California Voters Stand Up for Community Choice and Vote Down Proposition 16

Galvin Electricity Initiative Applauds Activism Effort in Defense of Electricity Consumer Rights

PALO ALTO, Calif., June 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Proposition 16, a ballot initiative jeopardizing California's ability to cut carbon emissions, harvest local clean energy, reduce electricity costs and create green jobs in local communities was voted down by the state's residents yesterday. Funded largely by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), Proposition 16 challenged a law passed in 2002 supporting a new method of power purchasing known as community choice aggregation.

"By defeating Proposition 16, California voters have saved community aggregation—an important electricity consumer right and a step towards creating a consumer-driven power system," said Kurt Yeager, executive director of the Galvin Electricity Initiative.  "Putting purchasing power into communities' hands can pay big dividends for Californians in reducing carbon emissions, but it also saves consumers money and offers custom pricing plans and in-home services that give them choice. When it comes to the electricity system, consumers have the right to more control, more choice, more savings and more clean energy."

Yesterday, California voters demonstrated that they will no longer let utility companies dictate their electricity destiny. With the defeat of Proposition 16, California remains among the ranks of states such as Illinois, Ohio and Massachusetts where community aggregation is alive and well. The adoption of policies like community aggregation has set our nation's path toward electricity grid transformation, and it is important that we not be diverted.  

The Galvin Electricity Initiative, launched by former Motorola CEO Robert W. Galvin, is leading a campaign to transform the Nation's obsolete electric power system into one that can truly meet consumers' needs in this new century. Galvin's vision — a Perfect Power System that cannot fail the end-user — includes a major technological update to the electricity grid infrastructure as well as the development of smart microgrids around the country to benefit consumers and suppliers alike. See how Galvin is turning this vision into a reality at www.galvinpower.org.

SOURCE Galvin Electricity Initiative