The State of California Initiates Audit of OCPA

Since taking office, Irvine City Councilmember Larry Agran has been the only member of the City Council to call out the scandal-ridden Orange County Power Authority (OCPA). After spending nearly a year blocking Agran’s repeated requests for an audit of OCPA, Agran’s Council colleagues relented on June 14th and voted to support the audit. (Councilmember Mike Carroll, who chairs the OCPA board, voted NO.)

Days later, the Orange County Grand Jury issued a scathing report outlining the incompetence, cronyism, and corruption at OCPA.

By August, two of the four OCPA member cities (Huntington Beach and Buena Park) passed a vote of “no confidence” in OCPA … and the Orange County Board of Supervisors initiated their own audit of the Power Authority.

Recently, the State of California Auditor’s Office approved an emergency audit request, just two weeks before all Irvine residents are scheduled to be transferred from their current provider of electricity — Southern California Edison (SCE) — and enrolled in the more expensive OCPA plan.

We also know that the FBI is currently investigating the OCPA.

Since its inception, OCPA has been mired in controversy. Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan, her appointed Vice Mayor Anthony Kuo and Councilman Mike Carroll established the OCPA using millions of Irvine taxpayer dollars, falsely telling Irvine residents and businesses that they would be receiving greener energy at a lower monthly rate than what is provided by SCE.

In April, all Irvine-based businesses were automatically transferred from SCE and enrolled in OCPA, at a significantly higher monthly rate. In fact, the City of Irvine’s own electricity bill — typically about $500,000 per month — has increased by nearly $100,000 per month under the new OCPA plan. All of this, of course, is at Irvine taxpayer expense.

In October, all Irvine residents will be enrolled in the more expensive OCPA plan. On average, residents will be paying $35.95 more per month with OCPA than they would if they signed up for the 100% renewable plan under SCE.
 

SCE vs. OCPA rate comparison sheet posted on SCE website (August 2022)

Khan and Carroll are paid to sit on the six-member OCPA board. The two voted to hire one of their political buddies to run the agency — at an annual salary of $239,000 — and to oversee multi-million dollar energy purchasing contracts … even though he has zero experience in the electricity field.

Residents who wish to opt-out of OCPA before the October automatic enrollment date can do so by following the instructions listed below.

To opt-out of OCPA by phone, follow these steps:

1. Have your SCE bill with you. (You will need your SCE account number.)
2. Call (866) 262-7693 and select “4” to opt-out.
3. Select “2” to continue opting-out.
4. Enter your 12-digit SCE customer number followed by the pound sign (#).
5. Enter your zip code followed by the pound sign (#).
6. Hang up after receiving confirmation you have opted-out.