October 2, 2002
ROSEMEAD, Calif., Oct. 2, 2002—Southern California Edison (SCE) has issued a request to alternate energy providers for offers of additional electricity generation in order to increase its renewable portfolio by as much as 1% of annual sales.
SCE already purchases approximately 15% of its customers’ total annual energy needs from renewable resources, making it the nation’s leader in procuring renewable power.
“We are committed to expanding our leadership role in renewable procurement with the addition of alternate resources that best fit our customers’ needs,” said SCE President Bob Foster. “Meanwhile, we are working hard to resume our overall procurement responsibility for customers as soon as that is possible.”
The California Legislature recently enacted legislation increasing utility procurement of renewable energy each year by 1% of their annual energy sales until they reach a goal of 20%. The legislation directs utilities to procure renewable generation at or below market prices with any above-market costs to be funded by the “public goods charge” on state-regulated utility bills.
Renewable energy providers representing nearly 2,000 megawatts of capacity—over 15 times the amount being requested by SCE—have expressed interest in supplying power.
BACKGROUND FACTS
- California’s electric utility customers use 5% of the electricity generated in the U.S., but purchase 21% of the nation’s renewable energy.
- SCE has the largest portfolio of renewable power generation of any utility in the U.S.
- SCE’s renewable energy mix includes electricity generated by geothermal, solar, wind, biomass and other resources.
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An Edison International company, Southern California Edison is one of the nation’s largest electric utilities, serving a population of more than 12 million via 4.3 million customer accounts in a 50,000-square-mile service area within central, coastal and Southern California. For more information on the California electricity market, see www.sce.com.
