San Diego International Airport Commits to 100 Percent Clean, Renewable Energy from San Diego Community Power

SAN DIEGO, June 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- San Diego Community Power (SDCP), the not-for-profit community choice energy program, announced San Diego International Airport's (SAN) enrollment into its service and SAN's decision to opt-up to the Power100 service level. SDCP will provide 100% renewable, 100% carbon-free energy to SAN, who continues to be a leader in environmental stewardship for the travel industry and region. The airport served 25 million passengers in 2019, making it the busiest single-runway commercial airport in the United States.

"Having the opportunity to work with San Diego Community Power enables us to reach our goal of 100 percent renewable electricity well before our planned timing of 2035," said Kimberly Becker, San Diego County Regional Airport Authority President and CEO. "SDCP's ability to provide reliable, zero-carbon energy at competitive costs is a game-changer for us and everyone in the region."

Environmental stewardship is a hallmark of operations at SAN. The Airport Authority instituted one of the first sustainability policies for a major airport in the United States and is committed to building and operating SAN in a manner that promotes the region's prosperity and protects its quality of life.

"We are thrilled to partner with the Airport Authority to advance our shared vision of a cleaner, healthier region," said SDCP Board Chair and Encinitas Councilmember Joe Mosca. "They are a great role model for organizations and businesses that are committed to saving money, our environment, and reinvesting in our local community."

Saving Money and Positively Impacting the Community 
Throughout June, approximately 72,000 commercial and industrial accounts in San Diego, Chula Vista, Encinitas, Imperial Beach, and La Mesa will become customers of SDCP; a public energy agency committed to providing clean energy, competitive rates, and innovative programs. The move offers businesses a choice in energy providers for the first time in the region's history.

SDCP provides competitive rates for significantly greener energy options and reinvests in clean energy projects supporting healthier communities today and for the future. SDCP offers two service levels, PowerOn, which provides  50 percent renewable energy, and Power100 a 100 percent renewable energy service. Businesses that upgrade to the Power100 tier will soon have the option to register as a Power100 Champion, enabling them to be included  on the SDCP website and receive promotional materials.

"As one of our first Power100 Champions, we hope SAN's choice will inspire additional businesses to upgrade to 100 percent clean energy enabling us to reinvest even more in the community," said Bill Carnahan, Interim CEO of San Diego Community Power. "As a local not-for-profit, all of our excess revenue will be invested locally in workforce development, job training, aid for communities of concern, and training and employing local workers."

In March, SDCP launched renewable energy procurement services for municipal customers. Residential service will begin rolling out in February 2022. SDCP customers can change service levels or opt-out of the service at any time. SDG&E will continue to deliver power, manage monthly billing and customer service and provide ongoing system maintenance.

Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) programs were enabled by state legislation as part of the solution to the 2001 energy crisis, allowing local communities to control the energy they buy and address constraints on competition that contributed to the problem. Locally-elected officials govern CCAs with consistent input from a Community Advisory Council. All decisions on energy procurement, rates, and reinvestment are made at open meetings giving member city residents and businesses a voice in energy choices.

There are currently 23 CCAs operating successfully across California and providing reliable service to more than 11 million customers in more than 200 cities and counties.

ABOUT SAN DIEGO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (SAN)
San Diego International Airport (SAN) is the busiest single-runway commercial service airport in the U.S. and the third busiest airport in California. In 2019, SAN welcomed 25-million passengers and offered nonstop flights to destinations worldwide. The airport is an economic driver for the region, contributing nearly $12 billion in economic activity in 2019 and supports nearly 116,600 jobs. With anticipated passenger growth in the future, the Airport Authority is continuing progress with the New T1 program that will replace Terminal 1 with a larger, more efficient facility and other improvements that enhance the airport experience. The airport is managed and operated by the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. For more information, please visit san.org.

ABOUT SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY POWER
San Diego Community Power (SDCP) is a Community Choice Aggregator (CCA) committed to providing municipalities, businesses, and residents in the five member cities with clean, renewable energy at competitive rates and investing in innovative programs that benefit the environment and the economy in our communities. SDCP will source cleaner electricity services for approximately 770,000 customer accounts in Chula Vista, Encinitas, Imperial Beach, La Mesa, and San Diego. Learn more at www.sdcommunitypower.org. 

SOURCE San Diego Community Power