RiversideCA.gov
1 RiversideCA.gov
PUBLIC BENEFITS &
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP
Meeting #4 – December 18, 2025
RiversideCA.gov
2 Welcome & Introductions
1. Recap of Prior Meetings
2. Themes for today
•Review of Input
•Projects and Options
RiversideCA.gov
3 OBJECTIVE OF THE GROUP
Summer-Fall 2025
Working Group
Establishing
overall program
goals
Providing input
to help guide
detail analysis
and future
program
development
Fall 2025-Summer 2026
Consulting
Services
Detail program
analysis
Community
Survey
Summer 2026
A Way Forward
Conclude the
Analysis
Community &
Stakeholder
Meetings
Final Plan &
Strategy
Answer the question of what programs and activities does the community recommend RPU support with Public Benefit Funds and how RPU should spend down the accumulated $34 million in Public Benefit Funds RiversideCA.gov
4 The Community Working Group is intended to provide
ideas, comments, express questions, and provide
community frameworks around how RPU’s Public
Benefits Funds should be spent.
Final decisions on the expenditures, programs,
structures, and budgets will be established by the RPU
Board and City Council.
COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP = ADVISORY
RiversideCA.gov
5 Goals
1. Provide cost-beneficial energy
efficiency services to customers
2. Offer customers meaningful
information on the costs and benefits
of energy efficiency measures
3. Reduce market barriers to investments
in energy efficient products and
services
4. Create a sustainable and competitive
energy efficiency services market
PUBLIC BENEFIT FUND SOURCE OF AUTHORITY
Public Benefits funds were established in 1996 by Assembly Bill 1890 (AB 1890) Created a Non-bypassable Customer
Charge to provide for customer programs
1. Minimum charge of 2.85%
2. Residential and commercial customers
3. Average residential customer pays ~
$3.00 per month
4. Average commercial customer pays ~
$10.00 per month
5. RPU collects approximately $10 million
annually
RiversideCA.gov
6 Limited Use of the Funding
1. Cost effective demand side management to promote
energy efficiency and energy conservation
2. New investment in renewable energy resources and
technologies
3. Research, development, and demonstration programs
for the public interest to advance science or technology which is not adequately provided by competitive and
regulated markets
4. Services provided for low-income electricity customers, including, but not limited to, energy efficiency services, education, weatherization, and rate discounts
PUBLIC BENEFIT FUND ALLOWED SPENDING CATEGORIES
RiversideCA.gov
7 Questions and responses and topics raised during the
prior meetings by the Working Group members
MAIN THEMES FROM MEETINGS OF WG
Non-Energy
Impacts (NEIs)
Benefits of
Energy
Efficiency
in comfort
and safety
How do customers
use electricity
Largest
energy
usage and
behavioral
changes
Desire to focus on
solar project
Focus on
solar and
investment
within the
City
Focus on customer
benefit
Keep
benefits to
customers
the main
focus
RiversideCA.gov
8 • Messaging should focus on comfort not just energy savings • Low-income customer programs are important, overview
• EE programs may focus on where energy is used most & be stackable • Benefits need to focus on customers – ensuring all RPU customers benefit
• RPU should seek energy independence
• Refund to customers interest earned on Public Benefits Fund • Focus on local renewable generation for the big project – Solar over Gage Canal / Community Solar
– Solar rooftops and canopies at City facilities (including replacing solar that is no longer working)
– Solar on warehouses/homes/parking/etc.
– What does RPU pay for solar contracts?
CONCEPTS DISCUSSED AT MEETINGS #1 & #2
RiversideCA.gov
9 MEETING 3 STAFF PROPOSALS
$34
Million
$5 million
Energy Storage Rebate Program: Technology agnostic – will be presented to the Board and Council for consideration in early 2026
$5 million
Resiliency Centers: Solar, batteries and deep energy efficiency at community centers that serve as community resiliency centers $5 million
Resiliency at Utility Operation Center and City Emergency Operation Center: Solar and Batteries with microgrid for operation during a power outage (up to 4 hours)
$19 million
Springs Battery Energy Storage Project: Replace Springs Power Plant generation
RiversideCA.gov
10 • Projects on RPU facilities (utility battery and solar at UOC) seem like things that RPU should do anyways
• Each action needs a timeline
• Add additional facilities to the “Resiliency Centers” and rename them for what they are – e.g. Community Centers that serve as Cooling and Emergency Service Locations
• Add a program for full rebate of residential solar and batteries for residents in high fire area and those along the RTRP route, like the program offered by PG&E
CONCEPTS DISCUSSED AT MEETINGS #3
RiversideCA.gov
11 PROPOSAL MODIFICATIONS
$34
Million
$5 million
Energy Storage Rebate Program: Technology agnostic $500/kW of capacity – will be presented to the Board and Council for consideration in early 2026 (Annual review / 5-year program)
$10 million (Increased from $5 million / could be increased more) Community/Emergency Centers: Solar, batteries and deep
energy efficiency at community centers that serve as community resiliency/emergency centers (Annual review / 6-year program) $5 million (Reproposed with modifications)
Resiliency at Utility Operation Center and City Emergency Operation Center: Solar and Batteries with microgrid for operation during a power outage (up to 4 hours); solar to community when not in an emergency (Annual review / 3-year program)
$14 million – Next Slide
RiversideCA.gov
12 • Residential Solar and Batteries Rebate (100%): Rebate for solar and batteries for all residential customers in high fire risk areas or along the RTRP route.
– Direct benefit to ~835 residential customer receiving solar/battery (assumes $16,667 RPU costs w/ $8,333 tax credit)
– Minimal benefit to other customers from residual, min-value daytime electricity – Requires the development of a new electric rate or modification of the Self-Generation Rate
– Review annually with a 5 to 6-year program term after new electric rate adopted • Questions for the Working Group
– Should the program provide this benefit in the fire risk areas even if there is no direct tie to safety power shutoffs?
– Should there be a cap on the size of the systems eligible for homes exceeding 5,000 square feet?
– Should the program have income qualifications like the program at PG&E for areas outside of fire risk areas?
REMAINING $14 MILLION : PROJECT 1 OPTION
RiversideCA.gov
13 • Energy Storage Project: Capture low-cost solar energy during the day to reduce peak energy costs in the evening, provide resiliency, avoiding costs passing to rate-payers
– Benefits all customers through avoided cost of project helping to keep rates low for everyone
– Review with project updates with a set 6-year program term • Questions from last meeting:
– Should RPU do this anyways? Staff: Yes. It is planned. This use of funds would allow $14 million of the project costs to not be incorporated into future rates
– Will this cover all of the project costs? Staff: No. This will only cover a portion of the costs.
REMAINING $14 MILLION : PROJECT 2 OPTION
RiversideCA.gov
14 Helps customers have power during planned and unplanned power outages – rebate for batteries or solar with batteries • All recipients must participate in a demand response program allowing the utility to adjust electricity consumption during high demand periods
• All recipients required to be on a specified rate
• Income-qualified customers – up to 100% of costs combined with federal tax credits
• General market customers – up to 15% of a battery energy storage system
PG&E SELF-GENERATION INCENTIVE PROGRAM
RiversideCA.gov
15 Equity Resiliency Rebate for Residential Customers
• 80-100% of the cost of a battery storage system
• Customers must meet one of the following two qualifications:
– Qualification 1
• Live in a Tier 2 or Tier 3 High Fire Threat District (HFTD) – subject to Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) -OR-
• Have experienced 2 or more PSPS events -OR-
• Have experienced 5 or more Enhanced Powerline Safety Setting outages since 2023 -AND-
Be on a medical baseline program, meet income eligibility standards, or rely on an electric well pump for water
– OR Qualification 2
• Have incentives reserved in the income-qualified solar program -OR- • Be enrolled in the Energy Savings Assistance program (ESAP)
PG&E SELF-GENERATION INCENTIVE PROGRAM
RiversideCA.gov
16 Equity Resiliency Rebate for Residential Customers
• 80-100% of the cost of a battery storage system
• Customers must meet one of the following two qualifications:
– Qualification 1
• Live in a Tier 2 or Tier 3 High Fire Threat District (HFTD) – subject to Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) -OR-
• Have experienced 2 or more PSPS events -OR-
• Have experienced 5 or more Enhanced Powerline Safety Setting outages since 2023 -AND-
Be on a medical baseline program, meet income eligibility standards, or rely on an electric well pump for water
– OR Qualification 2
• Have incentives reserved in the income-qualified solar program -OR- • Be enrolled in the Energy Savings Assistance program (ESAP)
PG&E SELF-GENERATION INCENTIVE PROGRAM