At a time when electricity costs are rising across California — driven by escalating wildfire mitigation mandates, infrastructure upgrades, and climate-related risks — the San Diego Community Power Board tonight unanimously approved electric generation rate options designed to limit price increases and keep Community Power’s most affordable tier up to 10% lower than SDG&E’s generation rates.

San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, reappointed today as Chair of the San Diego Community Power Board, led the effort to prioritize affordability and protect residents and small businesses from even steeper utility cost hikes.

“Wildfire prevention, grid hardening, and climate resilience are driving up electricity costs everywhere,” said Lawson-Remer. “But families shouldn’t have to shoulder more than their fair share. This vote is about holding the line — using public power to keep costs as low as possible while corporate utilities continue to maximize shareholder profits.”

As a result of today’s vote, Community Power customers who are enrolled in the PowerOn option, will be charged generation rates about 4% lower than SDG&E despite statewide cost pressures. Customers who choose the lowest-cost PowerBase option can save the average household about $5.56 per month — nearly $67 per year — on generation charges compared to SDG&E.

Generation rates are set by San Diego Community Power. Transmission and delivery charges are set separately by SDG&E.

San Diego Community Power is a public, not-for-profit electricity provider created to give communities an affordable alternative to investor-owned utilities. While investor-owned utilities pass rising costs directly to customers — and protect shareholder profits — Community Power works to limit increases, reinvest locally, and cushion families from the full impact of statewide energy cost pressures.

Lawson-Remer’s Leadership on Community Power

• In 2021, Lawson-Remer led the effort for San Diego County to join San Diego Community Power, expanding access to public, not-for-profit electricity for residents and businesses in the unincorporated areas of the County.
  
  
• Since 2023, she has represented the County on the Community Power Board, where she has consistently pushed to prioritize affordability, accountability, and community reinvestment.
  
  
• Today, she was reappointed by her colleagues to continue serving as Board Chair, underscoring confidence in her leadership as Community Power confronts rising energy costs across the region.

San Diego Community Power reinvests revenues back into lower rates, customer programs, and progress toward 100% renewable energy by 2035 — delivering a public alternative to corporate utilities that answers to shareholders first.

“We cannot eliminate the challenges facing our energy system,” Lawson-Remer added. “But Community Power gives us the ability to fight back — to make sure communities come first when costs are rising and tough decisions have to be made.”