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Author: Franklin J. Lunding

Isn’t it Time for Irvine to Pull the Plug on OCPA?

For years, climate scientists have urged us to transition to greener, cleaner energy because it’s the right thing to do to protect the environment. And, clean energy has the added benefit of being cheaper. Sounds like a win-win, right?

So, why are Irvine ratepayers being forced to pay higher rates for cleaner electricity? That’s the question that Councilmember Larry Agran has been asking since he rejoined the Council in December 2020.

According to the Southern California Edison (SCE) website, Irvine residential customers are being charged, on average, $30.52 more every month by the Orange County Power Authority (OCPA) for the same 100% renewable electricity that SCE provides. That means that, on average, Irvine families are now paying $366.24 more in electricity costs each year … and getting absolutely nothing for it.

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Publisher’s Perspective: How Much More Irvine Taxpayer & Ratepayer Money Will Be Wasted on OCPA?

It has now been a year since the Orange County Power Authority (OCPA) launched. In April 2022, all Irvine-based businesses were automatically transferred from their previous electricity provider — Southern California Edison (SCE) — and enrolled in the OCPA electricity plan at a significantly higher rate. Six months later, in October 2022, Irvine residents were enrolled in OCPA, also at a higher monthly rate.

Since being enrolled in the new OCPA plan last April, the City of Irvine has been paying $90,000 per month more for the same 100% renewable electricity that SCE provides its business customers. That’s more than a million Irvine taxpayer dollars that have been wasted in just 12 months.

Irvine residential customers are also paying more. On average, residents are being charged $30.52 more every month by OCPA for the same 100% renewable electricity that SCE offers. That means, on average, Irvine families are now paying $366.24 more in electricity costs each year
 

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The Irvine City Council Approves Councilman Agran’s Plan for the Veterans Memorial Park

After years of persisting in his efforts to implement the will of the voters … and to make good on the promise Irvine made to veterans and their families more than a decade ago, Councilman Larry Agran finally won Council approval for construction of the long-promised Veterans Memorial Park.

However, Agran’s win didn’t come easy. In fact, Councilmember Tammy Kim refused to support the construction plan until the words “Veterans Memorial Park” were removed.

Kim spent several minutes complaining about Agran’s proposal being called a Veterans Memorial Park. She insisted that all of the elements in Agran’s plan — the control tower, planes, and military artifact displays; the Walk of Honor; the Great Memorial Meadow; and every other amenity honoring the former air station — should be referred to instead as a “botanical garden.”

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Irvine Continues to Put the City’s Taxpayers & Electricity Ratepayers at Financial Risk

Three years ago, the Orange County Power Authority (OCPA) was established with the promise that Irvine electricity ratepayers would receive greener energy at lower rates, and that the agency would provide the public with full transparency.

Since that time, the OCPA Board — none of whom have any experience in the electricity field — hired one of their political cronies to run the agency as its CEO, even though he too has no experience in the electricity field.

Last year, the Orange County Grand Jury found that OCPA is rife with cronyism, incompetence, and a lack of transparency.

Through its own audit, the County of Orange found the same problems, resulting in its decision to pull out of OCPA. Why won’t Irvine protect the City’s taxpayers and ratepayers?

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Extra $$$ Paid to OCPA by Irvine Households Since October 2022

Extra $$$ Paid to OCPA for Electricity by the City (Irvine Taxpayers) Since April 2022

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