Speak Out Against Nuclear Energy in East Bay Community Energy, Again!

(10/2020) Update: Change in EBCE Oct. 21 Board of Directors Agenda

EBCE Staff has modified the Brilliant 100 agenda item to be considered for the October 21 Board meeting. The item will now be limited to continuing Brilliant 100 until January 31, 2021 at a rate parity with PG&E. Whether EBCE is going to accept nuclear energy from PG&E in order to reduce the cost of that product for certain cities will not be discussed that evening. Please save Wednesday, November 18, 2020 to speak out against EBCE accepting nuclear energy! Of course you are still welcome to make Public Comments at any EBCE Board meeting. 

As reported in the September, 2020 LCEA Newsletter, the East Bay Community Energy (EBCE) staff has again proposed procuring nuclear energy from PG&E in order to continue the Brilliant 100 product. That product, which is currently carbon-free renewable and large hydro energy and at rate parity with PG&E, no longer brings in enough revenue to pay for the energy.

The staff has decided to bring this issue to the EBCE Board of Directors in two parts. They will first ask the Board if they want to continue the Brilliant 100 product at the October 21 meeting, and raise the issue of including nuclear on the November 18, Board meeting. East Bay Clean Power Alliance sees this splitting of the issue as a kind of Trojan Horse strategy; first get the Board to agree that they want the carbon free product at PG&E rate parity, then point out that the only way to pay for it without raising rates is by taking PG&E’s cheap nuclear energy.
 
We need our community to turn out at both of these EBCE Board meetings to oppose taking PG&E’s dirty nuclear energy. Though the Alliance has produced many valid arguments as to why EBCE should not include nuclear energy in its power mix, it was undoubtedly the 64 community members who waited 5 hours to speak at the April Board meeting that finally convinced the Board to reject nuclear by a 10-5 vote.
 
At the October 21, Board meeting it will be important for public speakers to point out that a decision to continue Brilliant 100 without figuring out how to pay for it is a sneaky way of opening the door to accepting nuclear in November. Also, speakers could point out that there are other ways to pay for a nuclear-free Brilliant 100, such as subsidizing the costs of the carbon-free product using a small portion of the $12.7 million Rate Stabilization Fund the Board established in September.
 
The November 18 Board meeting will require an all hands-on deck effort to tell the Board (once again) that nuclear energy has no place in EBCE’s power mix. The LCEA November Newsletter will contain more information on how to join the meeting and sign up to speak, as well as links to talking points.
 
October 21 EBCE Board Meeting Information:
Meeting begins at 5:00 pm
To join meeting by telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): 
 
+1 669 900 6833
+1 346 248 7799
+1 253 215 8782
+1 929 205 6099
+1 301 715 8592
+1 312 626 6799
888 475 4499 (Toll Free)
877 853 5257 (Toll Free)