NCPA
651 Commerce Drive
Roseville, CA 95678-6411
Phone: 916.781.3636
Fax: 916.783.7693
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Current Issues 
Issues currently facing NCPA members arise from the complex political and economic world of electric power and water, a world of tough market pressures and constant legislative and regulatory challenges. For small and mid-sized public utilities such as NCPA member utilities, the issues themselves will vary over time, but they arise from a common source, they emerge from one deeper, underlying, and essential issue---ensuring that the utilities are free to continue to set policy that is aligned with the core values of NCPA members' customer-owners.
Aligning with these core values has proved to be a sure way of creating policy that is in the best interest of both NCPA member customer-owners and of all Californians, of creating policy that is both responsible and forward looking. And it has put NCPA member utilities out on the cutting edge of environmental issues. Like public power nationally, NCPA has long been committed to its identity as an Environmental Steward within the energy industry. (see Environmental Stewardship)(hypertext) The recent unprecedented agreement between the Governor and the legislature, making California the first state to enact tough greenhouse gas standards, is welcomed by NCPA members as an indication that the rest of the state is finally turning its attention to issues which have always been of the highest priority for NCPA .
In addressing the pressing energy issues of our time, NCPA works hand in hand with the California Municipal Utilities Association (CMUA), the Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA), and the American Association of Public Power(APPA). Asserting transparent business practices, local and public accountability and control, and publicly crafting proactive policy that addresses local, state, and national issues has been NCPA's trademark.
Summaries of Current NCPA Issues--click on the titles of any of the issues below for 1) a more detailed overview of the issue, 2) issue maps, 3) latest developments, 4) pending legislation, and 5) names of policy experts on the NCPA team.
CO2/Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Global Climate Change
NCPA participates in state and national initiatives to help reduce CO2/greenhouse gas emissions through advocating best practices, promoting research and development, and developing joint action projects to provide the benefits of scale to our smaller utility members. The global consequences of environmental impacts constitute a challenge for utilities in the energy business. Publicly owned utilities, like NCPA's members, have asserted responsible energy production for decades - and have made it happen. The tension between meeting demand for adequate electricity (resource adequacy) and actively engaging in reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is not new for NCPA leadership, and our experience has provided important policy direction for California as a whole.
Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency includes policy and programs that promote efficiencies in the production and use of electricity--beginning at the generation sites and continuing all the way through to our members' local businesses and homes. NCPA actively works with leaders from the regulatory and legislative branches to assure optimal autonomy for NCPA members, enabling them to design policy which makes every kilowatt count.
Renewable Energy
NCPA has, since its creation, recognized the importance of renewable energy sources--they are a perfect fit for its core values of environmental responsibility and energy security. Currently, NCPA's resource base is 64% renewable, and, when large hydro facilities are included, (they were excluded under AB 1890s definition because of environmental impacts of large dams) NCPA's percentage comes up to 96%. NCPA has fought hard to assure that its members continue to retain the right to design and implement their own Renewable Portfolio Standards.
Solar
Renewable energy has been a priority for NCPA for decades, yet solar is not the end-all and be-all of the optimal energy portfolio. To mandate a one-size-fits all solution, when that solution has its own inherent design and materials flaws is a policy rejected by NCPA and its members. Individual members of NCPA craft their portfolio by policy determined at the local level to optimize unique climate conditions and local needs.
Public Benefit Programs
Under AB1890 (1995), utilities set aside approximately 3% of their gross revenues for programs that fall into categories that were expected to be jeopardized in what was thought would be a competitive electricity market. Consequently, NCPA members use these funds for 1) low income customers, 2) research and development, 3) renewables, and 4) energy efficiency. Historically, NCPA members in general have used the majority of these funds for environmental efficiency programs, programs that are just now gaining attention of the legislature as an essential plank of a comprehensive state energy policy.
Central Valley Project
NCPA promotes fair costs for water and power customers of California's Central Valley Project, while asserting generous environmental remediation and restoration efforts.
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REQUEST for PROPOSALS
For the Sale of
RENEWABLE ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY
to NCPA
The Northern California Power Agency (NCPA) is accepting proposals for up to 58MW of Eligible Renewable Resources, Landfill Gas supplies, and other renewable energy sources to meet the expected long-term electric power needs of its Members.
This RFP is limited to those parties who currently have rights in, own, or propose to develop, an Eligible Renewable Resource electric generating facility(ies), own and operate landfill facilities, or have rights to other renewable energy sources.
Below are the RFP and associated documents:
RFP 2010 NGPP - 2010-02-18 53.71 Kb
Attachment 1a - Electric Gen Summary 22.09 Kb
Attachment 1b - Electric Gen Data 45.00 Kb
Attachment 2a - Landfill Gas Summary 20.86 Kb
Attachment 2b - Landfill Gas Data 35.50 Kb
Attachment 3a - Other Renewable Energy Fuel Summary 20.75 Kb
Attachment 3b - Other Renewable Energy Fuel Data 36.00 Kb
Attachment 4a - Waiver and Acknowledgement 12.44 Kb
Attachment 4b - Waiver and Acknowledgement 12.39 Kb
Attachment 6 - NCPA Map 34.49 Kb
 All NCPA 2010 Green RFP Associated Documents 138.22 Kb
Proposal Submittal Deadline:
All proposals submitted in response to this RFP are due to NCPA no later than:
March 26, 2010, 5:00pm Pacific Prevailing Time (PPT)
Dana Griffith
Power Coordination & Planning Engineer
Northern California Power Agency
651 Commerce Dr.
Roseville, Ca 95678
Phone: (916) 781-4219
Fax: (916) 783-7693
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
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NCPA supports federal, regional, and statewide efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat global climate change.
In California, NCPA has taken affirmative steps to work with state agencies responsible for the implementation of California Assembly Bill 32, landmark legislation calling for California to return to 1990 greenhouse gas emission levels by 2020. NCPA is actively involved in proceedings at the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the agency responsible for implementing the program in California, as well as the California Public Utilities Commission and the California Energy Commission, the agencies providing key guidance to CARB as it relates to the electricity sector.
Outside the state, NCPA is engaged in ongoing regional efforts with the Western Climate Initiative as well as playing key roles in the ongoing federal debate in Washington, DC. Key NCPA filings in a variety of regulatory proceedings can be found on the right side of this page.
NCPA and its members have a long history of environmental stewardship and have expended considerable resources to develop significant amounts of renewable electric generation resources, investments that are consistent with the fundamental objectives of climate change policy.
Key California Agencies Addressing Climate Change
Testimony Submitted by NCPA Related to Climate Change
Key Congressional Committees Addressing Climate Change
Miscellaneous Links Related to Climate Change
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The NCPA and its member agencies’ long-standing commitment to energy efficiency is an extension of fundamental principles dedicated to social and environmental responsibility, ensuring reliability, and keeping rates low for the communities we serve. Energy Efficiency is of the utmost importance to municipal utilities. Energy efficiency is a critical element of the resource planning process, generation, transmission, distribution, and demand. NCPA and municipal utilities’ commitment to energy efficiency is guided by four important concepts:
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We place a high priority on energy efficiency, renewable investment, low income programs, and economic development. Local elected officials govern and regulate public power to ensure our direct accountability on these important issues.
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Operational Energy Efficiency. Public power has important energy efficiency programs that optimize generation and transmission resources, and ensure more optimal operation of the grid.
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Demand-side Energy Efficiency. This is our major focus. It includes, but is not limited to: appliances, air-conditioners, building codes and standards, education, electricity management, and weatherization, all coordinated with customer-specific programs.
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Cost-effective Energy Efficiency. Cost-effective EE lowers the cost of providing electricity to our communities. Our customers are our shareholders and benefits related to energy efficiency are realized by all of our customer-owners.
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Read more...
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Market Redesign Technology Upgrade (MRTU) |
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Key Letters Related to MRTU
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Power Marketing Administration Agency Rate Proposal |
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Once again, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has proposed changing the interest rate charged by the federal power marketing administrations on all new investments in federal projects where interest rates are not set by law. The President’s Fiscal Year 2008 budget calls for these three Power Marketing Administrations (PMAs) to arbitrarily set their interest rates at the level that “government corporations” pay to borrow funds from the federal government.
This change would impose a higher interest rate to be charged on all new investments in federal hydroelectric facilities, at a level that is charged government corporations. That rate, which reflects the interest cost for the federal government to provide loans to government corporations, is known as the Agency Rate. Yet, the federal power marketing administrations are neither government corporations, nor do they borrow funds from the U.S. Treasury. Of primary concern is that this proposal usurps authority that has traditionally been under the purview of Congress. Moreover, this approach is certain to lead to volatility in the cost of federal power – and this volatility can lead to significant and arbitrary cost increases for electricity ratepayers.
NCPA is collaborating very closely with the American Public Power Association and other stakeholders to reject this unsound proposal, and ensure that such policy decisions remain under the proper jurisdiction of Congress. The U.S. Senate has approved language in its FY08 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill to bar the administration from implementing this proposal.
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NCPA has long been supportive of a 33% statewide Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) target for all state utilities, provided that the authority over, and oversight of, the RPS program remains—as is now the practice—with the local governing boards and elected officials who are directly accountable to their residents and community.
NCPA has been gratified that the State Legislature has recognized the value of this local decision-making authority time and time again. We remain dedicated to working closely with policymakers to strongly support statewide objectives through our work at the local level – and our record demonstrates this commitment. This local-state partnership has led to the inclusion of public power in statutory language in a manner that ensures achievement of statewide objectives while allowing for innovation and results through locally driven solutions. This approach has served to benefit both California consumers and the environment.
All NCPA member communities, consistent with Senate Bill 1078 (Sher), have formally adopted Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) that are tailored to their individual communities, and are in most instances are already exceeding the state average RPS numbers. Collectively, NCPA members are already above the 20% RPS threshold, and many individual NCPA member utilities already have California-eligible RPS levels that exceed a 33% threshold.
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National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency |
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NCPA, along with Palo Alto, Santa Clara, and the city of Gridley are proud supporters of the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency. The Action Plan was released July 31, 2006 at the Summer National Association of Regulated Utility Commissioners (NARUC) held in San Francisco.
The Action Plan’s recommendations call for electric and gas utilities to do the following:
- Recognize energy efficiency as a high-priority energy resource,
- Make a strong, long-term commitment to the implementation of cost-effective energy efficiency as a resource,
- Broadly communicate the benefits of, and opportunities for, energy efficiency,
- Promote sufficient, timely, and stable program funding to deliver energy efficiency where cost-effective, Modify policies to align utility incentives with the delivery of cost-effective energy efficiency, and modify ratemaking practices to promote energy efficiency investments.
At the same time, California and its energy leaders, including NCPA and its members, have pledged support for the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency via a Memorandum of Understanding (California MOU), signed concurrently with the national plan. The California MOU includes the following commitments:
- Providing resources to promote recommendations from the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency at speaking engagements and other educational opportunities, including participation in “buddy system” outreach efforts in which the signatories engage fellow political leaders, regulators, utilities and other stakeholders to inform them about the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency's best practice findings and recommendations.
- As appropriate for each signatory, model California’s best practices and policies identified in the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency, including:
- designation of energy efficiency as a high priority resource option;
- adoption of targets for energy efficiency; pursuit of energy efficiency resources under a long-term resource planning and procurement framework;
- institution of a regulatory framework that encourages utility investment in energy efficiency; and
- sharing California's successes with others interested in energy efficiency and learning from others' successes in the planning and delivery of cost-effective energy efficiency programs.
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Energy Efficiency Reports |
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During the 2005-06 California legislative session, two significant pieces of legislation were adopted which have an impact on public power.
- Senate Bill 1037 (Kehoe), requires all publicly-owned utilities to report to the California Energy Commission and its local governing boards about curent and projected energy efficiency programs, including expenditures and savings.
- Assembly Bill 2021 (Levine) - reaffirms SB1037 mandates but also requires publicly-owned utilities to develop energy efficiency targets on a triennial basis provide an independent assessment of measured savings.
The public power community responded to these Bills with major efforts to develop coordinated and comprehensive reports among the nearly 40 public power utilities providing electricity to customers in California. The first report under SB1037 was submitted by the California Municipal Utilities Association, in close collaboration with NCPA and the Southern California Public Power Authority on December 15, 2006. The 2009 edition was filed with the Califorina Energy Commission on March 16, 2009. The next version of this report is due on March 15, 2010.
The first report establishing energy efficiency targets, pursuant to AB2021, was provided to the California Energy Commission on October 15, 2007. The next edition will be submitted in 2010.
Each document is available on the top right portion of the adjacent bar.
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Energy Efficiency M&V Reports |
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Bureau of Reclamation Security Costs |
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In a post 9/11 environment, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has greatly increased the security surrounding the federal facilities it oversees. A portion of these costs are the responsibility of the water and power agencies, and systems that rely on the federal power generated by these facilities. NCPA is currently working closely with public power systems across the country, and with the water community in California, to advance proposals that assure full funding of these facilities, while providing cost certainty and predictability for all parties involved.
Legislation to stabilize the payments made by power and water customers for security cost at federal hydroelectric facilities at the same, 15% rate applied to all other Safety of Dams costs, has now been introduced in both bodies of the U.S, Congress. In the House of Representatives, California Congresswoman Grace Napolitano (D- Norwalk) has introduced H.R. 1662, and NCPA submitted testimony at a hearing on the bill. HR 1662 has been passed out of the House Resources Water and Power Subcommittee, and is pending consideration by the full House Resources Committee. In the U.S. Senate, Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) has introduced S. 1258, and NCPA has submitted testimony at a Senate hearing on the bill.
These bills represent a durable solution that will spare Congress the need to annually address the allocation of these costs. Moreover, they assure the Bureau of Reclamation a steady and consistent supply of funding to protect the vitally important federal facilities under their purview.
The amount of exposure to security costs has been unclear, and each year the amount has changed and the issue has had to be decided by Congressional action. We are willing to support these costs, but we seek a standard method of allocating the costs on a stabilized basis. HR 1662 and S 1258 would set power and water costs at 15 percent of all security cost, the same limit that is currently applied to all other Safety of Dams expenses. The bills also allow Congress to exercise vigorous oversight of the site security program to keep the escalation of future costs within reasonable bounds.
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Current Issues