electrical-energy/electric-power-procurement/long-term-procurement-planning/2024-26-irp-cycle-events-and-materials. 7 2035 5,334.68
2036 5,505.49
2037 5,660.41
2038 5,802.94
2039 5,934.16
2040 6,055.84
2041 6,166.34
2042 6,279.04
2043 6,378.30
2044 6,455.04
2045 6,519.29
Load Shape
In developing its portfolio Pioneer used the default load shape from the Clean System Power Calculator.

Use of this load shape does not change Pioneer’s total annual energy volumes for both load and load modifiers, and these energy volumes remain consistent with Pioneer’s assigned load forecast.

Load-Proportional GHG Emissions Benchmark
Pioneer’s modeling was assessed against its 2030, 2035, 2040 and 2045 assigned GHG emissions benchmarks, which are shown below in Table 2:

Table 2: Pioneer’s Assigned Shares of GHG Reduction Benchmarks (MMt/yr) 2030 2035 2040 2045

0.348 0.276 0.236 0.123
Compiling Existing Resources
To populate its baseline resource templates, Pioneer included existing resources from the following procurement categories:
• Energy contracts.
• Capacity (Resource Adequacy) contracts.
• Pioneer’s assigned share of capacity for CAM resources. • Pioneer’s selected Voluntary Allocation and Market Opportunities (“VAMO”) allocation of RPS resources from Pacific Gas and Electric Company (“PG&E”) • Pioneer’s allocation of GHG-free resources from the PG&E Hydro and Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant
Contracts using existing resources are a combination of those currently under contract (existing contracts) and potential future contracts (planned contracts). Reliance on planned purchases from existing resources was constrained to a small portion of the overall portfolio in recognition of the need that significant development of new resources will be necessary to meet the State’s GHG reduction goals and that contracting opportunities with existing resources may become increasingly scarce.

Selecting New Resources
8 To identify its new resource procurement opportunities, Pioneer first determined the new resource capacity it intends to add each year and considered candidate resources based on assessments of availability, cost, and portfolio fit. Planned purchases were grouped into distinct tranches for modeling purposes, although actual procurement will likely occur on a more continuous basis. A variety of factors were considered in determining the size and composition of the new resource procurement tranches reflected in the plan. These factors include resource needs (i.e., open positions relative to planning targets), renewable portfolio standards including long-term renewable contracting requirements, resource adequacy requirements, the need for incremental resource adequacy capacity to contribute to system reliability and renewable integration needs (e.g., incremental procurement orders), the potential for technological improvements over time, cost/customer impacts, and risk considerations. Pioneer assessed resource availability based on the CPUC’s planning assumptions and inputs and used this information to help guide the timing of procurement of various generation resource types. The CPUC’s RESOLVE modeling helped guide Pioneer’s selection of new resource types, as did its experience with competitive solicitations for new renewable and storage resources and its experience in procuring resource adequacy resources.

Confirming Reliability
Pioneer’s portfolios were evaluated to ensure that sufficient dependable capacity (net qualifying capacity) would be available to meet peak load requirements, as shown in the RDTv3. These requirements include procuring sufficient net qualifying capacity to meet the Planning Reserve Margins applicable to each year of the planning period. Pioneer used technology-specific Effective Load Carrying Capacity (“ELCC”) factors from the RDT to assess the contribution of each resource to system reliability.

The ELCCs for battery storage resources degrade precipitously during the planning period, which means that battery resources provide less net qualifying capacity per MW of nameplate capacity. To ensure that its portfolio met the reliability requirements in each year of the planning period, Pioneer added sufficient short-term RA capacity as needed to supplement capacity from its long-term portfolio.

Pioneer’s portfolio was designed to ensure that current incremental resource adequacy capacity obligations from the various CPUC procurement orders will be met.

Calculating GHG Emissions
Pioneer calculated the emissions associated with its PCP using the Commission’s Clean System Power calculator. The assigned load forecast and default load shapes and behind-the-meter adjustments were used for this assessment, along with the planned supply portfolios. Pioneer used standard resource profiles from the Clean System Power calculator. The resulting emissions in each year were checked against the assigned GHG benchmarks.
iii. Alternative Assumptions
Pioneer did not use alternative assumptions in developing its PCP.

III. Study Results
9 a. Conforming and Alternative Portfolios
As required by the Commission, Pioneer is submitting a preferred conforming portfolio that achieves Pioneer’s share of the 2030, 2035, 2040, and 2045 GHG targets. Pioneer is not submitting alternative portfolios.

Pioneer’s Preferred Conforming Portfolio
Table 3 provides a summary of Pioneer’s PCP, identifying resources by type and distinguishing between the following procurement categories:
• Existing resources (energy and capacity) that Pioneer owns or contracts with, consistent with definitions provided in the Resource Data Template.
• Existing resources (energy and capacity) that Pioneer plans to contract with in the future. • Existing resources (capacity) that Pioneer partially pays for through CAM. • New Resources (energy and capacity) that are under development that Pioneer is planning to procure.
• Future new resources (energy and capacity) that Pioneer is planning to procure.

Table 3: Summary of 2045 PCP
Resource Category Under
Development
Online Planned
Existing
Planned
New
Under
Review
Total
Battery Storage (GWh
Energy Capacity)
— — — 9,237 — 9,237
Biogas (GWh) — 0 — 61 — 61
Biomass (GWh) — — — 316 — 316
Geothermal (GWh) — 0 — 113 — 113
Hybrid or Paired Solar
and Battery (GWh)
188 — — — — 188
Large Hydro (GWh) — 0 401 — — 401
Solar California (GWh) — — 248 4,732 — 4,980
Wind California (GWh) — 1 62 368 — 431
Wind New Mexico
(GWh)
— — — 413 — 413
Wind Wyoming (GWh) — — — 541 — 541
In summary, to meet Pioneer’s projected 2045 energy demand, Pioneer has selected a Conforming Portfolio composed primarily of the following resources by 2045:
10 • Solar, planned existing: 248 GWh
• Solar, planned new: 4,732 GWh
• Hybrid/Collocated: in development 188 GWh
• Wind, planned existing: 62 GWh
• Wind, CA, planned new: 368 GWh
• Wind, New Mexico, planned new: 413 GWh
• Wind, Wyoming, planned new; 541 GWh
• Large Hydro, planned existing: 401 GWh
• Geothermal, planned new: 113 GWh
• Biomass/biogas, planned new: 377 GWh
• Battery storage, new: 9,237 GWh dispatch capability
Additionally, Pioneer’s PCP includes capacity-only resources composed primarily of the following resources:
• Cost Allocation Mechanism (CAM) capacity resources: 125 MW Pioneer’s portfolio includes a mix of existing and new resources, with new resources dominating the portfolio by 2045. Pioneer’s PCP is comprised of a mix of resources in which Pioneer can minimize customer rate impacts while still achieving the State’s GHG-reduction targets.

Pioneer’s PCP Is Consistent with the 2025-2026 TPP Portfolio The new resources included in Pioneer’s CPP are consistent with the 2025-2026 TPP Portfolio new resource mix as demonstrated in the following table:

Table 4: Comparison of Pioneer’s PCP New Build Resources to the 2025-2026 TPP Portfolio Resource Category TPP Portfolio (MW) Pioneer’s Proportional Share of TPP New
Resources (MW)
Pioneer’s PCP (MW)
Geothermal 3,230 78 15
Geothermal (Enhanced) 674 16 0
Biomass 12 0 50
In-State Wind 10,949 263 160
Out-of-State Wind 19,036 457 307
Offshore Wind - 0 0
Solar 82,732 1,986 2,113
Li-ion Battery (4-hr) 6,758 162 677
Li-ion Battery (8-hr) 21,102 506 1,000
Location Constrained
Storage (12-hr)
8,499 204 0
Overall, Table 4 shows that Pioneer’s PCP is broadly consistent with Pioneer’s proportional share of the TPP new-resource build, with the same core technology set (solar, wind, and storage) providing the bulk of new supply. The primary differences are that: (1) the PCP includes more biomass than the proportional TPP share; (2) the PCP relies materially more on battery storage—both 4-hour and longer-duration (8-hour) storage; and (3) the PCP includes less in-state wind and out-of-state wind than does 11 the proportional share. The PCP also does not assume Enhanced Geothermal (0 MW versus a small proportional share) and does not include the location-constrained 12-hour storage category included in the TPP due to uncertain cost and availability considerations. Taken together, these differences reflect Pioneer’s emphasis on resources that best match its expected net-load profile and reliability needs as well as resource availability, while maintaining overall alignment with the statewide planning direction reflected in the TPP.

The contracted and planned resources for Pioneer’s PCP are summarized as follows:
• CAM - DR Allocation — Pacific Gas & Electric CAM allocation, existing demand response, online, 2023-2045.
• CAM - Storage — Pacific Gas & Electric CAM allocation, existing generic battery storage, online, 2023-2045.
• Other CAM — Pacific Gas & Electric CAM allocation, existing combined-cycle gas, online, 2023- 2045.
• Edwards Sanborn Solar IV_PCC1_LT_1_Pioneer — TERRAGEN, existing generic 1-axis solar, online, 2021-2036.
• Enterprise V_PCC1_1_LT_Pioneer — TERRAGEN, new generic 2-axis solar (paired solar+storage project), SCE area, in development, 2027-2042.
• Enterprise V_PCC1_BESS_Pioneer — TERRAGEN, new generic battery storage (paired solar+storage project), SCE area, in development, 2027-2042. • Chalan_PCC1_1_LT_Pioneer — ORIGIS, new generic 2-axis solar (paired solar+storage project), PG&E area, in development, 2026-2046.
• Chalan_PCC1_BESS_LT_Pioneer — ORIGIS, new generic battery storage (paired solar+storage project), PG&E area, in development, 2026-2046.
• Janus_PCC1_1_LT_Pioneer — RWE, new generic 2-axis solar (paired solar+storage project), PG&E area, in development, 2027-2042.
• Janus_PCC1_BESS_LT_Pioneer — RWE, new generic battery storage (paired solar+storage project), PG&E area, in development, 2037-2042.
• Yellow Pine_PCC1_LT_Pioneer — NEXTERA, new generic 2-axis solar (paired solar+storage project), SCE area, online, 2024-2044.
• Yellow Pine_PCC1_BESS_Pioneer — NEXTERA, new generic battery storage (paired solar+storage project), SCE area, online, 2024-2044.
• Lockhart_PCC1_1_LT_Pioneer — JUNIPER, new generic 2-axis solar (paired solar+storage project), SCE area, in development, 2027-2047.
• Lockhart_PCC1_BESS_Pioneer — JUNIPER, new generic battery storage (paired solar+storage project), SCE area, in development, 2027-2047.
• Harper_PCC1_1_LT_Pioneer — JUNIPER, new generic 2-axis solar (paired solar+storage project), SCE area, in development, 2027-2047.
• Harper_PCC1_BESS_Pioneer — JUNIPER, new generic battery storage (paired solar+storage project), SCE area, in development, 2027-2047.
• SENA_PCC1_1_LT_Pioneer — SHELL, existing generic wind, California, online, 2019-2030. 12 • Calpine_PCC1_LT_1_Pioneer — CALPINE, existing generic geothermal, California, online, 2022- 2031.
• SENA_PCC1_1_LT_Option_Pioneer — SHELL, existing generic 2-axis solar, California, online, 2020-2031.
• EID_PCC1_LT_1_Pioneer — EID, existing in-state small hydro, California, online, 2021-2031. • SENA_PCC1_2_LT_Pioneer — SHELL, existing generic 2-axis solar, California, online, 2024-2037. • SENA_PCC1_3_Pioneer — SHELL, existing generic 2-axis solar, California, online, calendar year 2026.
• CALPINE_RA_12_NCF_Pioneer — CALPINE, SMUDGO_7_UNIT 1, online, 2022-2031. • CALPINE_RA_15_NS_Pioneer — CALPINE, GILRPP_1_PL3X4, online, 2022-2028. • EID_RA_1_Si_Pioneer — EID, ELDORO_7_UNIT 1, online, 2021-2031. • LEAP_RA_2_NS_Pioneer — LEAPFROG, DR - TBD, online, 2022-2032. • CALPINE_RA_28_NSF_Pioneer — CALPINE, LMEC_1_PL1X3, online, 2023-2030. • CALPINE_RA_29_NS_Pioneer — CALPINE, GILROY_1_UNIT, online, 2022-2030. • SENA_RA_4_NS_Pioneer — SHELL, SANDRN_2_SS2SR2, online, 2024-2037. • Marsh Landing LLC_RA_1_BAF_Pioneer — MARSH LANDING, COCOPP_2_CTG4, online, 2023- 2026.
• NRG_RA_5_NS_Pioneer — FIFTH STANDARD, FIFTHS_2_FSSBT, Fresno County, Greater Fresno area, online, 2023-2033.
• SENTINEL_RA_1_LF_Pioneer — SENTINEL, SENTNL_2_CTG1, online, 2024-2027. • DIRECT_RA_5_NSF_Pioneer — NRG, FIFTHS 2 FSSBT, online, 2023-2033. • DIRECT_RA_6_NSF_Pioneer — NRG, FIFTHS 2 FSSBT, online, 2023-2026. • LongBeach_RA_1_SSF_Pioneer — LONG BEACH, HINSON_6_LBECH1, online, 2025-2030. • CALPINE_RA_39_NS_Pioneer — CALPINE, GEYS20_7_UNIT20, online, 2026-2035. • CALPINE_RA_39_NSF_Pioneer — CALPINE, GEYS20_7_UNIT20, online, 2026-2035. • WGP_RA_1_SS_Pioneer — WGP, BDGRCK_1_UNITS, online, 2026-2030. • BALSAM_RA_1_SSF_Pioneer — BALSAM, new generic battery storage, in development, 2028- 2048.
• GASKELL_RA_1_SS_Pioneer — GASKELL, new generic battery storage, in development, 2026- 2036.
• SENA_RA_6_NSF_Pioneer — SHELL, FIFTHS_2_FSSBT, online, calendar year 2026. • PG&E_Nuke_1_Pioneer — existing nuclear, online, 2025-2030. • PG&E_Hydro_2_Pioneer — existing in-state large hydro, online, 2025-2045. • SENA_CF_2_Pioneer — SHELL, existing in-state large hydro, online, calendar year 2026. • PG&E VAMO PCC0 allocation — PG&E VAMO/CAM allocation, basket of existing resources (2- axis solar, biogas / landfill gas, biomass / wood, in-state small hydro, wind), online, 2023-2045. • PG&E VAMO PCC1 allocation — PG&E VAMO/CAM allocation, basket of existing resources (2- axis solar, biogas / landfill gas, geothermal, in-state small hydro, wind), online, 2023-2043. 13 • Generic CCGT RA (2026–2034) — Annual generic combined-cycle gas RA placeholders, planned existing-resource procurement, one-year terms covering 2026-2034. • LT Storage_D.26_4 — D.21-06-035 / mid-term reliability battery storage procurement, planned new build, 2030-2052.
• LT LD Storage_D.26_8 — D.21-06-035 / mid-term reliability long-duration battery storage procurement, planned new build, 2032-2052.
• LT Storage (long-term tranches) — Series of long-term new generic battery storage procurements, planned new build, with COD years 2030-2045 and contract end years 2050- 2060.
• LT Geothermal 2 — Long-term new generic geothermal procurement, planned new build, 2035- 2055.
• LT Biomass (long-term tranches) — Series of long-term new generic biomass procurements, planned new build, 2035-2055.
• LT Biogas — Series of long-term new generic biogas procurements, planned new build, 2035- 2055.
• LT Solar (long-term tranches) — Series of long-term new generic 1-axis solar procurements, planned new build, with COD years 2030-2045 and contract end years 2050-2060. • LT Wind CA 2 — Long-term new generic in-state wind procurements planned new build, 2035- 2055.
• LT Wind Out of State (long-term tranches) — Series of long-term new generic out-of-state wind (New Mexico and Wyoming) procurements, planned new build, with COD years 2030-2045 and contract end years 2050-2060.
• ST (short-term) existing-resource procurements — Planned short-term procurement of existing 1-axis solar, in-state large hydro, wind, 2028-2045.
b. Preferred Conforming Portfolio
As stated above, in accordance with Section 454.51(b)(3), Pioneer’s governing board has determined that the resource mix in its PCP achieves “economic, reliability, environmental, security, and other benefits and performance characteristics that are consistent with the goals set forth in [Section] 454.51(a)(1)].” These benefits and characteristics are discussed as follows. These benefits and characteristics are discussed in the following sections.

GHG Reduction Goals
Pioneer’s PCP achieves results and performance characteristics consistent with the Section 454.52(a)(1)(A) goal of meeting the Commission’s GHG reduction benchmarks. The 2030, 2035, 2040 and 2045 emissions from Pioneer’s PCP are below Pioneer’s assigned emissions targets. Pioneer’s GHG targets and PCP GHG portfolio emissions are shown in the table below:

Table 5 GHG Emissions Benchmark (MMT)
2030 2035 2040 2045

0.348 0.276 0.236 0.123
14 Renewable Energy
Pioneer’s PCP achieves results and performance characteristics consistent with the Section 454.52(a)(1)(B) goal of ensuring that portfolios are composed of at least 60% eligible renewable resources. In 2030 Pioneer’s PCP portfolio would consist of 67% eligible renewable generation, after accounting for resource curtailments, which exceeds the 60% requirement. In 2045, Pioneer’s PCP portfolio would consist of 98% eligible renewable generation after accounting for resource curtailments.

Enable Each Electrical Corporation to Fulfill Its Obligation to Serve Customers at Just and Reasonable Rates
Not applicable.

Minimizing Bill Impact
Pioneer’s PCP achieves results and performance characteristics consistent with the Section 454.52(a)(1)(D) goal of minimizing the impact of planned procurement on ratepayers’ bills. Pioneer’s PCP portfolio consists primarily of renewable resources that generally support a least-cost, best-fit procurement strategy.

Pioneer prioritizes cost competitiveness, reliability, use of renewable energy and local economic development amongst its primary concerns. Pioneer anticipates that bill impacts will be minimized during its planned portfolio transition through the pursuit of a diversified resource mix that seeks to minimize exposure(s) that could otherwise occur by overemphasizing resources located within specific geographic areas, relying on a limited subset of technology types and/or purchasing from a limited pool of suppliers/developers, amongst other considerations.

Pioneer also considers the risks associated with certain renewable-only generating configurations that limit the buyer’s ability to re-shape deliveries to times of the day when negative prices and, possibly, curtailments are less likely to occur. With this concern in mind, Pioneer has carefully considered and incorporated energy storage opportunities within its resource mix, which should promote grid reliability during California’s transition to an increasingly clean/renewable energy mix while reducing the potential for unforeseen costs (due to negative pricing) and/or reduced renewable energy deliveries related to curtailment. For example, coupling new-build solar with battery storage increases the capacity value of such projects and provides limited dispatchability for the solar generation, reducing risks related to curtailment and negative pricing. Pioneer’s predominantly fossil-free PCP reduces exposure to volatile natural gas prices as well as bill impacts that may result from periodic spikes in fossil fuel prices.

Ensuring System and Local Reliability
Pioneer’s PCP achieves results and performance characteristics consistent with the Section 454.52(a)(1)(E) goal of ensuring system and local reliability. The PCP meets system resource adequacy requirements as detailed in Section III.f. Pioneer’s portfolio assumes CAM allocations and CAM resources, consistent with what is described in the most recently issued CAM allocations. When possible, Pioneer prioritizes procurement in local areas to strengthen local reliability.

As it has done in the past, and as shown in most state planning studies, Pioneer anticipates that it will meet a portion of its reliability needs during the planning period through capacity-only contracts with natural gas plants. This finding is consistent with the CPUC’s RESOLVE/SERVM modeling showing the need to maintain existing fossil-fueled resources online for reliability purposes as well as the declining 15 ELCC factors for storage resources shown by these studies. Pioneer’s PCP includes a significant expansion of grid-connected battery storage resources which will support system and local reliability.

Ensure that at least 65% of RPS Procurement is From Long-Term Contracts Consistent with Section 454.52(a)(1)(F), Pioneer is on pace to meet the requirement that 65% of its RPS procurement must come from contracts of 10 years (long-term or more for each compliance period.

Additionally, the significant majority of the resources shown in Pioneer’s PCP are expected to be acquired through long-term contracts. Pioneer will continue to procure renewable energy through short-term contracts when opportunities present themselves for cost-efficient procurement and when doing so would reduce any remaining dependency on system power, but the bulk of the portfolio is planned to be secured via long-term contracts.

Strengthen the diversity, sustainability, and resilience of the bulk transmission and distribution systems, and local communities
Pioneer’s PCP achieves results and performance characteristics that strengthen the diversity, sustainability and resilience of the bulk transmission and distribution systems, as well as local communities, meeting Section 454.52(a)(1)(G). Pioneer’s PCP relies on procurement from a variety of resource types as well as storage resources incorporated in hybrid solar and storage configuration.

Pioneer believes that the complementary nature of the solar and storage in hybrid resources makes better use of the existing transmission system. Pioneer carefully evaluates the long-term generation load-matching and congestion risks of new resources and weighs its options in the context of its existing supply and net demand on an hourly basis for the full duration of any contract period.

As described below, Pioneer is actively pursuing the procurement of or has recently purchased capacity to meet the sub-category requirements of D.21-06-035 and D.26-02-057, which includes long-duration storage, clean-firm resources like geothermal, and resources to replace the Diablo Canyon Power Plant.

Additionally, Pioneer has recently procured demand response capacity resources, providing additional system diversity. Finally, the significant transition away from use of fossil fuels enhances the sustainability of all communities impacted by pollution from these resources.

Distribution Systems Demand-Side Energy Management
Pioneer’s PCP achieves results and performance characteristics consistent with the Section 454.52(a)(1)(G) goal of enhancing distribution systems and demand-side energy management. Pioneer continues to explore and pursue demand-side management programs such as demand response, energy efficiency, and behind the meter energy storage solutions. These resources help reduce the strain on distribution systems as can help defer capital expansion needs. As part of Pioneer’s procurement toward D.21-06-035, as discussed in more detail in Section IV.a.ii., Pioneer has contracted for demand response resources to meet a portion of its requirements.

Distribution system energy generation: As a CCA operating in the PG&E service territory, Pioneer does not own or operate transmission or distribution facilities. We therefore rely on materials provided by PG&E and CAISO – and collaborate with project developers – to identify interconnection locations that can use existing transmission and distribution capacity with minimal upgrades. Consistent with Pioneer’s organizational goals, in our 2026 IRP, Pioneer will continue to pursue and prioritize new resources sited in or near our service area and more broadly within Northern California. 16 Pioneer’s efforts with distribution system energy generation include microgrid projects, its GridGen program, and participation in the Bioenergy Market Adjusting Tariff (BioMAT) program.

Pioneer’s customers are heavily burdened with reliability issues associated with Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS), Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings (EPSS), and other extreme weather events. Pioneer sees microgrids as the solution. In 2025, Pioneer applied to Pacific Gas & Electric’s (PG&E’s) Microgrid Incentive Program (MIP) to develop microgrids in Pioneer communities that are disadvantaged and vulnerable, are in high-fire threat zones, and are prone to power outages. Pioneer submitted four applications for projects in Georgetown, Foresthill, Nevada City, and Grass Valley. The projects in Georgetown and Foresthill utilize biomass and battery storage, and the projects in Nevada City and Grass Valley utilize solar and battery storage. Although Pioneer is uncertain if any of its applications will receive a MIP award grant funding, it is hopeful that one or two projects will receive a MIP award and grant funding. Pioneer will continue to evaluate locations, funding mechanisms, and developers and organizations for microgrid development that will allow communities affected by power outages to be grid resilient. For Pioneer, microgrids offer an opportunity to prioritize resources in its communities by procuring the excess energy from microgrids while helping to enable energy resilience in areas that would most benefit from it. Pioneer is focused on deployment of biomass baseload generation or solar-plus-storage systems which can directly serve the local load, fulfilling some of Pioneer’s baseload and peak load obligations.

Pioneer’s GridGen program is designed to support residential customers interested in installing energy storage distributed energy resources. GridGen provides a solar-plus-storage system, or battery retrofit to a current system, with no up-front cost and no credit underwriting. The program focuses on deploying battery packs at the residential level which provides residents with storage resources that can be island for enhanced reliability at the customer level. This program actively looks to reduce Pioneer Community Energy’s peak load demand while benefiting its customers by providing rate stability and added reliability over 25 years.

Lastly, Pioneer has executed six BioMAT PPAs for biomass projects in and around its service territory.

The projects are in the counties of Nevada, Butte, Yuba, Mariposa, Plumas, and Calaveras, and consist of five Category 3 biomass facilities and one Category 2 (other Ag) biomass facility. These biomass projects will not only generate power but also help mitigate wildfires by removing excess, high-fire risk vegetation from forests.

We will continue to work with member agencies to identify sites that align with local zoning, climate action plans, and community preferences while minimizing interconnection costs and construction impacts, despite the current constraints and limitations with existing distributed generation interconnection processes in our service area. Pioneer solicits distribution connected systems both through our Local Solar Feed-in Tariff program and through RFPs, and also finds grants to match locations and developers for potential distribution connected systems projects. Pioneer will continue to aggressively pursue such opportunities where aligned with Pioneer’s broader mission and goals.

Demand side management: Our 2026 IRP treats demand-side energy management as a planning tool in Pioneer’s toolbox. Pioneer currently offers an event-based demand response program for its residential customers called PowerShift Rewards. PowerShift Rewards is a program which incentivizes customers to reduce demand in the peak hours in response to Pioneer-called events or to larger scale events-based CAISO Flex Alerts. Pioneer also offers its Hourly Flex Pricing pilot program, to its agricultural customers.

Hourly Flex Pricing is a dynamic rate program where electricity prices vary hourly based on a seven-day 17 forecast. While PowerShift Rewards aims to address the most critical demand spikes by residential customers, Hourly Flex Pricing aims to shape load on a regular basis with its agricultural customers.

Pioneer is looking to offer additional demand-side management programs to its customers in 2027, building off our current suite of programs. Overall, these programs aim to shift load off the peak hours throughout the year and during extreme seasonal events. Current programs under evaluation, but not implemented, include:
• Commercial building event-based load management and energy efficiency. • Commercial EV charging management leveraging dynamic rates and participation incentives. • Residential EV charging management leveraging dynamic rates and participation incentives. • Bidirectional electric school bus charging management and grid support pilot program. • exploring the expansion of its GridGen program to commercial customers and to a broader strategy of evaluating Virtual Power Plant (VPP) opportunities, leveraging distributed energy resources to create value for customers while supporting grid reliability and flexibility.

Pioneer’s goals with these initiatives are consistent with the State’s broader goals for demand side management, including improving local reliability and lowering costs for customers in the local area, with particular focus on disadvantaged and climate-vulnerable communities. Pioneer also anticipates analyzing time-of-use rates in the coming years to determine if further shifts in usage – away from net-peak hours and reducing reliance on system power – can be achieved through rate design. Pioneer’s programs are currently in the early stages of implementation and do not yet offer material adjustments to load or power supply, but we continue to review program and rate performance and adjust procurement efforts to reflect the impacts of these programs on an ongoing basis. Additionally, as a part of Pioneer’s procurement toward D.21-06-035, as discussed in more detail in Section [IV.a.ii.], Pioneer has contracted for demand response resources to meet a portion of its Mid-Term Reliability requirements.

Minimizing Localized Air Pollutants with Emphasis on Disadvantaged Communities (“DACs”)
Pioneer’s PCP achieves results and performance characteristics consistent with the Section 454.52(a)(1)(l) goal of minimizing localized air pollutants and other GHG emissions with early priority on disadvantaged communities. Pioneer’s PCP relies primarily on renewable generation, and this portfolio is expected to exhibit relatively low GHGs and localized air pollution emissions. Pioneer’s PCP minimizes Pioneer’s reliance on unspecified system power, instead opting for renewable and hydroelectric generation procurement and/or development whenever feasible. Results from the CSP tool indicate the following localized air pollutants associated with Pioneer’s PCP in 2045:
• PM 2.5: 144 tonnes/year
• SO2: 59 tonnes/year
• NOx: 334 tonnes/year
These emissions are expected to result from the planned use of small quantities of system energy as well as emissions from Combined Heat and Power (“CHP”) resources and system energy assigned to the Pioneer portfolio by the CSP tool.
18 Resource Diversity
Pioneer’s PCP prioritizes resource diversity among numerous dimensions (technology, location, procurement timing, counterparty) as a fundamental risk management strategy and which yields a portfolio with production characteristics that generally align with Pioneer’s load shape. Close alignment reduces reliance on system energy with resulting emissions, while also reducing CAISO market exposure.

These considerations are necessarily balanced against cost and availability concerns – clean baseload resources are limited in availability and come with high costs. Consequently, while the PCP includes a diverse portfolio of resources, it leans heavily on solar and storage, consistent with the System Reference Plan. Potential technological improvements or incorporation of resources procured by the Department of Water Resources can be accommodated and may displace resources currently planned for the various procurement tranches. The staggered procurement timing articulated in the PCP provides flexibility to adapt to such changes.

Comparison to the 2022 IRP portfolio
The PCP is much larger than Pioneer’s preferred 25 MMT by 2035 portfolio from the 2022 integrated resource plan due to the significant expansion of Pioneer’s customer base and the significant load growth inherent in the assigned load forecast. The PCP shows greater reliance on solar and storage, which is primarily a function of resource availability and is consistent with the current RESOLVE/TPP results. Solar makes up the bulk of the build. California baseline wind is also substantial and supplemented by New Mexico and eventually Wyoming wind. Offshore wind is not included in the PCP, whereas the 2022 plan included off-share wind beginning in 2035. c. GHG Emissions Results
The CSP calculator shows estimated GHG emissions as reported in the table below.

Table 6: GHG Emissions
2030 2035 2040 2045

0.344 0.222 0.181 0.122
These portfolio emissions are equal to or below the assigned GHG limits as required for a conforming portfolio.
d. Local Air Pollutant Minimization and Disadvantaged Communities i. Local Air Pollutants
The CSP calculator estimates the following PM2.5, SO2, and NOx emissions associated with Pioneer’s PCP:

Table 7: PCP Air Pollutants
Pollutant 2030 2035 2040 2045
PM2.5 22 150 146 144
SO2 3 60 59 59
NOx 34 347 343 334
19 The tables below show the portion of the load that is being served from net system power each year for the PCP.

Table 8: PCP Demand and System Power
2030 2035 2040 2045
Retail Sales 4,312 5,335 6,056 6,519
Net System Power 742 462 506 326
% of Load Served by
System Power
17% 9% 8% 5%
Pioneer discusses its plans to reduce reliance on system power in Section IV., Action Plan. ii. Focus on Disadvantaged Communities
In our 2026 IRP, Pioneer uses the Clean System Power calculator to quantify both GHG and criteria pollutant emissions (NOx, PM2.5, SO2) associated with our preferred portfolio as reported in Section III.c and III.d.i. above. Pioneer’s current service area includes two disadvantaged communities (DAC) per the 2026 IRP set of definitions which is inclusive of lands under the control of federally recognized tribes. After its expansion in 2027, Pioneer’s service area will include more disadvantaged communities and lands belonging to federally recognized tribes.

DAC Census Tract /
Land Controlled by a Federally Recognized Tribe County
Area Located in Pioneer’s
Territory*
Shingle Springs Rancheria El Dorado Yes
Auburn Rancheria Placer Yes
Berry Creek Rancheria Butte Expansion - Oct 2027
Enterprise Rancheria Butte Expansion - Oct 2027
Mooretown Rancheria Butte Expansion - Oct 2027
Colusa Rancheria Colusa Expansion - Oct 2027
Cortina Indian Rancheria Colusa Expansion - Oct 2027
Grindstone Indian Rancheria Glenn Expansion - Oct 2027
Chicken Ranch Rancheria Tuolumne Expansion - Oct 2027
Tuolumne Rancheria Tuolumne Expansion - Oct 2027
Census Tract: 6007001300 Butte Expansion - Oct 2027
Census Tract: 6021010400 Glenn Expansion - Oct 2027
Census Tract: 6101050101 Sutter Expansion - Oct 2027
Census Tract: 6101050202 Sutter Expansion - Oct 2027
Census Tract: 6101050201 Sutter Expansion - Oct 2027
Census Tract: 6101050302 Sutter Expansion - Oct 2027
Census Tract: 6007003700 Butte Expansion - Oct 2027
*An area being located within Pioneer’s service territory does not indicate if specific customers are opted into being Pioneer customers.
20 Our planning objective is to minimize unspecified system power usage and prioritize clean resources that reduce local pollution burdens across the State. Where grid capacity exists within our communities, we are particularly conscious of local areas with high cumulative pollution scores. In procurement practice, this involves prioritizing biomass facilities in areas heavily burdened by the threat of wildfire and renewable generation with the greatest potential for displacement of fossil fuels, wherever practical. Overall, these practices aim to benefit DACs by reducing wildfire risk and stimulating the local economy for biomass projects and reducing emissions with other renewable projects. In its solicitations Pioneer requests respondents to identify how the submitted projects may replace or supplant existing generation and to quantify the expected emissions impacts of this transition.

As required in this 2026 IRP submission, Pioneer has also analyzed its existing portfolio of long-term contracts and their relationship to DACs within a 5-mile radius. While Pioneer does not have direct data showing emissions reductions as a result of these projects (many are not yet operational), Pioneer’s long-term portfolio is comprised of renewable resources – solar, wind, geothermal, biomass – and battery storage capacity which all are anticipated to have either a positive impact or negligible impact on emissions and have the potential to displace emitting generation.

Project
Type
Project
Location
Census Tract DACs in 5-mile radius
Solar + BESS Kern County 6029006500 Yes (6029006500)
Solar + BESS Kern County 6029004500 Yes (6029004500)
Solar + BESS Colusa County 6011000300 Yes (Cortina Indian Rancheria) Biomass Nevada
County
6057000600 No
Biomass Yuba County 6115040901 Yes (6115040400)
Biomass
Mariposa
County 6043000101 No
Biomass Plumas County
Biomass Butte County 6007003600 Yes (6007003700)
Biomass
Calaveras
County 6009000501 No
Solar + BESS
San
Bernardino
County 6071011600 No
Solar + BESS
San
Bernardino
County 6071011600 No
e. Cost and Rate Analysis
In selecting resources for its portfolio, Pioneer carefully considered the cost implications of specific resource selections and procurement timing. This analysis was informed by Pioneer’s procurement experience and the standard assumptions and results of the Commission’s RESOLVE/SERVM modeling. 21 Pioneer strives to keep customer costs as low as possible as a matter of community interest, and we also have a competitive incentive to do so because customers can voluntarily leave the program. This objective is reflected both in the resources procured and in the timing of those procurements. Pioneer employs risk-management principles that consider risk associated with under-procurement, as well as risks of potential over-procurement which could occur from unforeseen changes in load going forward.

Risk management also involves assessing the currently available technologies, expected technological developments, and potential for radically different technologies in the future. The assessment of potential resources is not strictly limited to cost but includes information on how well the resources match the specific needs of Pioneer’s customers’ load. For example, solar resources are often the least expensive on a simple cost per MWh basis, but other resources which may cost more on a simple MWh basis may provide additional benefits in terms of RA capacity, better matching Pioneer’s load profile, or serving the needs of the Pioneer service area.

Pioneer generally sought to balance timely procurement needed to address LSE-specific shortfalls and Commission-identified system resource needs against the potential cost savings from delaying renewable and storage procurement as projected costs decline. Pioneer also recognizes that future resource costs are highly uncertain, and technological advancement can happen unexpectedly; Pioneer’s procurement cycle is designed to take advantage of technological and cost improvements by incrementally adding new resource commitments over time.

Pioneer continuously monitors the energy markets and reassesses current market prices, expected future prices, technological progress, and its expected needs. When opportunities arise Pioneer will take advantage of them.

Pioneer’s portfolio cost analysis quantifies the expected power supply costs associated with the PCP through 2045. The cost analysis incorporates expected generation costs, resource value (energy, resource adequacy, and renewable energy, as applicable), and the costs associated with resource curtailments. Marginal ELCC values from RESOLVE were used to quantify expected net qualifying capacity values from the portfolio. As these ELCC factors decline significantly for battery storage resources over the planning period and remain low for solar resources, relatively little RA value is obtained from the solar and battery portfolio elements of the portfolio, despite large increased in nameplate capacity. Average portfolio costs are projected to decline through 2029 and then begin increasing as new resources must be added to the portfolio to keep up with GHG emissions limits and reliability metrics. The average nominal portfolio cost is projected to increase by a compound average growth rate of 2.4% annually from 2026 through 2045. The yearly average portfolio cost is shown in the following figure.
22 f. System Reliability Analysis
Pioneer’s PCP meets applicable reliability standards and will contribute Pioneer’s fair share to system reliability needs. The following table and chart from the Reliability – Planning sheet of the RDT show load and resource by contract status for the PCP that includes total reliability need (effective MW), total supply (effective MW), and net capacity position (effective MW) for all study years. 23 Table 9: Load and Resource Table by Contract Status
Load and Resource Table by Contract Status
2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 2035 2036 2037 2038 2039 2040 2041 2042 2043 2044 2045 LSE reliability need (MW) 511 519 527 486 443 456 469 482 495 507 518 529 541 552 563 568 574 579 585 590 ELCC by contract status (effective MW)
Online 369 361 316 275 245 138 130 123 122 122 113 114 115 117 118 117 115 114 97 96 Development - 230 219 155 91 89 87 84 82 79 81 96 98 100 102 100 14 14 13 13 Review - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
PlannedExisting 128 - - - 25 96 116 42 - 10 - - - - - - - - - - PlannedNew - - - - 104 101 103 195 240 371 380 389 418 450 512 511 510 590 640 755 BTM PV 14 18 28 30 30 32 35 38 40 42 45 47 50 53 56 54 53 51 49 47 LSE total supply (effective MW) 511 608 563 486 470 456 470 482 495 614 618 646 682 720 788 782 692 769 800 912 Net capacity position (+ve = excess, -ve = shortfall) (effective MW) - 89 36 0 27 0 0 0 0 107 100 117 141 168 225 213 118 189 215 321 Template posted by Commission on January 16th, 2026
24 As demonstrated in Table 10, Pioneer’s PCP provides total effective capacity equal to or greater than its designated reliability need in all years.
g. Existing Resource Planning
Over the planning period the majority of supply in the PCP portfolio is planned to be from new resources, with minimal reliance on existing resources. Planned contracts with existing resources are generally for resource types that have been historically available and utilized by Pioneer. Pioneer has chosen these resources because of their lower delivery risks compared to new resources (i.e., existing resources are not subject to development risks that often result in delays or outright cancellation of planned new resources) and in recognition of the beneficial role that short-term purchases from existing resources play in facilitating portfolio flexibility. However, Pioneer recognizes the possibility that these existing resources may not be available to meet Pioneer’s plans. Pioneer’s portfolio attempts to balance out these competing risks, and, as Pioneer has explained elsewhere in this document, Pioneer does not view its proposed portfolio as prescriptive, but as a flexible planning framework that can be adapted as market conditions evolve. If expected existing resources are not available, Pioneer will consider other possible alternatives. Even if the existing resources are available, Pioneer may procure new resources if doing so would reduce emissions or reduce costs for its customers.

In Pioneer’s portfolio, the primary existing resources not already under contract are in-state large hydro, wind and solar resources. These are resources that have been generally available to date and that have met the needs of Pioneer’s customers for carbon-free energy at competitive prices with minimal risks.

The current PCP relies considerably more on new resources than the 25 MMT by 2035 PCP from the 2022 IRP did. Focusing on 2035, the last year of the 2022 planning period, existing resources made up about 52% of supply in the 2022 IRP versus only about 24% in the current PCP — roughly 1,134 GWh existing versus 1,057 GWh new in the 2022 IRP (a roughly 50/50 split), and roughly 1,408 GWh existing versus 4,383 GWh new in the current PCP. The shift reflects both a meaningfully larger overall portfolio in 2035 (about 5,791 GWh in the current PCP versus 2,190 GWh in the 2022 IRP) 25 and a much larger planned procurement of new solar and wind. By 2045, the PCP becomes overwhelmingly a new-resource portfolio: existing baseline supply declines to about 713 GWh, while new builds dominate at roughly 6,731 GWh (~10% / 90%).
h. Hydro Generation Risk Management
In developing its PCP, Pioneer took several steps to manage the risk of reduced hydro availability that may result from future in-state drought. First, Pioneer has developed a network of Pacific Northwest-based hydroelectric power suppliers, including entities that have substantial Asset Controlling Supplier (“ACS”) supply and are thus able to sell firm low-carbon supply to Pioneer. Pioneer’s PCP includes hydroelectric resources located within California, but this could be augmented with imported hydroelectric power from the Pacific Northwest if needed. Second, Pioneer prioritizes hydroelectric contracts with marketers that provide firm delivery volumes, helping to reduce the planning uncertainty associated with drought and variable hydroelectric conditions within California. Third, Pioneer’s planned use of hydroelectric supply within its PCP declines over the planning period and makes up only 5% of total planned supply by 2045. Due to Pioneer’s relatively small hydroelectric needs, Pioneer does not anticipate significant hydro-electric availability risk on its ability to meet its GHG limits or its portfolio costs. Under a drought scenario or in the event that other factors restrict the availability of hydroelectricity and Pioneer is unsuccessful in filling related shortfalls through short-term contracting opportunities, Pioneer would plan to substitute with renewable energy resources to ensure it meets its assigned GHG benchmark. This is generally the same approach and conclusions Pioneer presented in its 2022 IRP.
i. Long-Duration Storage Planning
Pioneer observed that the System Reference Plan includes increasing amounts of eight-hour battery storage and relatively static amounts of four-hour battery storage over the planning period. Pioneer has similarly planned to increase its use of long-duration storage over time. Planned solar plus storage projects beginning with the 2035 procurement tranche include eight-hour battery storage. This represents a change from the 2022 IRP in which most of the battery storage was planned as four-hour duration. Current cost estimates are high for long duration storage, and this puts upward pressure on portfolio costs. The relatively low ELCC factors for battery storage in the RDT means that relatively little resource adequacy value is obtained, despite the high costs. As additional technologies are market-proven and more developers offer long-duration storage with potentially lower costs, Pioneer will consider further procurement of these resources. Pioneer sees the possibility for substantial benefits from long-duration storage to the grid and for aiding LSEs in compliance with the Slide-of-Day Resource Adequacy program.
j. Clean Firm Power Planning
Pioneer views clean firm generation as a valuable element of its resource mix as it provides reliable and predictable generation with low emissions. The challenge to greater utilization of this resource type is availability and cost. The primary large scale clean firm resources are geothermal and nuclear generation. Other clean firm generation types, such as biomass and especially biogas, are typically 26 smaller-scale projects. None of these resources are abundant, and costs exceed $100 per MWh, limiting their role in the planned portfolio. The PCP includes new biogas contracted and planned to come online in 2028, meeting Pioneer’s D.21-06-035 clean firm energy requirement, and planned new biomass and geothermal in 2035. Pioneer restricted its planned use of geothermal based on the RESOLVE modeling that shows conventional geothermal fully built out by 2035. The PCP assumes other LSEs are similarly procuring from the pool of available geothermal resources, further limiting how much is assumed to be available to Pioneer. The amounts of geothermal included in the PCP is similar to the amounts included in the 2022 IRP.
k. Non-CAISO, including Out-of-State, Wind Planning
Pioneer’s planned contracting for new out-of-state wind energy projects generally follows the timeline and relative size for selected builds of this resource type from the CPUC’s RESOLVE modeling results. To date, Pioneer has observed opportunities to contract with New Mexico wind resources delivered via the SunZia transmission project. Availability of IARs remains a constraining factor for New Mexico wind, and transmission limitations appear to be constraining availability of wind from other states. As compared to the 2022 IRP, the current PCP includes similar amounts out-of-state wind after adjusting for the larger load reflected in the current PCP. Transmission remains the most significant risk to Pioneer’s planned use of out-of-state wind.
l. Offshore Wind Planning
Pioneer did not include plans for offshore wind in its PCP pending further progress on development of this resource type. Potential Department of Water Resources contracts of offshore wind energy have not been assumed, but Pioneer could adapt future plans as needed to incorporate these resources. m. Transmission Planning
In identifying resource locations for all portfolios, Pioneer was guided by the following considerations:
• Pioneer has a general preference for resources located within its service area and the community it serves, but more generally, within Southern California. • Pioneer prefers projects located in areas that can utilize existing transmission infrastructure with minimal upgrade/modification costs.
• Pioneer prefers low-impact renewable energy projects that provide economic benefit to DACs, subject to community interest in siting projects within such locations.

Pioneer is not a transmission and distribution (“T&D”) system operator and does not have detailed knowledge of expansion requirements on PG&E’s T&D system or the CAISO grid. Pioneer is not in the best position to identify optimal resource locations and does not have the expertise in house to determine the best locations for new resources. In practice, Pioneer relies on project developers to conduct the research and technical studies necessary for siting potential generation projects. Pioneer evaluates projects offered by developers based on a variety of criteria, including transmission availability, nodal prices and potential for congestion, project viability, environmental, workforce, and other factors. As such, Pioneer generally utilized the RESOLVE modeling and assumptions as a guide for 27 likely resource locations in its PCP. These should be treated as general expectations based on the aforementioned considerations, not definitive selections – actual project locations will be selected during Pioneer’s future solicitation processes. Pioneer believes that the best way to keep costs down during resource solicitations is to not limit the potential locations of the resources. Competition among the responders to resource solicitations ensures that Pioneer can avail itself of the best possible resources, including allowing developers to explore different locations and select what they feel is the best location for their resource taking into account numerous factors, including the costs of any potential transmission upgrades or curtailment issues. Like most LSEs, Pioneer doesn’t have the necessary resources to examine all possible resource locations to find optimal ones from a transmission perspective but relies on the developers of projects doing just that.

As discussed in prior sections, Pioneer is very nimble in administering pertinent resource planning processes. More specifically, if Pioneer’s expected resource locations become infeasible due to various constraints, or if the Commission’s modeling efforts happen to indicate that certain resource locations are no longer feasible/desirable, then Pioneer would ultimately locate and contract for alternative resources that fall in preferred locations. Pioneer also remains open to interesting opportunities, and should developers find locations that have not been anticipated but through the developer’s analysis offer benefits Pioneer will consider them without feeling locked into the existing expected locations.

None of the contracted new resources require additional transmission expansion. These were vetted during the project evaluation stage to ensure transmission interconnection agreements deliverability status were in place or imminent within a reasonable milestone schedule. The planned new resources in the PCP are not location specific, so transmission status cannot be determined.

IV. Action Plan
a. Proposed Procurement Activities and Potential Barriers Pioneer has a well-established procurement process that it uses and will continue to use to steadily achieve its PCP over the planning period. Pioneer’s procurement process includes the following key activities:
• Identification of planned resources by type, desired online date, and capacity. • Planning for procurement activities in consideration of Pioneer’s risk management policy; resource acquisition lead times including, where applicable, development timelines; staff capacity; and financial considerations.
• Design and administration of resource solicitations. For new resources, these typically take the form of periodic request for offers processes, while for existing resources, procurement activity is more frequent and routinized.
• Careful negotiation of contract terms to ensure positive outcomes for Pioneer customers with appropriate risk mitigation.
• Ongoing contract management, including where applicable, careful monitoring of development milestones.
• Ongoing contract management, including where applicable, careful monitoring of generator performance after a resource has achieved commercial operation date (“COD”). 28 Pioneer expects to use competitive solicitations to procure contracts for the new build resources contained in the PCP. Standard power purchase agreement terms are expected to range from ten to twenty years. A summary of the expected solicitation timelines is described below.

Tranche COD Resources RFO Release
1 2030 LT Solar 1a + LT Storage 1a, LT Storage D.26_4, LT Wind OOS 1
2027 (kickoff Q4
2026 for OOS wind)
2 2032 LT LD Storage D.26_8 2028
3a 2033 LT Solar 2a + LT Storage 2a 2030
3b 2034 LT Solar 2b + LT Storage 2b 2031
3c 2035 LT Solar 2c + LT Storage 2c, LT Geothermal 2, LT Wind CA 2, Bio tranche: 6 biomass units + Biomass
TBD + 8 landfill-gas biogas units
2032 (geothermal:
2030–2031;
bioenergy: 2032–
2033)
4a 2038 LT Solar 3a + LT Storage 3a 2035
4b 2039 LT Solar 3b + LT Storage 3b 2036
4c 2040 LT Solar 3c + LT Storage 3c, LT Wind OOS 3 2037 (OOS wind:
2034–2035)
5a 2043 LT Solar 4a + LT Storage 4a 2040
5b 2044 LT Solar 4b + LT Storage 4b 2041
5c 2045 LT Solar 4c + LT Storage 4c, LT Wind OOS 4 2042 (OOS wind:
2039–2040)
i. Resources to meet IRP mandated procurement requirements, including D.21- 06-035 and D.23-02-040:

All of Pioneer’s required resources under the D.21-06-035 and D.23-02-040 procurement orders are under contract. Pioneer is in regular communication with its project development counterparts to monitor development progress for those resources not yet operational. The recent D.26-02-057 procurement order obligates additional incremental procurement totaling 54 MW by 2032, of which 14 MW is long duration storage and/or clean firm generation. Pioneer has existing contracts with new four-hour battery and eight-hour battery storage projects in development to meet this obligation and is currently negotiating a contract for clean firm generation projects totaling 8 MWs. ii. Plans for resources that are currently non-candidate in CPUC’s IRPs not described above
Not applicable.
29 iii. Other renewable and/or zero carbon resources not described above As previously mentioned, Pioneer’s PCPs are not set in stone. Pioneer continually monitors the renewable energy space through RFOs and discussions with developers, as well as monitoring various news reports, and regulatory proceedings, Pioneer is ready to modify its expected portfolio if new resources or specific opportunities arise. Pioneer has expressed openness to alternative potential emissions reduction opportunities in its RFPs and has encouraged such offers from respondents. This has not resulted in any viable opportunities to date, but Pioneer will continue to pursue various approaches to explore the potential value of a wide range of options. Pioneer strives to be a nimble and adaptable energy buyer in order to offer its customers the lowest cost power. iv. Other energy storage not described above
Pioneer expects that except for the long-duration storage required under D.21-06-035 and future procurement orders, the storage it will acquire will mostly be from paired solar and storage resources and/or standalone storage resources that help balance Pioneer’s very high behind-the-meter solar penetration. Pioneer remains open to considering other possibilities, especially if new technologies arise that reduce the costs of storage or in situations where storage can help fulfill other needs, such as reducing the need for new transmission or distribution, or promoting local area reliability. Pioneer will continue to monitor developments in the energy storage markets and adjust its portfolio if advantageous opportunities arise.
v. Other demand response not described above
Pioneer has already contracted for a modest amount of demand response resources as a part of our efforts to meet our D.21-06-035 obligations. Pioneer remains open to other opportunities should they arise, consistent with the current maximum cumulative capacity (“MCC”) bucket requirements and where competitive with other options. Pioneer also has initiated its own pilot demand response program PowerShift Rewards and will determine whether to expand or modify the program at the end of the year. Pioneer’s PowerShift Rewards program is focused on serving its residential customers, future programs may consider expansion to serve other customers within the commercial and industrial classes.
vi. Other energy efficiency not described above
Pioneer offers energy efficiency programs that can provide reliable savings at affordable prices to its customers. Pioneer’s AC Tune-Up Program provides residential and commercial customers a rebate to inspect, clean, and service their air conditioning system making it more efficient. Having AC units running efficiently and reliably helps keep customer costs low in the summer and at scale relieves peak demand in extreme heat events.

Pioneer’s other energy efficiency programs include LED lighting discounts to provide customers with cost savings on both the procurement of new lighting, as well as the efficiency gain of LED lighting.

Pioneer is evaluating new program initiatives including a Strategic Energy Management (SEM) Program, designed to support commercial and industrial customers identify and implement energy performance improvement activities, as well as integrated demand side management. and is not being implemented.

To further support residential energy efficiency, Pioneer is evaluating the potential of a home energy advisory program designed to assist homeowners and residents with identifying energy saving measures, and to act as a resource guide to other Pioneer cost saving programs. 30 vii. Other distributed generation not described above As noted earlier in this document, Pioneer is actively engaging in opportunities to expand its efforts associated with distributed energy resources through programs and procurement of resources dealing with biomass generation, microgrids, and behind-the-meter storage.

Pioneer also offers a unique thermal energy storage system with its Ice Energy program. The system is integrated with a site’s AC unit and converts liquid fluid into ice when energy is less expensive, then directly provides the cooling in place of the compressor during times where energy is more expensive.

This DER resource is available to commercial and industrial customers and is a tool for Pioneer to reduce Pioneer’s peak demand.
viii. Transportation electrification, including any investments that correspond to different levels than what is included in Integrated Energy Policy Report (IEPR) Pioneer does not currently have any transportation electrification investment plans which would suggest a different forecast than what is included in IEPR but may consider these proposals in the future.

Transportation electrification is anticipated to be a component of Pioneer’s Programs Plan, which is currently in late stages of development.
ix. Building electrification, including any investments that correspond to different levels than what is included in Integrated Energy Policy Report (IEPR) To date, Pioneer’s primary means to participate in building electrification is through connecting its customers with local incentives offered by other community resources including the cities and counties that form Pioneer Community Energy. Pioneer’s Incentive Finder helps customers identify multiple incentives that are available to them based on their location and income; incentives range across a wide variety of electrification strategies including heat pump installation rebates, EV charger credits, and kitchen appliance replacement incentives.
x. Potential Centralized Procurement, pursuant to AB-1373 LSEs should describe and provide specific details on any changes to their preferred conforming portfolio and contract planning strategy should the Department of Water Resources (DWR) be successful in conducting the centralized procurement of long lead time (LLT) resources as set forth in D.24-08-064.

If DWR successfully procures long lead time resources, and the benefits are allocated to load serving entities, Pioneer would likely reduce planned procurement of new battery and storage resources. The PCP stages procurement through various tranches over time, leaving flexibility to adjust if DWR resources become available. There is insufficient information at this time to incorporate specific assumptions for DWR procured resources into the PCP.
xi. Other
With solicitation practices described further above regarding inclusion of other zero emissions resources in Pioneer’s RFPs, Pioneer continuously explores new methods of lowering electricity demand and increasing clean energy supply.
31 b. Disadvantaged Communities (DACs)
While Pioneer has previously been able to serve low-income customers with competitive rates, it will begin serving more DACs designated census tracts after the expansion in October 2027. Pioneer is very interested in working with state agencies to bring resiliency and electrification programs to these critical areas. Pioneer is tracking state programs and partner organizations including the CEC’s EPIC program, CEC’s Clean Transportation Program, Strategic Growth Council solicitations, and CARB opportunities that can collaborate with Pioneer to provide funding and programmatic support to strategically uplift DACs. c. LSEs’ Tribal Customers
Pioneer is expecting to have an increased number of tribal customers with its expansion in October of 2027. Pioneer has been actively engaging with entities to determine the best way to uplift Tribal Customers and is particularly interested in being a resource to these customers who are considering deployment of biomass generation resources, DERs, and other energy related efforts that aim to stimulate economic development and energy affordability. d. Procurement Products
Pioneer intends to utilize the following physical energy products in procurement activities associated with its PCP. Contracts are expected to be conducted bilaterally rather than via commodities exchanges.

Product Description
Physical energy, RPS qualifying Renewable energy qualified to meet California RPS
Physical energy, other carbon free Non-carbon emitting energy that does not meet California RPS; e.g., large hydro
Physical energy, CAISO energy Energy delivered to the CAISO grid from unspecified sources
Capacity, Net Qualifying Capacity Capacity qualified to meet California Resource Adequacy program standards
e. Commission Direction of Actions
If applicable, describe any direction that the LSE seeks from the Commission, including consideration in the IRP Procurement Track, new spending authorizations, changes to existing authorizations, or changes to existing programmatic goals or budgets. Draw clear connections between any requested direction and the study results, proposed activities, and barrier analysis presented above.

Not applicable
32 V. Lessons Learned
LSEs may use this section to document any suggested changes to the IRP process for consideration by the Commission. LSEs should explain how the change would facilitate the ability of the Commission and LSEs to achieve state policy goals.

Pioneer appreciates the opportunity to contribute to the long-term planning towards California’s energy and climate goals through the IRP process. Recognizing the importance of meeting the state’s GHG-reduction and grid reliability targets, Pioneer would like to emphasize the equal importance of balancing these goals with the realities of energy affordability. Below are considerations that Pioneer believes should be considered to improve the IRP process:
• Need for Clean Firm Resources (Biomass) - In the CPUC RESOLVE-selected portfolio, 70% of the selected builds are solar and storage, which are intermittent resources that cannot meet grid reliability needs at all hours of the day. Furthermore, solar and storage are experiencing decreasing effective load carrying capacity (ELCC) over time, making additional build-out of these resources more costly and less effective at meeting grid reliability needs. The Commission should consider including more clean firm resources in the IRP to fortify grid resiliency. Currently, the main clean firm resource included in the CPUC RESOLVE-selected portfolio is geothermal. While geothermal has great potential for future build-out, the state already has an abundance of biomass material and existing biomass facilities that can be used to generate bioenergy. Many of Pioneer’s service territories are in high wildfire-risk areas, making bioenergy a key tool in reducing forest fuel, mitigating wildfire risk, and providing clean firm energy to support grid resiliency. In the current IRP planning cycle, the CPUC’s RESOLVE model did not select any new bioenergy resources to serve future energy needs, which is not aligned with the rest of California’s climate goals surrounding forest management and wildfire risk. Pioneer highly recommends that future IRP modelling takes into account state mandates related to bioenergy, including the California Wildfire & Forest Resilience Task Force’s goal to treat one million acres annually. Given the significant threat that wildfires pose to California’s environmental health and energy infrastructure which has direct impacts on energy affordability, the IRP model should consider the multi-beneficial characteristics of biomass energy, which can generate clean firm power while simultaneously mitigating wildfire risk.
• Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP) Extension and Inclusion in IRP – DCPP represents a significant portion of the state’s energy portfolio, producing approximately 2 GW of baseload zero-carbon power and supplying 9% of California’s total electricity. Excluding this resource from the IRP causes equally significant affordability implications. Given that DCPP is being considered for another extension, any continuation of the power plant and its generation should be accurately reflected in the IRP.
• Load Forecast Uncertainty with Data Centers – Recent IEPR load forecasts from the CEC show unprecedented load growth in the coming years in California. This forecasted load growth is being driven primarily by the growth of data centers. However, much of data center load growth is speculative, due to the infantile and unpredictable nature of the artificial 33 intelligence industry. Considering the significant amount of load forecast uncertainty, the CPUC should consider more robust modeling of different load growth scenarios, to prepare for a range of possible futures, including one in which this significant amount of load growth does not materialize.
• Need to Finalize Development of the Reliable and Clean Power Procurement Program (RCPPP) – This program has been in development for years and is intended to replace ad-hoc procurement orders that have come out of the IRP proceeding, providing LSEs with more long-term planning capability. The current RCPPP process is contemplating multiple issues critical to providing LSEs with a stable, long-term, cost-effective procurement framework that is aligned across California’s three procurement programs (IRP, RPS, RA). Pioneer urges the Commission to prioritize the development of RCPPP, so LSEs can have the long-term certainty needed to enable cost-effective procurement, instead of relying on ad-hoc procurement orders that cause market disruptions which drive up energy costs, that are then borne by ratepayers.
34 Glossary of Terms
Alternative Portfolio: LSEs are permitted to submit “Alternative Portfolios” developed from scenarios using different assumptions from those used in the Preferred System Plan with updates. Any deviations from the “Conforming Portfolio” must be explained and justified.

Approve (Plan): the CPUC’s obligation to approve an LSE’s integrated resource plan derives from Public Utilities Code Section 454.52(b)(2) and the procurement planning process described in Public Utilities Code Section 454.5, in addition to the CPUC obligation to ensure safe and reliable service at just and reasonable rates under Public Utilities Code Section 451.

Balancing Authority Area (CAISO): the collection of generation, transmission, and loads within the metered boundaries of the Balancing Authority. The Balancing Authority maintains load-resource balance within this area.

Baseline resources: Those resources assumed to be fixed as a capacity expansion model input, as opposed to Candidate resources, which are selected by the model and are incremental to the Baseline.

Baseline resources are existing (already online) or owned or contracted to come online within the planning horizon. Existing resources with announced retirements are excluded from the Baseline for the applicable years. Being “contracted” refers to a resource holding signed contract/s with an LSE/s for much of its energy and capacity, as applicable, for a significant portion of its useful life. The contracts refer to those approved by the CPUC and/or the LSE’s governing board, as applicable. These criteria indicate the resource is relatively certain to come online. Baseline resources that are not online at the time of modeling may have a failure rate applied to their nameplate capacity to allow for the risk of them failing to come online.

Candidate resource: those resources, such as renewables, energy storage, natural gas generation, and demand response, available for selection in IRP capacity expansion modeling, incremental to the Baseline resources.

Capacity Expansion Model: a capacity expansion model is a computer model that simulates generation and transmission investment to meet forecasted electric load over many years, usually with the objective of minimizing the total cost of owning and operating the electrical system. Capacity expansion models can also be configured to only allow solutions that meet specific requirements, such as providing a minimum amount of capacity to ensure the reliability of the system or maintaining greenhouse gas emissions below an established level.

Certify (a Community Choice Aggregator Plan): Public Utilities Code 454.52(b)(3) requires the CPUC to certify the integrated resource plans of CCAs. “Certify” requires a formal act of the Commission to determine that the CCA’s Plan complies with the requirements of the statute and the process established via Public Utilities Code 454.51(a). In addition, the Commission must review the CCA Plans to determine any potential impacts on public utility bundled customers under Public Utilities Code Sections 451 and 454, among others.

Clean System Power (CSP) methodology: the methodology used to estimate GHG and criteria pollutant emissions associated with an LSE’s Portfolio based on how the LSE will expect to rely on system power on an hourly basis.
35 Community Choice Aggregator: a governmental entity formed by a city or county to procure electricity for its residents, businesses, and municipal facilities.

Conforming Portfolio: the LSE portfolio that conforms to IRP Planning Standards, the 2045 LSE-specific GHG Emissions Benchmark, use of the LSE’s assigned load forecast, use of inputs and assumptions matching those used in developing the Reference System Portfolio, as well as other IRP requirements including the filing of a complete Narrative Template, a Resource Data Template and Clean System Power Calculator.

Effective Load Carrying Capacity: a percentage that expresses how well a resource is able avoid loss-of-load events (considering availability and use limitations). The percentage is relative to a reference resource, for example a resource that is always available with no use limitations. It is calculated via probabilistic reliability modeling and yields a single percentage value for a given resource or grouping of resources.

Effective Megawatts (MW): perfect capacity equivalent MW, such as the MW calculated by applying an ELCC % multiplier to nameplate MW.

Electric Service Provider: an entity that offers electric service to a retail or end-use customer, but which does not fall within the definition of an electrical corporation under Public Utilities Code Section 218.

Filing Entity: an entity required by statute to file an integrated resource plan with CPUC.

Future: a set of assumptions about future conditions, such as load or gas prices.

GHG Benchmark (or LSE-specific 2045 GHG Benchmark): the mass-based GHG emission planning targets calculated by staff for each LSE based on the methodology established by the California Air Resources Board and required for use in LSE Portfolio development in IRP.

GHG Planning Price: the systemwide marginal GHG abatement cost associated with achieving a specific electric sector GHG planning target.

Integrated Resources Planning Standards (Planning Standards): the set of CPUC IRP rules, guidelines, formulas and metrics that LSEs must include in their LSE Plans.

Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) process: integrated resource planning process; the repeating cycle through which integrated resource plans are prepared, submitted, and reviewed by the CPUC Long term: more than 5 years unless otherwise specified.

Load Serving Entity: an electrical corporation, electric service provider, community choice aggregator, or electric cooperative.

Load Serving Entity (LSE) Plan: an LSE’s integrated resource plan; the full set of documents and information submitted by an LSE to the CPUC as part of the IRP process.

Load Serving Entity (LSE) Portfolio: a set of supply- and/or demand-side resources with certain attributes that together serve the LSE’s assigned load over the IRP planning horizon.

Loss of Load Expectation (LOLE): a metric that quantifies the expected frequency of loss-of-load events per year. Loss-of-load is any instance where available generating capacity is insufficient to serve electric demand. If one or more instances of loss-of-load occurring within the same day regardless of duration 36 are counted as one loss-of-load event, then the LOLE metric can be compared to a reference point such as the industry probabilistic reliability standard of “one expected day in 10 years,” i.e., a LOLE of 0.1.

Maximum Import Capability: a California ISO metric that represents a quantity in MWs of imports determined by the CAISO to be simultaneously deliverable to the aggregate of load in the ISO’s Balancing Authority (BAA) Area and thus eligible for use in the Resource Adequacy process. The California ISO assess a MIC MW value for each intertie into the ISO’s BAA and allocated yearly to the LSEs. A LSE’s RA import showings are limited to its share of the MIC at each intertie.

Net Qualifying Capacity (NQC): Qualifying Capacity reduced, as applicable, based on: (1) testing and verification; (2) application of performance criteria; and (3) deliverability restrictions. The Net Qualifying Capacity determination shall be made by the California ISO pursuant to the provisions of this California ISO Tariff and the applicable Business Practice Manual.

Non-modeled costs: embedded fixed costs in today’s energy system (e.g., existing distribution revenue requirement, existing transmission revenue requirement, and energy efficiency program cost).

Nonstandard LSE Plan: type of integrated resource plan that an LSE may be eligible to file if it serves load outside the CAISO balancing authority area.

Optimization: an exercise undertaken in the CPUC’s Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) process using a capacity expansion model to identify a least-cost portfolio of electricity resources for meeting specific policy constraints, such as GHG reduction or RPS targets, while maintaining reliability given a set of assumptions about the future. Optimization in IRP considers resources assumed to be online over the planning horizon (baseline resources), some of which the model may choose not to retain, and additional resources (candidate resources) that the model is able to select to meet future grid needs.

Planned resource: any resource included in an LSE portfolio, whether already online or not, that is yet to be procured. Relating this to capacity expansion modeling terms, planned resources can be baseline resources (needing contract renewal, or currently owned/contracted by another LSE), candidate resources, or possibly resources that were not considered by the modeling, e.g., due to the passage of time between the modeling taking place and LSEs developing their plans. Planned resources can be specific (e.g., with a CAISO ID) or generic, with only the type, size and some geographic information identified.

Qualifying capacity: the maximum amount of Resource Adequacy Benefits a generating facility could provide before an assessment of its net qualifying capacity.

Preferred Conforming Portfolio: the conforming portfolio preferred by an LSE as the most suitable to its own needs; submitted to CPUC for review as one element of the LSE’s overall IRP plan.

Preferred System Plan: the Commission’s integrated resource plan composed of both the aggregation of LSE portfolios (i.e., Preferred System Portfolio) and the set of actions necessary to implement that portfolio (i.e., Preferred System Action Plan).

Preferred System Portfolio: the combined portfolios of individual LSEs within the CAISO, aggregated, reviewed and possibly modified by Commission staff as a proposal to the Commission, and adopted by the Commission as most responsive to statutory requirements per Pub. Util. Code 454.51; part of the Preferred System Plan.

Short term: 1 to 3 years (unless otherwise specified).
37 Staff: CPUC Energy Division staff (unless otherwise specified).

Standard LSE Plan: type of integrated resource plan that an LSE is required to file if it serves load within the CAISO balancing authority area (unless the LSE demonstrates exemption from the IRP process).

Transmission Planning Process (TPP): process conducted by the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) to identify potential transmission system limitations and areas that need reinforcements over 10- year and 15-year horizons.

Page 1 of 3 ends

Staff Report – Item 4
To: The Governing Board
From: Nick Yurashku, Manager of Quantitative Analysis and Modeling Item 4: Adopt Resolution Authorizing Battery Optimization Software Agreement with Ascend Analytics, LLC; and Amendment No. 2 to Energy Services Agreement for Battery Optimization Software with ZGlobal Inc.

Date: 7/23/2026

RECOMMENDATION
Adopt Resolution Authorizing the Chief Executive Officer to sign one-year agreements for battery storage optimization software and related services with (1) Ascend Analytics, LLC for the Enterprise project in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $157,300 and with (2) Amendment No. 2 to Energy Services Agreement with ZGlobal Inc. for the Chalan and Janus projects authorizing an additional $94,858.34 with a total amount in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $271,611.29.

BACKGROUND
Pioneer Community Energy (Pioneer) continues to add solar-plus-storage resources to its power supply portfolio. The three new power purchase agreements include Chalan, Enterprise, and Janus, each of which includes a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) that must be scheduled, bid, dispatched, monitored, and reported in the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) Day-Ahead and Real-Time markets.

Battery storage resources create value when their charging, discharging, and ancillary service participation are optimized around market conditions, physical asset constraints, contract requirements, and risk limits. Unlike conventional renewable energy contracts, storage dispatch decisions can shift value across hours and markets. Poor bidding, premature discharge, missed charging opportunities, or failure to reflect operating constraints can reduce project value and optimal revenues.

To support these assets, staff recommend using two complementary battery optimization software platforms. Ascend Analytics SmartBidder would be used for the Enterprise project, which is the largest of the three projects. ZGlobal would be used for the Chalan and Janus projects. This assignment provides asset-specific optimization support while maintaining operational flexibility and reducing dependence on a single optimization vendor across the full battery portfolio.

ANALYSIS & DISCUSSION
Battery optimization software is needed to translate project economics and operating limits into executable CAISO bidding strategies. The software platforms evaluate forecasted prices, solar generation, state-of-charge, charge and discharge limits, ancillary service opportunities, Resource Adequacy, and battery limitations. These inputs support optimized participation in Day-Ahead, Real-Time, and ancillary service markets.

Each optimizer would be assigned to specific projects: Ascend for Enterprise and ZGlobal for Chalan and Janus. This approach creates clear operational responsibility while giving Pioneer comparative performance data across two optimization providers as the portfolio matures.

Why is this Important?
• Operational resiliency. Using two vendors reduces single-vendor implementation and performance risk across three projects entering service on different schedules. If one platform encounters integration, telemetry, or bidding issues, Pioneer is not exposed across the entire new battery portfolio.

Plf)NEER

COMMUNITY ENERGY
Agenda Item: 4 Agenda Date: 07/23/26

Page 2 of 3 ends

• Performance benchmarking. Splitting the assets gives Pioneer a live comparison of optimization performance, reporting quality, operational support, and CAISO market execution. This will help staff determine the best long-term optimization model as more storage resources are added to the portfolio. (1) Ascend Analytics SmartBidder - Enterprise Project
Ascend SmartBidder is recommended for the Enterprise project. Enterprise is the largest of the three resources, consisting of 210 MW of solar and 210 MW of BESS, with an expected commercial operation date of January 1, 2027.

SmartBidder uses a multi-tiered opportunity cost framework to optimize bids between the Day-Ahead and Real-Time markets. The platform re-optimizes CAISO Real-Time bids and offers hourly to capture volatility, manage charging costs, and avoid early discharge when later market opportunities may be more valuable. Ascend also provides analyst-supported strategy refinement, risk management policies, benchmarking, and ongoing performance reviews. (2) ZGlobal - Chalan and Janus Projects
ZGlobal is recommended for Chalan and Janus. Chalan includes 64.9 MW of solar and 25 MW of BESS with an expected commercial operation date of December 1, 2026. Janus includes 80 MW of solar and 80 MW of BESS with an expected commercial operation date of June 1, 2027.

ZGlobal provides automated bid optimization for participation in CAISO Day-Ahead and Real-Time energy and ancillary service products. Its scope includes integration with customer data feeds and CAISO systems, strategic setup for each deployed asset, team training, holistic constraint management, customer review, and override before submission to the Scheduling Coordinator, performance dashboards, monthly financial reporting, regulatory support, and 24/7 system monitoring.

Benefits to Pioneer

1. Improves CAISO bidding discipline by incorporating price forecasts, solar production, storage state-of-charge, and asset constraints into repeatable daily bidding workflows.

2. Supports battery revenue optimization across energy arbitrage and ancillary services while respecting physical, contractual, Resource Adequacy, and other constraints.

3. Provides real-time visibility into telemetry, bidding activity, market awards, settlement estimates, and financial performance.

4. Creates a comparative vendor framework that will inform future battery optimization procurement and portfolio strategy decisions.

5. Reduces execution risk during initial project onboarding by assigning clear vendor responsibility by project rather than relying on one platform for all three new assets.

Cost Summary
Vendor / Platform Assigned Project(s) Integration Cost One-Year Contract Cost Ascend SmartBidder Enterprise $7,000 $150,300
ZGlobal Chalan + Janus $25,000 $69,858.34

STRATEGIC PLAN
The recommendation supports the Achieve Operational Optimization goal.

FISCAL IMPACT
The agreement with Ascend Analytics and the amendment to the ZGlobal agreement results in a total fiscal impact of $220,158.34. This was included in the FY 2026/27 budget.

Agenda Item: 4 Agenda Date: 07/23/26

Page 3 of 3 ends

ATTACHMENTS

1. Resolution Approving and Authorizing the Chief Executive Officer to Execute an Agreement with Ascend Analytics, LLC for SmartBidder Battery Optimization Software and Managed Optimization Services for the Enterprise Project for an amount not-to-exceed $157,000 for a term of one-year.

2. Resolution Approving and Authorizing the Chief Executive Officer to Execute Amendment No. 2 to the Energy Services Agreement with ZGlobal Inc. for Battery Optimization Software and Related Services for the Chalan and Janus Projects approving an additional $94,848.34 for a term of one-year resulting in a total not-to-exceed contract amount of $271,611.29.

Ayes:

Noes:

Absent:

Signed and approved by me after its passage.
______________________________
Chair of the Governing Board
Attest:
_______________________
Secretary
WHEREAS, Pioneer Community Energy (Pioneer) continues to add solar-plus-storage resources to its power supply portfolio, including the Enterprise project, which includes a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) that must be scheduled, bid, dispatched, monitored, and optimized in the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) market; and WHEREAS, Battery storage resources require optimization software and related services to translate market forecasts, state-of-charge, operating constraints, contract requirements, Resource Adequacy obligations, and risk limits into executable CAISO bidding strategies; and WHEREAS, Ascend Analytics, LLC has proposed SmartBidder bid optimization software and services for Pioneer, including managed optimization capabilities for the Enterprise project; and WHEREAS, SmartBidder uses a multi-tiered opportunity cost bid optimization framework that balances risk and reward in Day-Ahead and Real-Time markets, re-optimizes Real-Time bids and offers hourly in CAISO, and supports strategy refinement and performance monitoring; and WHEREAS, Staff recommends approval of a one-year agreement with Ascend Analytics, LLC for SmartBidder battery optimization software and managed optimization services for the Enterprise project in an amount not to exceed $157,300.

In the matter of: RESOLUTION APPROVING AND

AUTHORIZING THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER TO

EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH ASCEND ANALYTICS,

LLC FOR SMARTBIDDER BATTERY OPTIMIZATION

SOFTWARE AND MANAGED OPTIMIZATION SERVICES

FOR THE ENTERPRISE PROJECT FOR AN AMOUNT
NOT-TO-EXCEED $157,000 FOR A TERM OF ONE-YEAR.

Resolution 2026-__
July 23, 2026
2 BE IT RESOLVED, the Governing Board of Pioneer Community Energy, State of California, hereby finds, declares, and resolves as follows:

1. The above recitals are true and correct.

2. The Governing Board hereby authorizes the Chief Executive Officer to execute an agreement with Ascend Analytics, LLC for SmartBidder battery optimization software and managed optimization services for the Enterprise project, in substantially the form attached, for a one-year term in an amount not to exceed $157,300, with any minor clerical or clarifying changes proposed by the Chief Executive Officer and approved by General Counsel.

3. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption.

Exhibit A: Masters Services Agreement with Ascend Analytics, LLC Exhibit B: Smartbidder Work Order

MASTER SERVICES AGREEMENT (SAAS)

1. DEFINITIONS.

1.1 “Affiliate” means, with respect to a party, any other entity that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with such entity, where “control” means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such entity through the ownership of 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities (but only for as long as such entity meets these requirements).

1.2 “Content” means content, data, and information owned by Ascend or any of its licensors that is provided or made available by Ascend through use of the Platform or as part of or in connection with Ascend’s provision of Services. Content does not include Customer Data.

1.3 “Customer Data” means the electronic data and information input into the Platform by or on behalf of Customer. Customer Data does not include Usage Data or Aggregated Data.

1.4 “Documentation” means any user materials, instructions, and specifications set forth in the proposal agreed to by the parties and made available by Ascend to Customer for the Services.

1.5 “Implementation Services” means Ascend’s standard implementation and set-up services for the Platform.

1.6 “Work Order” means any written order document executed by Ascend and Customer setting forth the terms and conditions relating to the Services. The initial Work Order is attached as Exhibit A. Each Work Order is incorporated by reference into this Agreement.

1.7 “Platform” means Ascend’s proprietary software-as-a-service platform utilized by Ascend to provide the Software to Customer. The Platform does not include Customer’s connectivity equipment, internet and network connections, hardware, software, and other equipment as may be necessary for Customer and its Users to connect to and obtain access to the Platform or to utilize the Services.

1.8 “Professional Services” means the professional services provided by Ascend as set forth and identified as “professional services” in the applicable Work Order and provided in accordance with Exhibit B. Professional Services do not include Implementation Services and Support Services.

1.9 “Services” means, collectively, Implementation Services, Professional Services (if any), access to the Platform, Support Services, and the other services made available on, by, or through the Platform by Ascend under this Agreement.

1.10 “Software” means Ascend’s proprietary software as a service offering as set forth in the applicable Work Order and made available through remote access by Ascend to Customer and Users as part of the Platform, including any modified, updated, or enhanced versions that may become part of the Software.

1.11 “Support Services” means the technical support and Software maintenance services set forth in the applicable Work Order.

1.12 “Usage Data” means any content, data, or information that is collected or produced by the Platform in connection with use of the Services that does not identify Customer or its Users, and may include, but is not limited to, usage patterns, traffic logs, and user conduct associated with the Platform. Usage Data does not include Customer Confidential Information.

1.13 “Users” means Customer’s employees, independent contractors, and other individuals who are authorized by Customer to use the Services on behalf of Customer.

2. SERVICES.

2.1 Provision of Services. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, Ascend shall provide the Services to Customer and its Users.

2.2 Cooperation. Customer shall provide Ascend with the Customer Data along with access and personnel resources that Ascend reasonably requests for Ascend to provide the Services.

2.3 Resources. Customer is solely responsible for, at its own expense, acquiring, installing, and maintaining all connectivity equipment, internet and network connections, hardware, software, and other equipment as may be necessary for its Users to connect to and access the Platform.

2.4 Third Party Offerings. The Platform may link to, incorporate, or interoperate with third-party software services, applications, or functionality (collectively, “Third-Party Offerings”). Customer acknowledges that Ascend does not own or control such Third-Party Offerings, they are made available as a convenience only, and are not part of the Platform. Customer’s access to or use of Third-Party Offerings is in Customer’s sole discretion. Any acquisition by Customer of Third-Party Offerings, and any exchange of data between Customer and its Users and any Third Party Offering is solely between Customer and its Users and the applicable Third-Party Offering provider. Ascend may disable or restrict access to any Third-Party Offerings on the Platform at any time without notice. Ascend is not liable for Third-Party Offerings or any Customer Data provided to a third party via a Third-Party Offering.

3. GRANT OF RIGHTS.

3.1 Access Rights; Customer’s Use of the Platform. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, Ascend hereby grants to Customer, during the Term (as defined below), a non-exclusive, non-transferable (except as permitted by Section 12.3), non-sublicensable right to access and use the Platform for Customer’s internal business purposes in accordance with the Documentation and the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the Usage Limitations (as defined below). Ascend and its licensors reserve all rights in and to the Platform and the Services not expressly granted to Customer under this Agreement.

3.2 Restrictions on Use. Customer shall not (a) reproduce, display, download, modify, create derivative works of, or distribute the Platform, or attempt to reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble or access the source code for the Platform or any component thereof; (b) use the Platform, or any component thereof, in the operation of a service bureau to support or process any content, data, or information of any party other than Customer; (c) permit any party, other than the then-currently authorized Users to independently access the Platform; (d) use the Platform in any manner or for any purpose that infringes, misappropriates, or otherwise violates any intellectual property right or other right of any third-party, or that violates any applicable law; (e) exceed the Usage Limitations; or (f) use the Platform to store or transmit any code, files, scripts, agents, or programs intended to do harm, including, for example, viruses, worms, time bombs and Trojan horses. Ascend may, in its sole discretion and upon notice to Customer, impose reasonable limits on the Services, including, but not limited to limiting the number of concurrent live unique strategies enabled within the Customer’s node and on API usage to reduce technical risk and ensure platform performance for all users (the “Usage Limitations”).

3.3 Users. Under the rights granted to Customer under this Agreement, Customer may permit its independent contractors and employees to become Users in order to access and use the Platform in accordance with this Agreement; provided that Customer will be liable for the acts and omissions of all Users to the extent any of such acts or omissions, if performed by Customer, would constitute a breach of, or otherwise give rise to liability to Customer under, this Agreement. Customer shall not, and shall not permit any User to, use the Platform, Software or Documentation except as expressly permitted under this Agreement. Customer is responsible for Users’ compliance with this Agreement.

3.4 Trial Services. Ascend may make certain Services available to Customer and its Users on a trial basis (the “Trial Services”). Trial Services will be identified as such on the applicable Work Order. If Customer is accessing and using the Trial Services, this Section 3.4 applies with respect to the Trial Services and takes precedence over any inconsistent or conflicting terms. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, Ascend grants to Customer, during the Trial Services Period (as defined below), non-exclusive, non-transferable (except as otherwise provided in Section 12.4), non-sublicensable right to access and use the Trial Services solely for Customer’s internal business purpose of evaluating the Trial Services to determine whether to purchase a full right to access and use the Trial Services and subject to any limitations specified in the applicable Work Order. Customer may elect to purchase a full right to access and use the Trial Services by notifying Ascend prior to the expiration of the Trial Services Period and paying the applicable Fees (as defined below) for full access to and use of the Platform in accordance with this Agreement. “Trial Services Period” means the period beginning when Customer first orders the Trial Services until the earlier of: (a) the date specified in the applicable Work Order for the end of the Trial Services period; (b) the start date for any purchased Services order by Customer; and (c) either party provides the other with written notice of termination of the Trial Services, which either party may provide at any time in its sole discretion. During the Trial Services Period, Ascend may discontinue, suspend, or remove access to the Trial Services at any time in Ascend’s sole discretion. Fees for any Trial Services will be set forth on the applicable Work Order. CUSTOMER

ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE TRIAL SERVICES MAY NOT INCLUDE OR ALLOW ACCESS TO ALL FEATURES AND FUNCTIONALITY AVAILABLE TO PAYING CUSTOMERS.

4. FEES AND PAYMENT TERMS.

4.1 Price. Customer shall pay Ascend the fees set forth in the applicable Work Order (“Fees”) in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Fees are exclusive of, and Customer shall pay all taxes, fees, duties, and other governmental charges arising from the payment of any Fees or any amounts owed to Ascend under this Agreement (excluding any taxes arising from Ascend’s income or any employment taxes). Fees for any Services requested by Customer that are not set forth in Exhibit A or a Work Order will be charged as mutually agreed to by the parties in writing.

4.2 Payment. Customer shall pay to Ascend all undisputed Fees. All payments received by Ascend are non-refundable except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement. Customer shall make all payments in United States dollars. Upon any renewal of any Work Order, Ascend may increase the Fees for Services as defined in the Work Order up to 7%. If Ascend exercises its right to increase Fees in accordance with the foregoing sentence, such increase will become effective upon the Renewal Term (as defined below) for that Work Order, and that Work Order will be deemed amended to reflect such Fee increase. Such fee increase will be applied to the fees under that work order in the subsequent term.

5. TERM AND TERMINATION.

5.1 Term. This Agreement commences on the Effective Date and, in accordance with this Agreement, continues until all Work Orders have terminated (“Term”).

5.2 Work Order Term. The initial term will be defined in the Work Order and may begin either on the Work Order Effective Date or the date Ascend receives a Notice to Proceed (if applicable, and as defined below) for such Work Order and continues for the period set forth in the Work Order (“Initial Term”). Each Work Order will automatically renew for additional one year periods (each, a “Renewal Term”) unless a party gives the other party written notice of its intent to not renew at least 30 days prior to the end of the Initial Term or the then-current Renewal Term.

5.3 Termination for Cause. A party may terminate this Agreement or Work Order upon notice if the other party breaches any material provision of this Agreement and (provided that such breach is capable of cure) does not cure such breach within 30 days after being provided with written notice of such breach.

5.4 Effects of Termination. Upon termination of this Agreement and all Work Orders: (a) all amounts owed to Ascend under this Agreement will be due and payable in accordance with Section 4; (b) Customer’s rights granted in this Agreement will immediately cease; (c) Customer shall promptly discontinue all access and use of the Platform and return or erase, all copies of the Documentation in Customer’s possession or control; and (d) Ascend shall promptly return or erase all Customer Data, except that Ascend may retain Customer Data in Ascend’s archived backup files. Sections 3.4, 4, 5.4, 6, survive expiration or termination of this Agreement.

5.5 Suspension. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, Ascend may suspend Customer’s access to the Platform if Ascend determines that: (a) there is an attack on the Platform; (b) Customer’s or any of its Users’ use of the Platform poses a reasonable risk of harm or liability to Ascend and, if capable of being cured, Customer is not taking appropriate action to cure such risk; (c) Customer has breached Sections 3.2 or 11; (d) Customer’s or its Users’ use of the Platform violates applicable law; or (e) Customer has failed to pay any undisputed amounts owed under this Agreement when due and has failed to cure such late payment within 15 days after Ascend has provided Customer with written notice of such late payment. Ascend shall use commercially reasonable efforts to provide Customer with notice of such suspension. Ascend may suspend Customer’s access to the Platform until the situation giving rise to the suspension has been remedied to Ascend’s reasonable satisfaction.

Ascend’s suspension of Customer’s access to the Platform will not relieve Customer of its payment obligations under this Agreement.

6. PROPRIETARY RIGHTS.

6.1 Customer Data. As between the parties, Customer owns all right, title, and interest in Customer Data, including all intellectual property rights therein.

6.2 Customer Data License Grant. Customer hereby grants to Ascend and its authorized representatives and contractors, during the Term, a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable (except as permitted by Section 12.3) license to use the Customer Data solely for the limited purpose of performing the Services for Customer and fulfilling its other obligations and exercising its rights under this Agreement.

6.3 The Services. All proprietary technology utilized by Ascend to perform its obligations under this Agreement, and all intellectual property rights in and to the foregoing, as between the parties, are the exclusive property of Ascend.

Ascend or its third-party licensors retain ownership of all right, title, and interest to all copyrights, patents, trademarks, trade secrets, and other intellectual property rights in and to the Content and the Platform, including without limitation the Software, Documentation, customizations, and enhancements, and all processes, know-how, and the like utilized by or created by Ascend in performing under this Agreement. Any rights not expressly granted to Customer hereunder are reserved by Ascend.

6.4 Aggregated Data. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Ascend may analyze Customer Data to create a de-identified or aggregated data set that does not identify Customer or its Users (collectively, “Aggregated Data”). Ascend retains ownership of all right, title, and interest in and to Aggregated Data. Ascend may use Aggregated Data for internal business purposes, including, but not limited to, improving and providing the Services and for marketing purposes.

6.5 Usage Data. Ascend retains ownership of all right, title, and interest in and to the Usage Data. Ascend may use Usage Data in connection with its performance of its obligations in this Agreement and for any other lawful business purpose, including, but not limited to, benchmarking, data analysis, and to improve Ascend’s services, systems, and algorithms.

7. WARRANTY; DISCLAIMERS.

7.1 Access to the Platform. Ascend warrants that the Platform will perform materially in accordance with the Documentation and this Agreement. Ascend does not warrant that the Platform will be completely error-free or uninterrupted. If Customer notifies Ascend of a reproducible error in the Platform that indicates a breach of the foregoing warranty (each, an “Error”) within 30 days after Customer experiences such Error, Ascend shall, at its own expense and as its sole obligation and Customer’s exclusive remedy: (a) use commercially reasonable efforts to correct or provide a workaround for such Error; or (b) if Ascend is unable to correct or provide a workaround for such Error within 60 days after receiving notice of such Error from Customer, Customer may terminate this Agreement upon notice to Ascend and, Ascend shall refund the amounts paid by Customer for access to the Platform for the period during which the Platform was not usable by Customer. The warranties set forth in this Section 7.1 do not apply to any Third Party Offerings or cover any Error caused by: (i) Customer or its Users; (ii) use of the Platform in any manner or in any environment inconsistent with its intended purpose; (iii) Customer’s hardware or software if modified or repaired in any manner which materially adversely affects the operation or reliability of the Platform; or (iv) any equipment, software, or other material utilized by Customer in connection with the Platform contrary to the provider’s instructions.

7.2 No Conflict of Interest Ascend represents and warrants that it will not provide the same Services provided under this Agreement to any other battery storage market participants at the same node as Customer (each, a “Conflict of Interest”). Ascend shall promptly notify Customer if a Conflict of Interest arises. If Customer objects to the conflict of interest, but Ascend elects to proceed with such new customer, then Customer shall be entitled to terminate this Agreement immediately without liability except for obligations that accrued prior to such termination.

7.3 Right to Customer Data. Customer represents and warrants that it has the right to: (a) use the Customer Data as contemplated by this Agreement; and (b) grant Ascend the license in Section 6.2.

7.4 Disclaimer. EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION 7, NEITHER PARTY MAKES

ANY WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND AND EACH PARTY SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ALL OTHER

WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION,

ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE,

NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND ANY WARRANTIES ARISING FROM COURSE OF DEALING OR COURSE OF PERFORMANCE. CUSTOMER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT, ASCEND, IN CONNECTION WITH THE

SERVICES, WILL BE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS AND PROVIDING ADVICE BUT IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING CUSTOMER’S ASSETS AND ALL DECISIONS AS TO IMPLEMENTING

SUCH ADVICE AND RECOMMENDATIONS AND MANAGING SUCH ASSETS WILL BE MADE BY CUSTOMER AND WILL BE CUSTOMER’S SOLE RESPONSIBILITY. CUSTOMER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT

IT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR REVIEWING ANY RECOMMENDATIONS AND ADVICE PRODUCED IN CONNECTION WITH THE SERVICES TO CONFIRM THAT IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR CUSTOMER’S BUSINESS. ASCEND MAKES NO WARRANTY REGARDING THE RELIABILITY, TIMELINESS,

SUITABILITY, OR ACCURACY OF THE SERVICE OR ANY ADVICE OR RECOMMENDATIONS

PRODUCED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, ANY RESULTS CUSTOMER MAY OBTAIN BY IN

CONNECTION WITH THE SERVICES OR IMPLEMENTING ANY ADVICE OR RECOMMENDATIONS OR THAT THE SERVICES OR ANY ADVICE OR RECOMMENDATIONS WILL ACHIEVE CUSTOMER’S INTENDED RESULTS. ASCEND MAKES NO WARRANTY REGARDING THE RESULTS OR SPECIFIC

OUTCOMES THAT CUSTOMER MAY OBTAIN IN CONNECTION WITH THE SERVICES OR THAT SUCH RESULTS WILL MEET CUSTOMER’S EXPECTATIONS.

8. INSURANCE

8.1 Insurance. Ascend shall maintain insurance coverage consistent with the following:
(a) Terms and Provisions of Policies. All policies of insurance will:
(i) provide that, without 30 days prior written notice sent to Customer, they may not be canceled; (ii) if Customer requests in writing, with the exception of worker’s compensation/employer liability insurance and any professional liability insurance/errors and omissions insurance that may be required, be endorsed to name the following as additional insureds: Customer; the directors, officers, employees, and agents of Customer; and the successors and assigns of all of the foregoing (the “Additional Insureds”);
(iii) with the exception of worker’s compensation/employer liability insurance and any professional liability insurance/errors and omissions insurance that may be required, be primary to and not excess to or on a contributing basis with any insurance or self-insurance maintained by any Additional Insured(s);
(iv) as to policies required by this Agreement to name Additional Insureds, provide for severability of interests or cross liability as to all insureds (whether named or otherwise); and (v) be written on an occurrence basis (except that any professional liability insurance may be required may be written on a claims-made basis) and issued by insurance carriers reasonably acceptable to Customer.
(b) Specific Coverages. Ascend shall maintain the following insurance policies:
(i) Commercial General Liability, on an occurrence basis, with a combined single limit of $1,000,000 per occurrence and an annual aggregate limit of $2,000,000. Such policy shall contain a waiver of subrogation endorsement in favor of the Additional Insureds; (ii) Comprehensive Automobile Liability, with a combined single limit of $1,000,000. Such policy shall contain a waiver of subrogation endorsement in favor of the Additional Insureds; (iii) Workers’ Compensation, in statutorily required amount(s), and employer’s liability insurance of not less than $1,000,000 for each instance, provided that if Ascend is not required by law to, and does not, carry Workers’ Compensation Insurance, Ascend shall execute and deliver to Customer a Worker’s Compensation Insurance waiver provided by Customer. Such policies shall contain a waiver of subrogation;
(iv) Professional Liability/Errors and Omissions insurance covering liability for financial loss due to errors, omissions, wrongful acts, negligent acts, design and software defects, copyright and trademark infringement, including coverage for cyber liability and privacy liability in an amount not less than $3,000,000 in the aggregate; and
(v) Umbrella Excess Liability of not less than $2,000,000. Such coverage shall be on a per “occurrence” basis and over and above and shall not contain endorsements that restrict coverages described in this Section 8. Such policy shall include a waiver of subrogation endorsement in favor of the Additional Insureds.
(c) Insurance Coverage; Miscellaneous. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the liabilities of Ascend under this Agreement shall not be terminated, reduced, or otherwise limited by any expiration or termination of insurance coverages.

9. INDEMNIFICATION.

9.1 Claims Against Customer. Ascend shall defend any claim, suit, or action against Customer brought by a third party to the extent based on an allegation that the Software infringes any intellectual property rights of such third party (a “Customer Claim”), and Ascend shall indemnify and hold Customer harmless, from and against damages, losses, liabilities, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and other legal expenses) (collectively, “Losses”) that are specifically attributable to such Customer Claim or those costs and damages agreed to in a settlement of such Customer Claim. The foregoing obligations are conditioned on Customer: (a) promptly notifying Ascend in writing of such Customer Claim; (b) giving Ascend sole control of the defense thereof and any related settlement negotiations; and (c) cooperating and, at Ascend’s request and expense, assisting in such defense. In the event that the use of the Platform is enjoined, Ascend shall, at its option and at its own expense either: (i) procure for Customer the right to continue using the Platform; (ii) replace the Software with a non-infringing but functionally equivalent product; (iii) modify the Software so it becomes non-infringing; or (iv) terminate this Agreement and refund the amounts Customer paid for access to the Platform that relate to the period during which Customer was not able to use the Platform. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Ascend will have no obligation under this Section 9.1 with respect to any infringement claim based upon: (1) any use of the Platform not in accordance with this Agreement; (2) any use of the Platform in combination with products, equipment, software, or data that Ascend did not supply or approve of if such infringement would have been avoided without the combination with such other products, equipment, software or data; (3) any modification of the Platform by any person other than Ascend or its authorized agents or subcontractors; or (4) any Third-Party Offering. This Section 9.1 states Ascend’s entire liability and Customer’s sole and exclusive remedy for infringement claims or actions.

9.2 Claims Against Ascend. Customer shall defend, any claim, suit, or action against Ascend brought by a third party to the extent that such claim, suit, or action is based upon Ascend’s use of any Customer Data in accordance with this Agreement or Customer’s use of any Customer Data (a “Ascend Claim”) and Customer shall indemnify and hold Ascend harmless, from and against Losses that are specifically attributable to such Ascend Claim or those costs and damages agreed to in a settlement of such Ascend Claim. The foregoing obligations are conditioned on Ascend:
(a) promptly notifying Customer in writing of such Ascend Claim; (b) giving Customer sole control of the defense thereof and any related settlement negotiations; and (c) cooperating and, at Customer’s request and expense, assisting in such defense. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Customer will have no obligation under this Section 9.2 or otherwise with respect to any Ascend Claim to the extent based upon Ascend’s use of the Customer Data in violation of this Agreement.

10. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY. IN NO EVENT WILL EITHER PARTY BE LIABLE FOR ANY

CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT, EXEMPLARY, SPECIAL, OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, OR FOR ANY LOST

DATA, LOST PROFITS, OR COSTS OF PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES, ARISING

FROM OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, HOWEVER CAUSED AND UNDER ANY THEORY OF

LIABILITY (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), EVEN IF SUCH PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. EACH PARTY’S TOTAL CUMULATIVE LIABILITY IN CONNECTION

WITH THIS AGREEMENT, WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE, WILL NOT EXCEED

THE AMOUNT OF FEES PAID OR OWED BY CUSTOMER TO ASCEND UNDER THIS AGREEMENT

DURING THE INITIAL TERM OR RENEWAL TERM, AS THE CASE MAY BE, DURING WHICH THE EVENTS GIVING RISE TO SUCH LIABILITY OCCURRED. THE EXCLUSIONS AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITIES SET FORTH IN THIS SECTION 10 DO NOT APPLY TO A PARTY’S OBLIGATIONS UNDER SECTION 9, TO LIABILITY ARISING FROM A PARTY’S BREACH OF SECTION, OR TO LIABILITY ARISING FROM CUSTOMER’S BREACH OF SECTION 11.

11. CONFIDENTIALITY.

11.1 Definitions. “Confidential Information” means all information disclosed by one party (“Discloser”) to the other party (“Recipient”) under this Agreement during the Term. Confidential Information includes information that is marked or identified as confidential and, if not marked or identified as confidential, information that should reasonably have been understood by Recipient to be proprietary and confidential to Discloser or to a third party.

Ascend’s Confidential Information includes Software and Documentation. Customer’s Confidential Information includes Customer Data.

11.2 Protection. Recipient shall not use any Confidential Information for any purpose not expressly permitted by this Agreement and shall not disclose Confidential Information to anyone other than Recipient’s employees and independent contractors who have a need to know such Confidential Information for purposes of this Agreement and who are subject to confidentiality obligations no less restrictive than Recipient’s obligations under this Section 11.

Recipient will be liable to the Discloser for any of its employees’ and independent contractors’ acts or omissions, which, if performed by Recipient, would constitute a breach of this Section 11. Recipient shall protect Confidential Information from unauthorized use, access, and disclosure in the same manner as Recipient protects its own confidential or proprietary information of a similar nature and with no less than reasonable care.

11.3 Exceptions. Recipient will have no confidentiality obligations under Section 11.2 above with respect to any information of Discloser that Recipient can document: (a) was already known to Recipient prior to Discloser’s disclosure; (b) is disclosed to Recipient by a third party who had the right to make such disclosure without violating any confidentiality agreement with or other obligation to the party who disclosed the information; (c) is, or through no fault of Recipient has become, generally available to the public; or (d) is independently developed by Recipient without access to or use of Confidential Information. Recipient may disclose Confidential Information if required to as part of a judicial process, government investigation, legal proceeding, or other similar process on the condition that, to the extent permitted by applicable law, Recipient gives prior written notice of such requirement to Discloser.

Recipient shall take reasonable efforts to provide this notice in sufficient time to allow Discloser to seek an appropriate confidentiality agreement, protective order, or modification of any disclosure, and Recipient shall reasonably cooperate in such efforts at the expense of Discloser.

12. GENERAL.

12.1 Independent Contractor. The relationship of the parties established under this Agreement is that of independent contractors and neither party is a partner, employee, agent, or joint venture partner of or with the other, and neither party has the right or authority to assume or create any obligation on behalf of the other party.

12.2 Subcontractors. Ascend may utilize subcontractors, subprocessors, and other third-party service providers (collectively, “Subcontractors”) in the performance of its obligations, provided that Ascend will remain liable and responsible for the Subcontractors’ acts and omissions to the extent any of such acts or omissions, if performed by Ascend, would constitute a breach of, or otherwise give rise to liability to Ascend under, this Agreement when they are performing for or on behalf of Ascend.

12.3 Publicity. Ascend may, during the Term of this Agreement: (a) create a general contract announcement press release indicating that the parties have entered into this Agreement, and (b) use Customer’s business name and trademark in written materials identifying Ascend’s customers, on Ascend’s websites, and in other promotional materials subject to Customer’s brand guidelines and Ascend’s obligations under Section 11.

12.4 Assignment. Neither party may assign this Agreement or any of its rights under this Agreement to any third party without the other party’s prior written consent, except that a party may assign this Agreement without consent from the other party to any successor to its business or assets to which this Agreement relates, whether by merger, acquisition, or sale of all or substantially all of its assets, or otherwise. Any attempted assignment in violation of the foregoing will be void and of no force or effect.

12.5 Force Majeure. Except for payment obligations, neither party will be liable for any breach of this Agreement, or for any delay or failure of performance, resulting from any cause beyond that party’s reasonable control.

12.6 Notices. To be effective, notices under this Agreement must be delivered in writing to the other party at the physical or email address for each party set forth below and will be effective upon receipt. Each party may update its notice address in accordance with this provision.

For Ascend:

Ascend Analytics LLC
1877 Broadway, Suite 706
Boulder, CO 80302
Attn: Chief Financial Officer
Email: [email protected]
For Customer:

See Work Order

12.7 Governing Law; Venue. The laws of the State of Colorado govern this Agreement and any matters related to this Agreement, without regard to any conflicts of laws principles that would require the application of the laws of a different jurisdiction. The parties hereby submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of, and waive any venue objections against, state or federal courts sitting in Denver, Colorado in any litigation arising out of this Agreement or the Services.

12.8 Remedies. Each party acknowledges that any actual or threatened breach of Sections 3.2 or 11 will constitute immediate, irreparable harm to the non-breaching party for which monetary damages would be an inadequate remedy, that injunctive relief is an appropriate remedy for such breach, and that if granted, the breaching party agrees to waive any bond that would otherwise be required. If any legal action is brought by a party to enforce this Agreement, the prevailing party will be entitled to receive its attorneys’ fees, court costs, and other legal expenses, in addition to any other relief it may receive from the non-prevailing party.

12.9 Compliance with Laws. Each party shall comply with all laws, rules, and regulations, applicable to that party in connection with this Agreement.

12.10 Waivers. To be effective, any waivers must be in writing and signed by the party to be charged. Any waiver or failure to enforce any provision of this Agreement on one occasion will not be deemed a waiver of any other provision or of such provision on any other occasion.

12.11 Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is unenforceable, the other provisions of this Agreement will be unimpaired, and the unenforceable provision will be deemed modified so that it is enforceable to the maximum extent permitted by law (unless such modification is not permitted by law, in which case such provision will be disregarded).

12.12 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which will be considered an original, but all of which together will constitute the same instrument.

12.13 Entire Agreement. This Agreement, including any Work Order and any exhibits or attachments thereto, constitutes the final and entire agreement between the parties regarding the subject hereof and supersedes all other agreements, whether written or oral, between the parties concerning such subject matter. No terms and conditions proposed by either party will be binding on the other party unless accepted in writing by both parties, and each party hereby objects to and rejects all terms and conditions not so accepted. To the extent of any conflict between the provisions of this Agreement and the provisions of any Work Order, the provisions of the Agreement will govern unless the Work Order specifically overrides this Agreement. No amendment to this Agreement will be effective unless in writing and signed by the party to be charged.

12.14 Nonsolicitation of Employees. During the Term and for a period of 24 months thereafter, Customer shall not solicit, offer, promise to hire, or hire, as an employee or contractor, Ascend’s employees or contractors that were engaged in the performance of this Agreement. This section will not prevent Customer from placing general advertisements or similar notices that are not targeted specifically at employees or contractors of Ascend.

The parties, by their authorized representatives, have entered into this Master Services Agreement as of the Effective Date.

Ascend Analytics | Work Order Version 2.1 | Effective as of February 13, 2026

EXHIBIT A

FORM OF SMARTBIDDER LICENSE WORK ORDER
This Work Order (“Work Order”) is effective upon the date of the last signature below (the “Effective Date”) and is between Ascend Analytics, LLC, a Colorado limited liability company (“Ascend”) and Click or tap here to enter text. (“Customer”) and governs Customer’s access to and use of the Platform and Ascend’s provision of the Services under the Master Services Agreement found here.

Capitalized terms used in this Work Order but not defined have the meaning given to them in the MSA.

CUSTOMER INFORMATION
Contact: Click or tap here to enter text.

Billing Address: Click or tap here to enter text.

Shipping Address:

Billing Terms: Annual
Payment Terms: Net 30
Invoice Submission Email Address:

With Copies to:

PO Required [1]: No PO Number:

Upload to Vendor Portal Required: No Vendor Portal:

TERM
• The Initial Term of this Work Order begins on Ascend’s receipt of the Notice to Proceed for this Work Order and continues for Click or tap here to enter text. years. Implementation Services will commence after receipt of NTP.

SOFTWARE PRODUCTS
Product Term Price/Percentage
Smartbidder - Managed Optimization License 1 Year $150, 300 Click or tap here to enter text.

Total Contracted Value (TCV) $150,300
Upon renewal of this Work Order, Ascend may increase the Fees for Services as defined in the Work Order. If Ascend exercises its right to increase Fees, such an increase will become effective upon the Renewal Term (as defined in the MSA) for this Work Order, Ascend Analytics | Work Order Version 2.1 | Effective as of February 13, 2026 and this Work Order will be deemed amended to reflect a fee increase not to exceed 7%. Such a fee increase will be applied to the fees under that work order in the subsequent term.
[1] If you would like your invoice to reference a purchase order (PO), please provide the information above (Customer to complete). Failure to provide a PO number, or a delay in providing a PO number, does not extend the payment period, which begins on your receipt of the invoice. If you do not provide a subsequent PO number for subsequent Orders, Ascend will continue to reference the original PO number. Ascend references your PO for administrative convenience only, and pursuant to this agreement, no additional terms on your PO apply to this Order.

SOFTWARE, PLATFORM, IMPLEMENTATION SERVICES,

AND SUPPORT SERVICES DESCRIPTION
• Product & Services Description located is located in the SmartBidder Help Center, accessible in the top right corner of the UI https://smartbidder.ascendanalytics.com/

PROJECT NAME AND INFORMATION
• Project Name: Enterprise (the “Project”)
• Project Estimated COD: 1/1/2027

ITEM DESCRIPTION/VALUE

ISO CAISO
Site Configuration Click or tap here to enter text.

Node Name Click or tap here to enter text.

Battery Nameplate Capacity 210 MW
Renewables Nameplate Capacity Click or tap here to enter text.

EMS Provider/ Site Controller Click or tap here to enter text.

Scheduling Coordinator/QSE Click or tap here to enter text.

Renewable Forecast Provider Click or tap here to enter text.

Click or tap here to enter text. ASCEND ANALYTICS, LLC
Name: Name:

Title: Title:

Date: Date:

By: By:

Ayes:

Noes:

Absent:

Signed and approved by me after its passage.
______________________________
Chair of the Governing Board
Attest:
_______________________
Secretary
WHEREAS, Pioneer Community Energy (Pioneer) continues to add solar-plus-storage resources to its power supply portfolio, including the Chalan and Janus projects, each of which includes a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) that must be scheduled, bid, dispatched, monitored, and optimized in the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) market; and WHEREAS, Battery storage resources require optimization software and related services to translate market forecasts, state-of-charge, operating constraints, contract requirements, Resource Adequacy obligations, and risk limits into executable CAISO bidding strategies; and WHEREAS, ZGlobal provides automated bid optimization, integration and onboarding, strategic setup, team training, reporting and analytics, and monitoring and support for co-located solar-plus-storage assets; and WHEREAS, Zglobal supports participation in CAISO Day-Ahead and Real-Time energy and ancillary service products, incorporates operational, contractual, and physical asset constraints into the optimization engine, and provides a customer-controlled workflow for bid review and override prior to submission to the designated Scheduling Coordinator; and WHEREAS, Staff recommend approval of a one-year amendment with ZGlobal Inc. for battery optimization software and related services for the Chalan and Janus projects in an amount not to exceed $94,858.34
In the matter of: RESOLUTION APPROVING AND

AUTHORIZING THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER TO
EXECUTE AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO THE ENERGY
SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH ZGLOBAL INC. FOR

BATTERY OPTIMIZATION SOFTWARE AND RELATED

SERVICES FOR THE CHALAN AND JANUS PROJECTS
APPROVING AN ADDITIONAL $94,848.34 FOR A TERM
OF ONE-YEAR RESULTING IN A TOTAL NOT-TO-EXCEED CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $271,611.29.

Resolution 2026-__
July 23, 2026
2 BE IT RESOLVED, the Governing Board of Pioneer Community Energy, State of California, hereby finds, declares, and resolves as follows:

1. The above recitals are true and correct.

2. The Governing Board hereby approves and authorizes the Chief Executive Officer to execute Amendment No. 2 to the Energy Services Agreement, authorizing an additional $94,858.36 to an Agreement with ZGlobal Inc. for battery optimization software and related services for the Chalan and Janus projects, in substantially the form attached, in an amount not to exceed $271,611.29, in addition to any minor clerical or clarifying changes proposed by the Chief Executive Officer and approved by General Counsel.

3. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption.

Exhibit A: Amendment No. 2 to the Energy Services Agreement with ZGlobal Inc.

SECOND AMENDMENT TO

THE ENERGY SERVICES AGREEMENT
Pioneer Community Energy
This SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE ENERGY SERVICES AGREEMENT (this “Second Amendment”), dated as of _______________________ (the “Second Amendment Effective Date”), is entered into by and between Pioneer Community Energy, a California joint powers authority (“Client”), and ZGlobal, Inc., a California S corporation (“ZGlobal”).

RECITALS
WHEREAS, Client and ZGlobal entered into that certain Energy Services Agreement, dated as of December 17, 2019 (the “Agreement”);
WHEREAS, Client and ZGlobal entered into the First Amendment to Energy Services Agreement, dated as of June 1, 2024 (the “First Amendment”); and WHEREAS, the Parties desire to amend the Agreement and First Amendment as set out herein.

AGREEMENT
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and other good and valuable consideration contained herein, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE 1

AMENDMENTS

1.1 Definitions. Capitalized terms used herein and not defined shall have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Agreement, and the rules of interpretation set forth in the Agreement shall apply equally to this Second Amendment.

1.2 Amendments.
(a) The following Services to be provided by ZGlobal on behalf of Client are added to Article 2 of the Agreement as follows:

Services Client Initial
__X__ Resource Optimization (Exhibit L) _________
Resource Optimization start date coincides with the beginning of operation of Client’s commercial operation (CAISO COD) of its Chelan and Janus facilities on or around December 1, 2026 and January 1, 2027, respectively. Invoicing for Service will begin on the calendar month after CAISO COD.
(b) Service Fees specified in Exhibit H of the Agreement are modified as follows:

Service Fees
Note that the “Period Total Cost” is prorated based on expected CAISO COD. If CAISO COD is earlier or later than the estimated CAISO COD, then Services and Service Fees will commence to coincide with CAISO COD.
(c) The following Exhibits (Exhibit L) are added to the Agreement:

Period Services Fee Monthly Cost One-Time Cost Period Total Cost Scheduling, Financial Settlement & Load Forecasting $6,521.62 N/A $78,259.41 Portfolio Assessment and Reporting $6,427.35 N/A $77,128.20 Resource Adequacy Import Management (If Needed) $1,366.20 N/A $16,394.40 Oracle Analytics Server User License $214.25 N/A $2,570.94 Data Hosting (Pass Through Cost Estimate)* $200.00 N/A $2,400.00 Resource Optimization - Chalan $8,516.67 N/A $59,616.67 Resource Optimization - Janus $10,241.67 N/A $10,241.67 Resource Integration - Chalan N/A $15,000.00 $15,000.00 Resource Optimization - Janus N/A $10,000.00 $10,000.00 Total $33,487.75 $25,000.00 $271,611.29
Scheduling, Financial Settlement & Load Forecasting
Portfolio Assessment and Reporting
Resource Adequacy Import Management (If Needed)
Oracle Analytics Server User License
Data Hosting (Pass Through Cost Estimate)*
Resource Optimization - Chalan
Resource Optimization - Janus
* Data Hosting (Pass through cost Estimate) subject to change based on actual hosting fees charged to ZGlobal from Oracle.

Assumes 4 OAS user licenses
July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027
July 1, 2027 Onward Previous Year's Monthly Cost Multiplied by 1.035 Exhibit L Resource Optimization
This Exhibit L details specific services (“Portfolio Management Services”) to be performed or provided by ZGlobal at Client’s written request under this Agreement.

1. Categories of Portfolio Management Services
At Client’s option, Client shall expressly direct ZGlobal in writing to perform Portfolio Management Services for the following categories:
• Battery Storage Modeling Set Up
o Access battery storage operating characteristics and limitations o Maximum discharge rate (MW) - Pmax
o Minimum charge rate (MW)- Pmin
o Maximum operational state of charge (MWh) – SoC Max
o Minimum operational state of charge (MWh) – SoC Min
o Maximum ramp rate (MW/minute)
o Minimum ramp rate (MW/minute)
o Cycles per day as measured by energy throughput (charge and discharge) divided by the SoC Max during a single day
o Cycles per year as measured by energy throughput (charge and discharge) divided by the SoC Max over 365 days
o Limitations (if any) for holding SoC levels or returning to SoC levels o Round trip efficiency
o Any Resource Adequacy obligations
o Auxiliary load served by the battery (if any)
o Others as provided by Client
o Access near real-time data necessary to generate bids to buy and offers to sell energy and capacity into the CAISO markets
o State of charge
o MW charging and discharging at the point of interconnection and the battery storage nodes
o MW charging and discharging capability
o Battery MW and MWh availability
o Outages that report any limitations to the CAISO
o Interface with CAISO market and ZGlobal scheduling and settlement applications o ZGlobal’s third-party scheduling and settlement system o ZGlobal’s third-party optimization application
o ZGlobal’s third-party near real-time data interface
o Battery Storage Charge and Discharge Optimization
o Generate CAISO market day-ahead market and intra-day market bids to buy charging energy and offers to sell discharging energy
o Generate CAISO market day-ahead market offers to sell ancillary services, if directed to do so by Client
• Utilize applications and data for assessment of Client’s portfolio. Examples of data are shown below:
o CAISO day-ahead and intra-day clearing prices for energy and ancillary services o Price and quantity bids and offers submitted to the CAISO markets o Market clearing quantities in the CAISO day-ahead and intra-day markets o Battery storage operational performance relative to CAISO market awards o Performance assessment relative to an agreed upon baseline

2. Description of Services
ZGlobal proposes to provide Portfolio Management Services described in Paragraph 1 above of this Exhibit L on behalf of Client to allow for managing Client’s battery storage market bids and offers.

3. Client’s Responsibilities

3.1. Client shall select and specify in writing the categories of Portfolio Management Services listed in this Exhibit L that ZGlobal shall provide.

3.2. Authorization for ZGlobal to Transact on Behalf of Client. To the extent reasonably required by ZGlobal to perform the Portfolio Management Services requested by Client, Client will provide authorization for ZGlobal to generate market bids and offers for energy and ancillary services on Client’s behalf consistent with parameters established by Client and agreed upon by ZGlobal in writing prior to engaging in such transactions. As a condition of performance of the Portfolio Management Services, ZGlobal will identify, and Client shall have performed all tasks necessary to allow ZGlobal to provide Portfolio Management Services for Client. This includes but is not limited to executing relevant agreements, notifying relevant entities and enabling ZGlobal’s access to systems on behalf of Client.

3.3. Information to be Provided by Client to ZGlobal. ZGlobal shall identify and Client shall provide ZGlobal with all relevant information to allow ZGlobal to provide Portfolio Management Services per this Exhibit L. This includes data such as Client’s load information, transactions with counterparties, facilities and contractual economic data, capabilities and limitations, planned and Forced Outages or derates, transmission paths to be utilized, Client’s objectives to determine strategy, access to relevant meteorological data and all other pertinent information.

Parameters required for Day-Ahead and Hour-Ahead Portfolio Management Services shall be agreed to between ZGlobal and Client at a time to allow ZGlobal to effectively perform Portfolio Management Services, but no later than 48 hours prior to day that electricity is to be scheduled onto the electrical grid.

3.4. Fees and Costs Imposed as a Result of Portfolio Management Services. For transactions that ZGlobal transacts on behalf of Client, Client shall be responsible for all costs and revenues Client incurs as a result of such transactions. Costs and revenues may emanate from Balancing Authorities, Transmission Owners/Operators, the CAISO or third parties. This includes items such as the CAISO’s Grid Management Charge (GMC), ancillary services, among others. The intent is that ZGlobal acts as a conduit for dollar flow between Client and the CAISO, Balancing Authorities, Transmission Owners/Operators and third parties.

4. ZGlobal’s Responsibilities

4.1. Transactions. At Client’s written direction, ZGlobal shall generate market bids and offers on behalf of Client designed to implement Client’s portfolio management strategy. Prior to commencing, ZGlobal and Client shall document portfolio management strategy, roles, responsibilities, allowable transactions and process for performing Portfolio Management Services pursuant to this Agreement.

4.2. Strategy Review. Client and ZGlobal shall meet on a regular basis to review Client’s portfolio management strategy, but no less than twice per year. All transaction data shall be recorded and stored by ZGlobal and provided to Client as requested. Transaction data shall include information such as counterparty, tenure, price, volume, location, and product.

4.3. Reports. ZGlobal shall publish regular Portfolio Management Services reports. Reports shall include exception reports resulting from shadow settlements within 30 Days of receipt of CAISO settlement statements and invoices. Content and publishing schedule is to be determined by mutual agreement between ZGlobal and Client, but at a frequency no less than once per month.

ZGlobal shall provide monthly reports including, but not limited to, the following:
o CAISO day-ahead and intra-day clearing prices for energy and ancillary services o Price and quantity bids and offers submitted to the CAISO markets o Market clearing quantities in the CAISO day-ahead and intra-day markets o Battery storage operational performance relative to CAISO market awards o Performance assessment relative to an agreed upon baseline [End of Exhibit L]
ARTICLE 2

MISCELLANEOUS

2.1 Effect of Amendment. Except as amended by this Second Amendment, the terms and conditions of the Agreement and First Amendment shall remain unmodified and continue in full force and effect.

2.2 Capitalized Terms. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Second Amendment shall have their respective meanings as set forth in the Agreement and First Amendment and as further amended herein.
[Signatures page follows.]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Second Amendment to be executed by their respective duly authorized representatives as of the date first written above.

CLIENT

PIONEER COMMUNITY ENERGY
By: ____________________________
Name: Don Eckert
Title: CEO

ZGLOBAL
ZGLOBAL, INC.

By: ____________________________
Name: Ziad Alaywan
Title: CEO and Founder
[Signature Page to the Second Amendment to the Energy Services Agreement]

Page 1 of 4 ends

Staff Report - Item 5
To: The Governing Board
From: Elliott Sherman, Program Manager
Item 5: Approval to Develop and Issue a Request for Proposals for the Strategic Energy Management Pilot Program
Date: 7/23/2026

RECOMMENDATION
Approve the development of a two-year Strategic Energy Management (SEM) Pilot Program and authorize the Chief Executive Officer or designee to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP), negotiate and execute agreement(s) with a qualified third-party implementer within the approved budget, and begin program delivery.

COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
On June 24, 2026, this item was reviewed and discussed by the Community Advisory Committee which agreed with the recommendation.

The Audit and Finance Committee also reviewed and discussed the SEM Pilot Program on July 13, 2026, and agreed with the recommendation to proceed.

BACKGROUND
Pioneer has built customer programs around practical savings opportunities, including rebates, solar and storage offerings, and demand response. As Pioneer evaluates additional program offerings and prepares for future service territory expansion, larger commercial, industrial, agricultural, and municipal customers need support navigating a more complex energy environment.

These customers face energy efficiency decisions, demand charges, demand response opportunities, load shifting, rate and bill impacts, solar and battery storage options, incentives and operational changes that all affect cash flow. Many customers do not have a single trusted advisor to help organize these opportunities into a practical plan.

Traditional SEM programs as currently administered by California investor-owned utilities and at least one other community-choice aggregator provide useful tools for this purpose, including baselines, action plans, coaching, and savings tracking. However, a full California SEM program can be administratively burdensome for customers and implementers due to a rigorous and time-consuming compliance process. Staff proposes a lighter, more efficient customer-centered approach by using Pioneer program funds rather than California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) funds that uses the most practical SEM elements while avoiding requirements that are not needed for this pilot.

ANALYSIS & DISCUSSION
Staff propose a SEM Program for large customers with annual electricity consumption of approximately 2,000,000 kWh or more. Target participants would include commercial, industrial, agricultural, water/wastewater, municipal, school districts, and other public agency customers where operational changes, efficiency projects, demand response, or load shifting may produce meaningful savings.

Plf)NEER

COMMUNITY ENERGY
Agenda Item: 5 Agenda Date: 7/23/2026

Page 2 of 4 ends

The program would be delivered by a qualified third-party implementer (Implementer) selected through a competitive RFP. Pioneer would not be the implementer. Pioneer would retain program ownership, branding, customer-relationship oversight, and incentive budget control, while the implementer would perform the day-to-day work, including customer engagement, data review, site assessments, energy advisory services, action plans, savings measurement & verification, and participant follow-ups.

Pioneer would support recruitment by identifying priority accounts, making introductions, and reinforcing the customer value proposition. During the initial recruitment process, the Pioneer customers receiving PCIA Offset credits will be ineligible from participating until the credit expires. The implementer would perform the heavy lifting required to enroll, serve, and retain participants.

Each participant receives a dedicated advisor who helps review energy usage and costs, identify specific improvement opportunities, navigate available rebates, and develop a practical energy action plan. The program is intended to help customers make decisions that reduce energy costs and improve cash flow.

Program Element Approach
Eligibility Large commercial and industrial (C&I), agricultural, municipal, and public agency customers using approximately 2,000,000 kWh or more annually.

Delivery Model Third-party implementer delivers consultancy, assessments, action plans, follow-up, reporting, and International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP)-based savings documentation. Pioneer supports recruitment and oversight.

SEM-Informed Scope Baseline review, opportunity screening, energy action plan, advisor check-ins, savings tracking, and annual participant reporting.

Customer Incentives Participation or milestone incentives plus verified energy savings rebates.

Strategic Value Customer savings, retention, demand response readiness, and future load flexibility identification.

Pioneer’s program will focus on customer advisory relationships, customer energy management, and navigation across various cost-saving opportunities. Pioneer Staff would focus on the customer relationships, and the Implementer would manage program delivery. Customers may still be referred to Northern Rural Energy Network (NREN), PG&E, state, federal, or other programs where appropriate. Although the reduction in load would nominally impact Pioneer’s revenue, the relationship and trust built as an energy partner has been proven to build loyalty and help Pioneer fulfill its role as a community choice aggregator giving back to its community.

Procurement costs would also be reduced accordingly due to any load reductions.

PILOT DESIGN
The initial pilot would run for two years and into expansion. The first-year target is 12 to 15 enrolled participants, with an emphasis on customers that have sufficient load, operational savings potential, and staff capacity to participate. The pilot would be designed to produce customer savings while also testing recruitment of top customers, customer retention, implementer performance, and future expansion potential.

The implementer would be expected to provide the following services:
• Customer recruitment support, intake, and eligibility screening. • Energy usage, bill, and interval data analysis.
• Site visit or virtual facility assessment.
• Practical energy action plan focused on customer savings and cash flow. • Navigation of energy efficiency, demand response, load shifting, solar, storage, financing, rebates, grants, and tax incentive opportunities.
• Participant check-ins and implementation support.
• Measurement and verification support using a right-sized IPMVP approach. • Annual participant reports and portfolio-level reporting to Pioneer.

Agenda Item: 5 Agenda Date: 7/23/2026

Page 3 of 4 ends

The pilot would pull from California SEM principles where they add value but would not be a full California SEM Design Guide program. If Pioneer later pursues CPUC funding, Elect-to-Administer status, or a fully compliant SEM offering, the pilot can be adjusted to add the required rigor.

INCENTIVE STRUCTURE
Staff recommend using two customer incentive types. First, participation or milestone incentives would compensate customers for completing agreed program steps such as enrollment, data authorization, assessment, action plan completion, and progress participation. Second, energy savings rebates would reward verified or documented kWh savings using a methodology approved by Pioneer.

Pioneer would not pay customer software subscriptions, solar or storage vendor fees, or third-party technology costs directly on behalf of the participant. Pioneer funds would support program delivery and customer incentives tied to participation milestones and documented results.

RFP AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
The RFP should ask proposers to provide both implementation services and a detailed implementation plan. The selected implementer should develop detailed workflows, staffing plan, recruitment approach, customer materials, measurement and verification approach, advisor service model, and reporting tools for Pioneer review and approval.

SUCCESS METRICS
Pilot success should be measured through more than kWh savings alone. Staff recommend evaluating the program using the following metrics:
• 12 to 15 participants enrolled in Year 1.
• Minimum participant usage threshold of approximately 2,000,000 kWh per year, subject to screening. • Customer savings are greater than or equal to program spend. • Participant retention target of 90% or greater through the first program year. • Initial energy savings target of 2.5% or more of participant baseline usage. • Number of customers referred to or enrolled in demand response, load shifting, efficiency, solar, storage, rebate, grant, or financing opportunities.
• Portfolio-level estimate of future flexible load and demand response potential.

STRATEGIC PLAN
This program aligns with the Strategic Plan's Local Engagement priority by creating meaningful relationships with local businesses and community organizations, and with the Quality in Service priority by providing hands-on technical assistance and a simplified customer experience that extends beyond traditional rebate delivery.

FISCAL IMPACT
The pilot would be funded through Pioneer program funds and subject to final budget approval. Staff anticipate a first-year budget up to $900,000, depending on final scope, participant count, incentive levels, measurement and verification requirements, and implementer pricing. Major cost categories may include implementer services, customer participation incentives, verified savings rebates, M&V support, marketing and outreach, and contingency.

Agenda Item: 5 Agenda Date: 7/23/2026

Page 4 of 4 ends

Program Management $40,000
Delivery Partner Contract (audits, advisory, M&V) $300,000 - $450,000 Participant Milestone and Savings Incentives $300,000
Marketing & Outreach $20,000
Contingency (10%) $80,000
TOTAL Year 1 Estimate $900,000
There will be no change to the approved existing FY26-27 budget. The majority of Participant Incentives and Vendor Performance Payments will not be paid out until after the 12-month program year ends, in FY27-28.

Participant Incentive budget is estimated on 15 enrolled customers for a total cohort load of 150,000,000 kWh with 3% savings rebated at $0.05/kWh and $1,000 milestones per participant.

ATTACHMENTS
There are no attachments to the report.

Page 1 of 3 ends

Staff Report – Item IV-B
To: The Governing Board
From: Donald Eckert Jr., Chief Executive Officer
Item IV-B: CEO Report
Date: 7/23/2026

PERSONNEL
We are pleased to introduce our newest team member, Haagen Woodford, who joined Pioneer on June 22nd as our Customer Care Coordinator. Haagen Woodford is a long-term resident of the region with a proven history of delivering exceptional customer experience and building strong, lasting relationships.

Before joining Pioneer, Haagen worked at CarMax, where he consistently earned 5-star customer satisfaction ratings for his professionalism, efficiency, and commitment to service. His performance placed him No. 1 among more than 2,250 CarMax sales associates nationwide, an achievement that speaks to both his work ethic and his ability to connect with customers.

Haagen graduated with honors from California State University, Sacramento, with a bachelor’s degree in economics. And if those credentials were not enough, Haagen has also demonstrated remarkable composure and courage outside the workplace—he once saved a child from drowning.

Closed Recruitment
An offer was accepted for the Manager of Legislative & Regulatory Affairs. Our newest employee will start on August 3rd and introduced to the Board at the September meeting.

Current Recruitments
With the adoption of the FY 2026/27 budget, Pioneer is actively recruiting five (5) Community Outreach Specialist in preparation for the expansion.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AGREEMENTS EXECUTED (NON-POWER SUPPLY) The following agreements have been conducted by the Chief Executive Officer, consistent with the authority delegated by the Board:
• Purchasing Agreement with Coastal Smart Blinds for removal and disposal of the existing blinds at 2540 Warren Drive as well as the procurement and installation of new roller shades that closely match those at 2510 Warren Drive, effective July 7, 2026, in the amount of $15,499.77.

AUGUST IS “DARK”
As a reminder there will be no Board or Committee meetings during the month of August. We look forward to seeing you at the September 17th Board meeting. Enjoy your summer vacation.

NEVADA COUNTY FAIR
Pioneer will have a booth at the Nevada County Fair from August 12-16 at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley.

Plf)NEER

COMMUNITY ENERGY
Agenda Item: IV-B Agenda Date: 7/23/2026

Page 2 of 3 ends

2540 WARREN DRIVE FACILITY
Pioneer took possession of the new facility on July 1st. We are waiting for the arrival of the furniture and look forward to moving in mid-August. We expect the September Board meeting to be in the new Board Room but will keep the Board apprised as we approach the end of the month.

FISCAL YEAR 2025/26 SPONSORSHIP ACTIVITY
The table below shows the sponsorship activity for the past fiscal year.

Event Date Member Community Vendor Special Event Amount CY 2025 Auburn Hillmen Foundation
Future Innovators Science Lab
Sponsorship $2,500
7/3/2025 Colfax Colfax Railroad Days Colfax 3rd of July $1,500 7/4/2025 Auburn Auburn Chamber of Commerce Auburn Family Fourth of July $2,000 7/4/2025 Grass Valley Grass Valley Downtown Association Grass Valley 4th of July $1,500 7/2025 - 7/2026 El Dorado County El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce Chamber Champion Program $5,000 8/6-10, 2025
Grass Valley/Nevada
County Nevada County Fairgrounds Nevada County Fair $1,950 8/22-23, 2025 Lincoln Lincoln Area Chamber of Commerce Lincoln Airport Wings & Wheels $1,500 9/10/2025 Auburn/Placer County Latino Leadership Council Latino Leadership Council Annual Forum $500 9/12/2025 Statewide League of California Cities Sacramento Valley Division Meeting $1,500 9/14/2025 Rocklin Rocklin Public Saftey Foundation Patriot Day $1,000 9/20/2025 Rocklin Rocklin Area Chamber of Commerce 32nd Annual Hot Chili & Cool Cars $1,500 9/22-28, 2025 Placer County Placer Land Trust 2025 Conservation Celebration Week $500 9/25/2025 Auburn Auburn Chamber of Commerce Annual Celebrate the Community Dinner $1,500 10/4/2025 Loomis Loomis Basin Chamber of Commerce 2025 Fruitshed Festival $2,500 12/6/2025 Auburn Auburn Chamber of Commerce Festival of Lights Parade $1,000 11/1/2025 Rocklin The Gathering Inn
2025 Gathering for Hope - Glitz and Glam
Gala $500
11/28-12/19, 2025 Grass Valley Grass Valley Downtown Association Cornish Christmas at Grass Valley $2,000 11/21/2025 Regional
Mountain Counties Water Resources
Association 2025 Fall Water Forum $2,500
12/4/2025 Lincoln Lincoln Area Chamber of Commerce Christmas Tree Lighting & Parade $1,000 12/6/2025 Rocklin Rocklin Area Chamber of Commerce 18th Annual Rocklin Tree Lighting $1,000 12/13/2025 Colfax City of Colfax Colfax Winterfest $2,500 12/5/2025 El Dorado County El Dorado Hills Community Services District Gilmore Senior Center Christmas
Luncheon $1,000
CY 2026 Auburn Auburn Senior Center Annual Workshop $1,000 CY 2026 Lincoln Lincoln Potters Baseball Club, Inc. 2026 Lincoln Potters Partnerhsip $3,500 1/23/2026 Auburn Auburn Chamber of Commerce Installation & Awards Dinner 2026 $500 CY 2026 Auburn Auburn Senior Center Annual Workshop $1,000 2/15/2026
Placerville/El Dorado
County Hands 4 Hope Empty Bowls Dinner $1,000
2/28/2026 El Dorado County Snowline Health 911 Battle of the Badges Chili Cook-off $1,000 3/14/2026 El Dorado County El Dorado Hills Community Services District Inaugural EDH Shamrock Festival $500 4/13/2026 Lincoln Sun City Lincoln Hills Community Association ,
Showcase $300
4/19/2026 Nevada City Nevada City Chamber of Commerce 5th Annual Earth Fest Street Fair $1,000 4/25/2026 Placerville Catalyst Community 40th Annual Kids Expo Placerville $1,500 5/3/2026 El Dorado County El Dorado Hills Community Services District y
Celebration $500
5/15/2026 Placer County
g g y
Center Celebrity Waiter Luncheon $2,500
5/16/2026 Placer County Silver Wishes Night at the Races 2026 $1,500 5/30, 6/20, 2026 Colfax Historic Colfax Downtown Association Live in Colfax - A Summer Concert Series $400 / , / , / , 2026 Grass Valley Grass Valley Downtown Association Thursday Night Markets $600 6/2/2026 Rocklin Sierra College Foundation 2026 Sierra Workforce Summit $2,500 6/13/2026 Auburn The Forgotten Soldier Program 5th Annual Forget Me Not Dinner $1,500 6/20/2026 Lincoln Rods and Relics Car Club Rods and Relics Car Show $1,000 6/25/2026 Rocklin Rocklin Area Chamber of Commerce State of the City $1,000 TOTAL $59,250
Sponsorship Activity thru June 30, 2026
*Special Note: Pioneer invested, for community outreach visibility purposes, $7,500 to support the Placerville Aquatics Center’s pump upgrade of its City Pool.
-
Agenda Item: IV-B Agenda Date: 7/23/2026

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COMSTOCK AD TO CELEBRATE PLACER COUNTY’S 175TH ANNIVERSARY Pioneer has received great feedback from our advertisement in Comstock Magazine’s recent edition recognizing Placer County. Thanks to Taylor Smith for her work and creativity. Please reference attachment six.

STRATEGIC PLAN PROGRESS REPORT
Please see attachment five for Pioneer’s quarterly progress report on its strategic plan goals. This report marks the second year of the three-year plan. Staff have made noteworthy progress in all areas.

DIABLO CANYON NUCLEAR POWER PLANT TOUR
Pacific Gas & Electric opened tour dates for September and have offered Pioneer the following dates:
• September 15th
• September 17th
• September 21st
• September 22nd
Teresa will send out a doodle poll over the next few weeks to land on the most popular option.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER POWER SUPPLY CONTRACTS EXECUTIED The following agreements have been conducted by the Chief Executive Officer, consistent with the authority delegated by the Board:

PRESENTATIONS AND RELEVANT MEETINGS ATTENDED BY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

1. Participated in weekly/monthly CalCCA Board and Committee meetings.

2. Attended a ribbon cutting event for Peak Energy, a next generation manufacturer of sodium-ion energy storage in Sacramento.

3. Participated in a meeting with Sierra Pacific Industries with Director Pearl in Lincoln.

4. Participated in a visit to a Boys & Girls Club future project in El Dorado County with Supervisor Veerkamp.

ATTACHMENTS

1. Agenda Planning Document

2. Legislative and Regulatory Report

3. Communications Report

4. Programs Report

5. Strategic Plan Quarterly Progress Report

6. Comstock Magazine – Pioneer’s recognition of Placer County’s 175th Anniversary Counterparty Name Execution
Date Type Product Start Date End Date Notional Value
IP Easley II, LLC 5/19/2026 Buy Resource Adequacy - Flex 9/1/2026 9/30/2026 $24,750 Orange County Power Authority 5/22/2026 Buy Resource Adequacy - System 7/1/2026 8/31/2026 $30,750 Shell Energy North America 6/18/2026 Buy Energy 7/1/2026 12/31/2030 $65,128,103 Agenda Planning Document – Pioneer Community Energy ATTACHMENT 1 7-17-26

BOARD OF

DIRECTORS
JULY 23, 2026

REGULAR MEETING
3:00 PM
(Post Agenda: July 17)
SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

REGULAR MEETING
3:00 PM
(Post Agenda: September 11)
OCTOBER 15, 2026

REGULAR MEETING
3:00 PM
(Post Agenda: October 9)

IN THE FUTURE
Special Meeting Diablo Canyon Tour
NOV Closed Session-Labor (CEO contract)
Regular Meeting
Consent 1a Minutes for Approval-JUN 18, 2026 Minutes for Approval-JULY 23, 2026 Minutes for Approval-SEP 17, 2026 1b Receive Draft Financials MAY 2026
(Koehn)
Receive Draft Financials JULY 2026
(Koehn)
Receive Draft Financials AUG 2026
(Koehn)
1c RES EE Health & Welfare (Koehn) RES Power Content Label (GSV) 1d RES Approve Job Description (Koehn)
xx
Presentation x

PCIA update
guest: Brian Dickman
NOV presentation guest: Barry Broome
Regular 2 Economic Development Rate
(action/direction-Eckert)
guest: Andrew Keys
RES Expansion Planning (action-GSV) PCIA Hedging (discussion-Kang) NOV RES Calpine contract (Stassi-Vanacore) NOV Calpine Grant Award (Stassi-Vanacore)
3 RES IRP (Integrated Resource Plan)
(action-Kang)
Microgrid Incentive Program (MIP)
Update (discussion-Kang)
State of the Power Markets
(discussion-Kang) NOV 2026 End of Legislative and Regulatory Session Successes (Kang) NOV RES Large Load Policy (Kang)
4 RES contract with Ascend Analytics and
RES contract amendment with ZGlobal
(action-Kang)
Review of Unaudited June 2026
Financials (discussion-Koehn)
NOV Administrative Changes to the JPA &
Approve 30-Day Notice (Eckert)
5 Commercial/Industrial Programs
Update (action/direction-Kang)
JAN RES JPA Amendment No. 9 Administrative
Changes (Eckert)
x Update on South Lake Tahoe (Eckert)
General Function II Chief Executive Officer’s Report
REG Reports:

Leg/Reg; Communications; Programs;
Employee Introduction
QTRLY: Strategic Plan Objectives;
Sponsorship Activity
Chief Executive Officer’s Report
REG Reports:

Leg/Reg; Communications; Programs;
Chief Executive Officer’s Report
REG Reports:

Leg/Reg; Communications; Programs;
QTRLY: Strategic Plan Objectives;
Sponsorship Activity
Chief Executive Officer’s Report
QTRLY Updates requested by the Board
JAN – APR – JULY – OCT
 Strategic Plan Objectives
 Sponsorship Activity
Informational Items
Glossary of Terms
Informational Items
Glossary of Terms
Informational Items
Glossary of Terms
7 L_J
7 Agenda Planning Document – Pioneer Community Energy ATTACHMENT 1 7-17-26

AUDIT/FINANCE COMMITTEE TO BE SCHEDULED
in-person & remote locations IN THE FUTURE
Gary Petersen, Chair
Richard Pearl, Vice Chair
Greg Janda
Sean Lomen
David Ring
o July 13, 2026 Minutes
GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE JULY 30, 2026 – 3:00 PM
in-person & remote locations IN THE FUTURE
Board - Chair
Board - Vice Chair
Committee Chairs
Board Chair, Ex Officio (prior year)
o June 15, 2026 Minutes
o JPA Governance – Structural Impact from Expansion

ENERGY PROCUREMENT REVIEW

AD HOC COMMITTEE

TO BE SCHEDULED
zoom only IN THE FUTURE
Ryan Carter, Chair
Alice Dowdin Calvillo, Vice Chair
Anthony DeMattei
Sean Lomen
o Using Put Options as a PCIA Hedge (JAN-BOARD) Annual Appointment of EPRC Members (2027)

EXPANSION

AD HOC COMMITTEE

TO BE SCHEDULED
zoom only IN THE FUTURE
Alice Dowdin Calvillo, Chair
Tom Ivy, Vice Chair
Suzanne Jones
Lori Parlin
o Selection of Officers through 2026
o City of South Lake Tahoe

COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
TO THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AUGUST 26, 2026 OCTOBER 28, 2026 Meets on the 4th Wednesday
(even-numbered months)

Page 1 of 31 ends

Attachment 2: Legislative and Regulatory Update
Date: 7/16/2026

Legislative Affairs
• The 2026 Legislative Session began on Monday, January 5, 2026 and is scheduled to end on August 31, 2026. Pioneer will continue to advocate for support of biomass development, but the budget and Cap and Invest funding shortfalls will limit any available funds available to support biomass. • Pioneer held its annual Lobby Day on February 10, 2026. Pioneer’s Staff, Board Chair, and Lobbyists met with ten state legislator offices including current and future constituent representatives, and broader biomass champions. Pioneer discussed its key legislative priorities for the upcoming year including affordability concerning the Power Charge Indifference Adjustment (PCIA) and ongoing biomass development efforts. Specifically, Pioneer asked for support on the PCIA Transparency bill, AB 1761 (Rogers) and the FOREST Fund Act, AB 706 (Aguiar-Curry). • April 16, 2026 – Pioneer staff presented the 2026 Legislative Policy and Platform to the Board of Directors. Staff received approval from the Board to take positions on the following high priority bills, which are subject to change based on future legislative developments:
o “Support” position on AB 706 (Aguiar-Curry), AB 1761 (Rogers), AB 2266 (Schultz), SB 1138 (Padilla), SB 875 (Wiener)
o “Oppose” position on SB 1295 (Stern)
• May 29, 2026 – Following the deadline for each house to pass bills that were introduced in the first house, and developments in the legislative session thus far, below is an updated list of Pioneer’s active high priority bills:
o “Support” position on AB 706 (Aguiar-Curry), AB 1761 (Rogers), SB 1138 (Padilla) o “Oppose unless amended” position on SB 2383 (Zbur)
o Changes in Pioneer’s bill positions:
 SB 875 (Wiener) was removed because it was held in policy committee  SB 1295 (Stern) was removed due to our concerns being alleviated by amendments  AB 2266 (Schultz) was removed due to concerns over the ambiguity in language creating possible increased regulatory complexity
 SB 2383 (Zbur) was added due to concerning amendments • June 19, 2026 – Pioneer submitted a letter removing our “oppose unless amended” position, and taking a neutral position, on SB 2383 (Zbur), following the addition of amendments which addressed our concerns regarding jurisdictional issues. Initially, SB 2383 included language that would have allowed the CPUC to regulate all large load tariffs, including those offered by CCAs. However, Pioneer worked with CalCCA to successfully lobby for the addition of language that clarifies the CPUC is not authorized to regulate the rates or terms and conditions of services offered by CCAs. • July 2, 2026 – Following the deadline for policy committees to meet and report on bills, below are the results of Pioneer’s high priority bills:
o AB 706 (Aguiar-Curry): Passed Senate policy committees, in appropriations o AB 1761 (Rogers): Passed Senate policy committee, in appropriations o SB 1138 (Padilla): Passed Assembly policy committee, in appropriations Plf)NEER

COMMUNITY ENERGY
[Publish Date] Agenda Date: 7/16/2026

Page 2 of 31 ends

Regulatory Affairs
Below is a summary table of the key terms and issues, followed by further details on activities since our last Board Meeting on a few ongoing priority Pioneer regulatory proceedings and matters. New updates are color-coded in green. More updates will follow at future Board meetings as regulatory proceedings and matters evolve.

Key Terms
CPUC- California Public Utilities Commission OIR- Order Instituting Rulemaking/ “Proceeding” CEC- California Energy Commission ALJ- Administrative Law Judge LSE- Load Serving Entity AL- Advice Letter
IOU- Investor-Owned Utility PD- Proposed Decision
CAISO- California Independent System Operator D.- Decision ED- Energy Division PfM- Petition for Modification
PG&E- Pacific Gas and Electric Company CalCCA- California Community Choice Association Table of Contents:
• BioMAT Implementation – R.18-07-003; R.22-10-010; R.24-01-017:........................................3 • California Climate Credit – R. 25-07-013:..................................................................................4 • Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) – R.20-05-003; R.25-06-019:...........................................5 • Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) – R.24-01-017; CEC OIR 21-RPS-02:..............................7 • Resource Adequacy (RA) – R.23-10-011; R.25-10-003: ............................................................8 • Large Loads (PG&E Rule 30) – A.24-11-007:........................................................................... 10 • Demand Response – R.25-09-004: .......................................................................................... 12 • PG&E Energy Resource Recovery Account (ERRA) Compliance and Forecast: ......................... 13 o 2024 ERRA Compliance – A.25-02-013: ............................................................................... 14 o 2025 ERRA Compliance – A.26-02-019 ................................................................................ 14 o 2026 ERRA Forecast – A.25-05-011:.................................................................................... 15 o 2027 ERRA Forecast – A.26-05-007:.................................................................................... 15 • PG&E General Rate Case (GRC) Phase 1 – A.25-05-009: ......................................................... 16 • PG&E General Rate Case Phase 2 – A.24-09-014: ................................................................... 17 • Provider of Last Resort (POLR) – R.21-03-011: ...................................................................... 19 • CEC Load Management Standards (LMS) – CEC 21-OIR-03; 26-OIR-01; 23-LMS-01:............... 20 • Power Charge Indifference Adjustment (PCIA) – R.25-02-005: .............................................. 21 • Safety & Reliability OIR– R.24-05-023: ................................................................................... 24 • Disconnections – R.18-07-005: ............................................................................................... 25 • High-DER Future – R.21-06-017:............................................................................................. 27 • Distributed Energy Resources – R.22-11-013: ........................................................................ 29 • Distributed Energy Resource Interconnections (Rule 21) – R.25-08-004:............................... 30 [Publish Date] Agenda Date: 7/16/2026

Page 3 of 31 ends

• BioMAT Implementation – R.18-07-003; R.22-10-010; R.24-01-017:
a. Proceeding Overview
i. Assembly Bill (AB) 843, chaptered in 2021, enabled CCAs to access the CPUC’s Bioenergy Market Adjusting Tariff (BioMAT) program, which is a feed-in-tariff program for small-scale bioenergy projects. The implementation of AB 843 was considered in R.22-10-010, while the ongoing review and revision of the BioMAT program continues to be considered in the RPS proceedings, R.18-07-003 and R.24- 01-017.
b. Potential Impact on Pioneer
i. Pioneer is an administrator of the BioMAT program, which acts as a much-needed incentive for local bioenergy development. The regulatory implementation of the BioMAT program, specifically regarding extension of the December 31, 2025 sunset date and revisions to the pricing mechanism, affects Pioneer's ability to effectively administer the program.
c. Key Issues
i. Expeditiously implement AB 843 to allow CCA access to the BioMAT program for future subsidies for biomass procurement
ii. Advocate for ongoing CPUC review and revisions to the BioMAT program’s sunset date, to ensure CCAs will be able to continue effectively administering the program d. Status Update
i. The BioMAT program closed on the currently effective sunset date of December 31, 2025. The CPUC removed its proposed decision responding to Bioenergy Association of California’s (BAC’s) PfM requesting an extension of this sunset date from its January 15, 2026 voting meeting agenda, meaning the program has effectively ended without CPUC action.
ii. April 10, 2026 - The CPUC issued a new PD denying BAC’s PfM, requesting extension of the BioMAT program, which was originally filed in March 2025. The CPUC previously issued a PD in response to BAC’s PfM in September 2025, but the PD was ultimately withdrawn and never passed. The new PD does not address the substance of BAC’s PfM, nor address the comments that parties including the Joint CCAs filed in response, but instead primarily makes a procedural argument for why the PfM is denied.
iii. May 14, 2026 – The CPUC issued D. 26-05-008, denying BAC’s PfM requesting extension of the BioMAT program. The CPUC stated that based on procedural grounds, BAC’s PfM was not appropriately addressed within one year of the original decision, D.20-08-043, setting the BioMAT program sunset date. iv. May 26, 2026 – BAC filed an application for rehearing (AfR) of D. 26-05-008, stating that the CPUC’s procedural argument is legally erroneous. v. June 4, 2026 – Pioneer and Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA), namely the “Joint CCAs” had an ex parte with Commissioners Harada and Reynolds’ offices to request for the issue of BioMAT extension to be considered in the current RPS rulemaking. Pioneer discussed our recent success in executing six BioMAT PPAs, demonstrating stakeholders’ continued interest in the BioMAT program and the need for the CPUC to consider reviving/ extending it.
e. Background Documents/ Key Decisions
[Publish Date] Agenda Date: 7/16/2026

Page 4 of 31 ends

i. D.20-08-04, Revising the BioMAT Program (August 27, 2020):
https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M346/K112/346112503.PD F
• Most notably extending the program end date to December 31, 2025 ii. D.23-11-084, Implementing AB 843 – Setting Rules to Enable CCAs to Participate in the BioMAT Program (November 30, 2023):
https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M521/K266/521266723.PD F
iii. BAC PfM to Modify D.20-08-043 (March 6, 2025):
https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M558/K427/558427287.PDF • BAC urges the CPUC to consider extension of BioMAT sunset date iv. PD Denying BAC PfM to Modify D.20-08-043 (September 18, 2025):
https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M580/K430/580430313.PDF • Ultimately withdrawn from the CPUC Voting Meeting agenda, and never passed v. Opening Comments of Joint CCAs (Pioneer and RCEA) on PD Allowing the BioMAT Program to Sunset (October 8, 2025):
https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M582/K487/582487980.PDF vi. D. 26-05-008 Denying BAC PfM to Modify D. 20-08-043 (May 14, 2026):
https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M606/K808/606808546.PD F
vii. BAC Application for Rehearing of D. 26-05-008 (May 26, 2026):
https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M607/K644/607644121.PDF f. Key Dates
i. None.
g. Pioneer Lead: Chau Pham
• California Climate Credit – R. 25-07-013:
a. Proceeding Overview
i. This proceeding aims to improve the California Climate Credit (CCC) as a tool for supporting ratepayer affordability. Currently, these credits are distributed by the IOUs and are funded by revenues from the state’s Cap-and-Invest (formerly known as Cap-and-Trade) program. The credits are delivered twice a year to electric customers, typically in April and October, and once a year to gas customers, typically in April.
b. Potential Impact on Pioneer
i. Although Pioneer does not directly distribute the CCC, its residential and qualifying small business electricity customers still qualify for the CCC. Therefore, it is important to keep apprised of changes to the CCC, to ensure any changes are fair and beneficial for all ratepayers.
c. Key Issues
i. Ensure modifications to the CCC are competitively neutral, including eligibility criteria and customer messaging
ii. Ensure existing customers continue receiving the Climate Credit [Publish Date] Agenda Date: 7/16/2026

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d. Status Update
i. February 3, 2026 – A Scoping Memo and Ruling was issued that outlined a phased approach for this proceeding including, Phase 1A which contemplates immediate changes to the CCC, Phase 1B which addresses broader changes, and Phase 2 which will later address the California Air Resources Board (CARB)’s new regulations for the Cap-and-Invest program that funds the CCC.
ii. March 19, 2026 – D. 26-03-013 was adopted, ordering the large electric IOUs to pause distribution of the 2026 residential climate credit, so the Commission can consider when the credits should be distributed.
iii. April 30, 2026 – D. 26-04-036 was adopted, requiring the large electric utilities to distribute the residential electric climate credits in August and September starting in 2026, and the gas utilities to distribute the residential gas climate credits in February starting in 2027. The rationale for shifting the distribution timeline of the climate credits is to move it to the highest-bill months, typically occurring in summer, where the credits can have a greater impact on alleviating costs. e. Background Documents/ Key Decisions
i. Scoping Ruling (February 3, 2026):
https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M597/K166/597166396.PDF ii. Decision Pausing the 2026 Residential Climate Credits Distributed by the Large Electric Utilities (March 19, 2026):
https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M603/K306/603306591.PD F
iii. Decision Ordering Immediate Improvements to the CCC to Lower Electric and Gas Bills (May 1, 2026):
https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M605/K990/605990203.PD F
f. Key Dates
i. None.
g. Pioneer Lead: Chau Pham
• Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) – R.20-05-003; R.25-06-019:
a. Proceeding Overview
i. This proceeding acts as the venue for long-term procurement planning, primarily through procurement mandates and compliance evaluations of LSEs' individual IRP plans. Historically, the CPUC has issued procurement mandates, most notably the mid-term reliability (MTR) orders, specifying how much and what kind of resources LSEs are obligated to buy, to ensure the state's electricity supply is reliable, cost-effective, and on track to meet greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals. The CPUC is currently developing a 10-year forward procurement program to support longer-term market stability, grid reliability, and GHG reduction goals. b. Potential Impact on Pioneer
i. Pioneer is required to comply with IRP procurement and filing requirements. IRP plans are due in 2-year cycles; the current cycle is 2024-2026; the next IRP plan will be due on May 5, 2026. Furthermore, CPUC-issued procurement orders have a significant impact on the procurement market that Pioneer operates in. Therefore, it [Publish Date] Agenda Date: 7/16/2026

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is in Pioneer’s best interest to advocate for policies that ensure any CPUC-issued procurement orders preserve CCA procurement autonomy and flexibility to the highest degree possible, to ensure Pioneer can engage in fair, competitive, and cost-effective procurement. c. Key Issues
i. Minimize costly procurement orders coming from the IRP, especially near-term ad-hoc orders ii. Advocate for procurement planning policies that prioritize affordable baseload resources such as biomass energy
d. Status Update
i. June 23, 2026 – The CPUC issued a new Reliable and Clean Procurement Program (RCPPP) proposal, to be considered in addition to the previous two proposals that were issued in April 2025. Given the wide variety of comments received on the RCPPP proposals in 2025 which show parties have not been able to reach consensus on a RCPPP framework, the CPUC proposes a simpler RCPPP framework in this new ruling. This RCPPP proposal intends to keep the IRP/ RCPPP program distinct from the RA program, by continuing to use different capacity valuation methodologies for the respective programs. The primary purpose of this RCPPP proposal is to connect long-term transmission planning with procurement orders. Under the proposed framework, the adoption of transmission planning process (TPP) portfolios would form the procurement needs for 5 years out, with a requirement of 100% of an LSEs’ resource obligation being contracted in year 3 and 100% of the resources being online in year 5. LSEs’ procurement obligations would be based on their peak system load share, as indicated in the CEC Integrated Energy Policy Report (IEPR), with an additional 1% buffer on top to account for uncertainties and delays. The proposed program would begin in 2028 with the adoption of the TPP portfolio and procurement need for 2033, recurring in 2-year TPP cycles. In many ways, this proposal retains a similar structure to the previous mid-term reliability procurement orders that have come out of the IRP proceeding but with a more regular cadence/ timeline, whereas the previous two RCPPP proposals issued in 2025 contained more sweeping changes and reform to align the IRP, RA, and RPS program. Pioneer will work with CalCCA to provide comments on the new proposal. The CPUC has indicated the next step in the development of the RCPPP framework is a PD. e. Background Documents/ Key Decisions
i. ALJ Ruling Seeking Comments on Reliable and Clean Power Procurement Program (RCPPP) Staff Proposal (April 29, 2025):
https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M565/K140/565140721.PDF ii. ALJ Ruling Seeking Comments on Proposed 2026-2027 Transmission Planning Process (TPP) Portfolios and Need for Additional Near-Term Reliability Procurement (September 30, 2025):
https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M582/K082/582082526.PDF iii. R.25-06-019 Scoping Memo and Ruling (October 28, 2025):
https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M585/K485/585485746.PDF iv. Proposed Decision Requiring 2029-2032 Electric Resource Procurement and Transmitting 2026-2027 Transmission Planning Process (TPP) Portfolios (January 14, 2026):
https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M595/K083/595083681.PDF [Publish Date] Agenda Date: 7/16/2026

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Pioneer Community Energy Board of DirectorsJuly 23, 2026

Pioneer Community Energy Board of Directors
July 23, 2026