Clean Power Alliance Budget Emphasizes Reliability, Resiliency and Stable Energy Costs for Southern California Customers

Clean Power Alliance (CPA), the nation’s leading green power provider, and California’s largest community choice energy aggregator, has adopted its budgets for fiscal years 2026-27 and 2027-28 following approval by its board of directors on June 4, 2026. The next two fiscal year budgets reinforce CPA’s commitment to providing clean and reliable and energy while advancing programs that empower customers, support economic opportunity, enhance energy resilience and support stable energy costs for the 38 communities it serves across Southern California. 

“As a public, not-for-profit electricity provider, everything we do at Clean Power Alliance is centered on creating value for the communities we serve — from maintaining competitive rates to expanding access to cleaner energy choices,” said CPA board director and Finance Committee Chair Susan Santangelo. “Our financial strength ensures we can continue delivering meaningful customer benefits today while building a more resilient energy future for the long term.”

The budget reflects CPA’s strong fiscal position and outlines targeted investments in key priority areas: Clean energy portfolio delivery and competitiveness, customer benefits and impact, organizational effectiveness and industry leadership.   

Reflecting its growth and the increasing predictability of its multi-year planning, CPA is transitioning to a two-year budget cycle to strengthen organizational efficiency and optimize resources.

CPA’s FY 2026-27 and FY 2027-28 budgets allocate a projected $1.07 billion, and $1.06 billion — 93% and 92% of total expenditures — respectively to the cost of procuring energy to serve its customers while advancing grid reliability and supporting California’s goal of achieving 100% clean energy through the deployment of new solar, wind, geothermal and battery storage projects. Operating expenses account for the remaining 7-8%, totaling $86 million in FY 2026-27 and 8% totaling $98.2 million in FY 2027-28. 

Additional highlights of the budgets include: 

Energy Cost Reduction

$137 million reduction in energy costs, which supports rate stability and competitiveness, reflecting: 

• More than 460 megawatts of long-term renewable energy and storage contracts expected to come online in FY 2026-27

• A decrease in market prices for renewable energy and day-ahead energy

• Continued savings on renewable energy purchasing costs from CPA’s innovative pre-pay bond financing program

Fiscal Health 

CPA projects maintaining healthy reserves that are consistent with CPA’s reserve policy.  CPA’s financial metrics continue to compare favorably with those of peer community choice aggregators and align with its A credit rating, reflecting prudent fiscal management and long-term stability. The strategic use of fiscal stabilization funds this coming year will protect customer rates from disruptive fluctuations in the energy market.

Investing in Communities and People

Customer Programs – Supporting Residents and Businesses 
CPA will invest approximately $14.7 million in customer programs in FY 2026-27 and $17.4 million in FY 2027-28 — an increase of $3 million over two years — to expand equitable access to clean energy, deliver customer cost savings, lower energy procurement costs and support local resilience and sustainability efforts. Investments include: 

$9.6 million over two years to support vulnerable customers: 

• Power Share program – provides eligible customers with locally generated 100% renewable energy at a 20% bill discount, supporting more than 10,000 low-income households, with customers saving an average of $160 per year on electricity costs 
   
• Solar and Battery Access program - makes sustainable, renewable energy accessible by helping qualified homeowners receive solar and battery storage installations with no out-of-pocket expenses  
   
• Instant AC Savings program – provides $300 coupons to eligible customers to purchase new energy-efficient room air conditioners to address the health impacts of summer heat

$2.1 million over two years to support multifamily properties:

• Apartment building cooling assistance program - will assist small apartment property owners to install high-efficiency cooling equipment 
   
• Partnership programs with regional energy networks - to increase incentives available for comprehensive upgrades and electrification of cooling systems
   
• Multifamily EV charging program - will provide technical assistance and incentives to install low-powered EV charging outlets and level 2 chargers​

$14.3 million over two years to support the partner communities that CPA serves: 

• Energized Communities program – provides funding to local communities to achieve sustainability and decarbonization goals through building and transportation electrification projects 
   
• Power Ready program – provides clean energy backup power systems to public buildings serving critical community functions  

$9.9 million over two years to fund programs that support cost savings for residential and business customers: 

• Sun Storage Rebate program – provides increased incentives for customers to add solar batteries to their home solar system including an added incentive for customers in wildfire high risk areas 
   
• EV SmartCharge program – optimizes electric vehicle charging during off peak times when electricity is most cost-effective, and is expected to save customers an average of $100 per year on electricity costs
   
• Power Response program – demand response program that provides residents and businesses incentives to conserve energy during times when energy demand is unseasonably high  
   
• Energy Team service – provides complimentary expert help to residential and small business customers with energy efficiency, electrification upgrades and wildfire hardening guidance, encouraging informed decision-making for energy improvements 
   
• New program offering(s) to expand services to our commercial customers; anticipated to be developed and launched in FY 2027-28

Workforce Development

$2.4 million over two years to support workforce development:

CPA is deepening its investment in workforce development to support training programs that prepare local talent for high-demand jobs in energy efficiency, clean transportation and grid modernization.  These programs are funded by voluntary workforce development contributions from developers of CPA’s clean energy projects. 

Through partnerships with regional workforce training organizations Flintridge Center, WINTER (Women in Non-Traditional Employment Roles) and the Workforce Development Board of Ventura County, CPA is supporting students completing the pre-apprenticeship Multi-Craft Core Curriculum (MC3), which prepares individuals for careers in union construction trades and creates pathways into high-quality, family-supporting green jobs. 

CPA is partnering with the U.S. Green Building Council California to provide the council’s Wildfire Defense Certificate for Construction Professionals training to contractors in the wildfire-affected areas of Altadena, South Pasadena and Malibu. CPA’s Voyager Scholarship will also fund scholarships at 11 community colleges in Los Angeles and Ventura counties to support students pursuing clean energy careers. 

Organizational Development, Community Engagement and Education

• $12.5 million budgeted over two years for community engagement, education and marketing to build customer awareness of programs and benefits available to them
   
• $9.3M over two years to enhance organizational effectiveness through strategic technology investments, including infrastructure and software upgrades that increase efficiency and strengthen operations

“This budget reflects our commitment to building an energy future that is sustainable and responsive to the needs of the communities we serve,” said CPA Chief Executive Officer Ted Bardacke. “Achieving that vision requires strong partnerships, thoughtful planning and the dedication of our board, community advisors, finance team and staff whose work continues to drive meaningful results across Southern California.”

Clean Power Alliance | www.cleanpoweralliance.org