LCEA Supports the CAC Recommendations on the Customer Programs Strategic Roadmap

Our Community Choice Energy program, Ava Community Energy, has proposed to develop a Customer Programs Strategic Roadmap and has put out a Request for Proposals (RFP) to seek potential consultants who will support the development of an agency-wide strategic plan or framework to guide program design and deployment from 2027-2032 to ensure that Ava Community Energy delivers customer programs focused on decarbonization, affordability, and other community priorities.

Local Clean Energy Alliance (LCEA) is committed to centering community thought partnership and uplifting the goals of the foundational Local Development Business Plan (LDBP), which highlights Ava Community Energy’s ongoing commitment to develop local renewable energy resources with emphasis on healthier and sustainable communities, clean energy jobs and local workforce development, and smart investments in local energy projects that will result in more reliable and self-sufficient energy supplies for our communities.

LCEA asks that Ava Community Energy includes early community design and engagement for the Customer Programs Strategic Roadmap and requests that the selection for potential consultants is reviewed by a representative from Ava Community Energy’s Community Advisory Committee (CAC). The vision to decarbonize must not come at the expense of ratepayer affordability, equity, community leadership, public health, climate resilience, and local economic development for our communities to truly thrive. 

Recommendations from the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) 
At the CAC meeting on September 15th, CAC Board Members provided important community feedback for the Customer Programs Strategic Roadmap. LCEA strongly supports the following CAC recommendations: 

• Include a CAC representative to help assess, review, and select a consultant for the Customer Programs Strategic Roadmap process. 

•  Require that Ava Community Energy and the selected consultant integrate community input and host public workshops for the Customer Programs Strategic Roadmap throughout the entire process. 

•  Make sure that Ava Community Energy achieves the objectives outlined by the Local Development Business Plan (LDBP). 

• Ask that Ava Community Energy opens and expands their strategic roadmap process to also include an assessment of opportunities and risks in the regulatory, legislative, technology, market, community development, and local clean energy areas.