The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) currently generates 75% of its electricity using fossil fuels with a significant amount generated by coal-fired power plants. While LADWP has aggressive Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) goals, long-term contracts tying it to coal-fired generation remain an obstacle. The currently proposed geothermal and solar-thermal investments will take years to bring online and face litigation over transmission lines that will add to the wait. The slow pace of growth in participation with LADWP’s solar electrical subsidies has resulted in solar power generating less than one percent of the city’s power capacity to date, after a decade of availability. The problem is that the upfront cost of switching to solar, even with generous subsidies, is still the key inhibitor to individuals and private businesses.

Measure B provides for the installation of solar electrical generation facilities with a capacity of 400 megawatts within the City of Los Angeles in five years. (David Freeman states that the current solar power generation capacity of the US is 700 megawatts meaning Measure B represents a 57% increase in total US capacity). Measure B has the potential to eliminate 400,000 tons of greenhouse gases by supplanting fossil fuel generated power to meet current or future needs and will not generate other forms of toxic air pollution.

Because of the large scale of this project, manufacturing costs for solar power equipment is expected to drop dramatically. Further, because the installation will be within the city, no delays for sitting transmission lines for remote generation facilities accrue. The cost of Measure B is estimated at $1.5 billion and will be paid for out of DWP operating dollars. No bond money is involved although language in Measure B allows the city to seek voter approval for bond or other funding in the event of a shortfall. According to a recent assessment, all of this will translate to approximately a one percent increase in ratepayer costs. In other words, LADWP will continue to have some of the lowest rates of any utility company in the country.

In addition to the environmental benefits, there are substantial economic benefits. Measure B will generate thousands of well paying, skilled jobs locally. Measure B also includes provisions for job training targeted at underserved communities in Los Angeles and includes incentives for local manufacturers.

While we tend to stay out of them, CLCV has a history of endorsing local measures of significant environmental importance and scope. Measure B certainly fits that description.