Council hears Oro Verde energy update as residents press for clarity on biomass risks

Patrick presented an update on the Oro Verde initiative and reported a consultant's finding: operating a public utility to serve customers already on PG&E infrastructure would likely not produce customer savings once transmission and exit charges are included. Staff said the project remains viable in greenfield situations where developers pair with energy providers and where the city would not incur exit or transmission penalties. Patrick also said the city had enrolled with a Community Choice Aggregator (Pioneer) expected to provide modest generation savings to ratepayers, estimating a 2% reduction on overall bills as a reasonable planning figure.

Multiple residents raised concerns during public comment about proposed biomass gasification plants tied to the energy initiative. Speakers cited historical litigation (a 2012 lawsuit that led to a plant shutdown), potential dioxin and tar contamination, groundwater and flood‑related risks, and the limited magnitude of projected customer savings. "We have the following organizations opposed to this biomass... the American Academy of Pediatrics, Physicians for Social Responsibility... strongly oppose biomass to energy technologies," one speaker summarized from advocacy materials. Councilmembers asked for more technical comparisons and staff said no applications for local biomass plants had been filed; they promised to consider comparative analyses and to keep permitting requirements front and center should proposals emerge.