Laguna Beach to ask ESC for work plan on OCPA participation; council requests phased review and feasibility study

Laguna Beach council affirmed prior direction to review possible participation in the Orange County Power Authority (OCPA) while requesting a clear work plan from the Environmental Sustainability Committee (ESC) describing the studies, legal review and timeline needed before any commitment.

Assistant City Manager Gavin Curran summarized staff's prior direction to 1) ask the ESC to conduct a comprehensive review of OCPA program compatibility, rates, sustainability and customer experience and 2) initiate a no-cost feasibility study with OCPA that would obtain historic load data. Dozens of public commenters urged both caution and study. Several speakers cited OCPA's recent rate increases, lower reserves and higher published greenhouse-gas content compared with SCE; others said a careful, local analysis is warranted.

Discussion focused on the appropriate scope and sequencing of review tasks. Council asked the ESC to produce a work plan that identifies necessary legal, financial and operational analysis steps and to make a recommendation about whether to proceed with the OCPA feasibility study. Council also discussed obtaining updated financial and legal analyses from city staff or consultants and whether prior 2019 feasibility work could be updated.

Motion and next steps: Council unanimously directed staff to refer the matter to the ESC with a request for a work plan that includes the no-cost feasibility study and a timeline showing how legal and financial reviews would be sequenced if the ESC recommends proceeding.