IBEW 1245 members and staff at the California Energy Commission hearing on Community SolarShares.
Solar power is one of the world’s fastest growing renewable energy sources, and there’s no doubt that solar has played and will continue to play a big role in helping California meet its ambitious clean-energy goals. In fact, many IBEW 1245 members employed by public and private utilities and contractors have been working for years to expand solar options for utility customers.
On Jan. 1, 2020, a new state law went into effect that requires all newly constructed homes in California to include solar power. Anti-union solar advocates say the new law means all new homes must be built with rooftop solar. That view is already causing much consternation from home builders and affordable housing advocates who are concerned about the high cost of such solar installations in a market that already has some of the highest housing prices in the country.
The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) has developed a community solar-based solution, which it has dubbed “Community SolarShares.” The Community SolarShares program gives home buyers the option to get their power from a more cost-effective solar farm in instances where rooftop solar is too costly or otherwise unworkable (often due to the proximity of trees to the home). There is no upfront cost for customers who participate in Community SolarShares, which makes it more feasible for affordable housing development.
The IBEW 1245 members who work at SMUD are intimately familiar with SolarShares – after all, they are the ones who build, maintain, and service the solar farms and ensure reliable energy delivery for SMUD’s 1.5 million customers, including those in the SolarShares program.
Several IBEW 1245 members from SMUD came straight from work to attend the CEC hearing.
So when SMUD needed to gain approval from the California Energy Commission (CEC) to move forward with the Community SolarShares option for new homes, more than two dozen IBEW 1245 members — including members from SMUD, as well as members and retirees from other employers — flocked to the California Energy Commission to make their voices heard at a hearing on Feb. 20 in Sacramento.
“The room was packed — standing room only — as over a hundred people gave their opinion to the commission on the proposed program. IBEW 1245 was clearly the largest force within the room, and our members and retirees were proud to represent their union and their company on this landmark decision,” reported IBEW 1245 Business Rep Lou Mennel. “Our members all spoke individually to the commission for their one-minute allotted time — which made them nervous, but they knew that it was an important part of the process.”
IBEW 1245 Organizing Steward Serena Moss, who works at SMUD, definitely felt the nerves when it was her time to testify before the CEC.
Serena Moss
“I may have stumbled over my words, but I got my point across,” said Moss. “Community Solar just makes sense for so many reasons: SolarShares will be built by qualified union electrical workers, individuals will still be able to choose to have solar on their homes, and we need trees in the City of Trees! I was happy to see representatives from the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Sacramento Tree Foundation also speak in support of the SolarShares program.”
Kim Camatti
“I felt it was super important to show the commission the solidarity of SMUD employees standing together, with our PG&E brothers and sisters there in support,” added IBEW 1245 Organizing Steward Kim Camatti. “As SMUD employees, we are committed to our customers. Knowing SolarShares is truly a community-based program that will better serve our customers is important.”
The lengthy hearing went on for many hours, with testimony from various organizations and companies — some of which support the proposal, and some of which oppose it. At the end of the day, the CEC voted unanimously in favor of the Community SolarShares plan.
“It was very exciting when the proposal was unanimously approved … we were all elated!” said Moss. “I’m happy to have been involved.”
“This victory is a true testament to the power that Local 1245 members have when they speak out collectively on key utility issues,” said IBEW 1245 Business Manager Tom Dalzell.
–Rebecca Band, IBEW 1245 Communications Director