HomeMy WebLinkAboutRes 04-111 Community Energy Partnership FLex Your Power NOW Alert System CITY OF PALM DESERT
COMMUNITY SERVICES
STAFF REPORT
REQUEST: The City Council adopts Resolution No. 04-111 , supporting the
Community Energy Partnership in its local implementation of the Flex Your
Power NOW! Alert System.
SUBMITTED BY: Robert Kohn, Director of Special Programs
DATE: October 28, 2004
CONTENTS: Resolution No: 04-111
Recommendation:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 04-111
supporting the Community Energy Partnership in its local implementation of the Flex
Your Power NOW! Alert System.
Executive Summary:
Participation in the "Flex Your Power NOW" demonstration as a Partnership member
may involve:
• Reducing electricity usage at City facilities during peak periods.
• Posting of flags, flyers and/or posters in City facilities on alert days;
• Broadcasts of public service announcements on the government access channel;
• Email or telephone notices to city staff, the Chamber of Commerce, community-
based or faith-based organizations;
•
A nominal amount of staff time may be necessary to coordinate communications with
various individuals and groups in the event of a system alert. Reducing power usage
during critical peak periods, when electric power is most expensive, may generate
nominal energy savings for the City.
Discussion:
The Community Energy Partnership is an association of city governments, utilities,
and local communities; its mission is to cause individuals and groups in local
communities to work together in order to understand their options, change attitudes and
behaviors, and ultimately take on the responsibility for a healthy and sustainable energy
Resolution no. 04-111
future. The Partnership is comprised of the City of Palm Desert and nine other southern
California cities: Brea, Cathedral City, Corona, Hermosa Beach, Irvine, Moreno Valley,
Palm Desert, San Bernardino, Santa Clarita, and Santa Monica. Two local utilities,
Southern California Edison and The Gas Company, are also members of the
Partnership. The facilitating partner is The Energy Coalition, a non-profit organization
working to promote energy efficiency since 1984.
Flex Your Power is California's statewide energy efficiency marketing and outreach
campaign. Initiated in 2001, Flex Your Power has brought together California's utilities,
residents, businesses, institutions, government agencies and nonprofit organizations in
a collaborative effort to encourage energy conservation. To date, the campaign has
included retail promotions, a comprehensive website, an electronic newsletter,
educational materials and advertising.
On July 27, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued Executive Order S-12-04,
establishing the Flex Your Power NOW! "Campaign". "Flex Your Power NOW!" involves
an alert system designed to provide immediate notification to California residents and
businesses of critical peak periods relative to electricity demand. The California
Independent System Operator, the organization responsible for management of
California's electrical grid, forecasts several days of historically high demand in the
summer and fall of 2004. On these days, the state can avoid blackouts if power users
can lower demand after receiving alert notifications. The Community Energy
Partnership has been selected for a demonstration project involving the dissemination
of alert information through city government partners.
Submitted by: Department Head:
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ROBERT KO N, Director Special Programs SHEILA GILLIGAN, ASSISTA T CITY MANAGER
Approval:
City Manager
A/JJ- CITY COUNCIL ION:
APPROVED DENIED
RECEIVED OTHER
Finance Director
MEETING DATE I - .: m
AYES: f Li f' i mirie c - IL
NOES: y -i
ABSENT: M y
ABSTAIN: NE ,
VERIFIED BY: qUILW4
Original on File WI City Clerk's Office
RESOLUTION NO: 04-111
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM DESERT,
CALIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING THE CITY TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY ENERGY
PARTNERSHIP IN ITS LOCAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FLEX YOUR POWER
NOW! ALERT SYSTEM
WHEREAS, the California Independent System Operator, a not-for-profit corporation,
is responsible for managing California's electrical power grid; and
WHEREAS, the California Energy Commission in consultation with the California
Independent System Operator has determined that high temperatures combined with
increasing local demand and localized transmission constraints can result in localized
shortages of electricity, and
WHEREAS, the ability of consumers to reduce their energy usage at times when
overall energy usage is placing strains on the state's electrical system can improve the
stability of the grid, reduce the cost of electricity, and result in significant savings; and
WHEREAS, in Executive Order No. S-12-04, the Honorable Arnold Schwarzenegger,
Governor of California, encourages local governments to reduce energy usage during
peak periods and to participate in the demand response programs offered by
California's power utilities and other entities in the California electric power industry; and
WHEREAS, Flex Your Power Now! Is an electricity conservation alert system
designed to prevent Stage One Electrical Emergencies — times when electricity
reserves are low; and
WHEREAS, the Flex Your Power Now! Alert will notify California businesses,
governments and residents when they should follow specific conservation and load-
shifting measures to immediately reduce their electricity use; and
WHEREAS, the City of Palm Desert is a member of the Community Energy
Partnership, with the cities of Brea, Cathedral City, Corona, Hermosa Beach, Irvine,
Moreno Valley, San Bernardino, Santa Clarita, and Santa Monica, as well as Southern
California Edison; and
WHEREAS, the Partnership serves as a means by which city governments, utilities,
small businesses, and residents of local communities can work together to understand
their options, change attitudes and behaviors, and ultimately take on the responsibility
for a healthy and sustainable energy future, and
WHEREAS, the Community Energy Partnership has been selected as the subject of a
demonstration project to verify the effectiveness of community organizing as a means of
disseminating information to local residents in the event of critical and emergency
stages as declared by the Independent System Operator;
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Resolution No. 04-111
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council that the City of Palm
Desert will join the Community Energy Partnership in this endeavor by:
1. Reducing energy usage at City facilities during critical peak periods as defined
and declared by the Independent System Operator;
2. Committing the City's available resources to the Partnership's alert system, to
reach as many local residents and businesses as possible with news and
information in the event of a system alert;
3. Encourage local residents and businesses to fully participate in the Community
Energy Partnership, the City's energy efficiency program, PowerWise for Palm
Desert and other demand response programs administered by investor-owned
utilities and other entities.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Palm
Desert, California at a regular meeting held this 28th day of October, 2004, by the
following vote, to wit:
AYES: BENSON, CRITES, FERGUSON, KELLY, SPIEGEL
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
ROBERT A. SPIEGEL, MAYOR
ATTEST:
RACHELLE D. KLASSEN, CITY CLERK •-
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