If you’ve taken a look at your electric bill recently, you may have noticed that rates have gone up. Do you ever wonder where that money goes? At VCE, we get this question pretty often, and we’d like to provide some insight on the various costs included in your electric bill (spoiler alert: VCE electric generation is a much smaller percentage than you’d think!)
Valley Clean Energy (VCE) is committed to investing in the communities we serve. We’re keeping electricity costs lower for our customers while we transition to providing 100% renewable energy for all customers by 2030. Our Board of Directors recently made the decision to provide $1.6 million in rate relief to our customers, in the form of a discount on your monthly electric bill.
Commitment to Lower Rates
As energy prices continue to increase, VCE stands firm in its commitment to provide lower rates for our customers. We understand the importance of accessible clean energy, and we offer a 3.5 % discount for low-income and medically vulnerable customers, on top of their state-provided discounts. All other customers receive a 1% discount.
Community Impact Through Reinvestment
Being a public, not-for-profit agency sets us apart. We reinvest your dollars back into the community, not the pockets of shareholders. This means that some of the money you pay for your electric bill contributes to programs such as rebates for electric vehicles and incentives for energy efficiency upgrades. Knowing that a portion of your dollars directly benefit our community adds a meaningful dimension to paying your electric bill. When VCE negotiates new power contracts, we make sure that hundreds of thousands of dollars are set aside for workforce development, and that pollinator habitat is available in projects sited near agricultural land. You can feel good about where your money goes when it’s supporting programs and power contracts that result in more renewables on the grid, and put more dollars back in everyone’s pocket.
Positive Change Since 2018
VCE has offered a choice of electricity suppliers since 2018, putting the control back in the hands of our customers. Our reinvestment into community-benefiting programs and energy generation projects has made an enduring impact. From generating 378 MW of clean energy to delivering over $1.5 million in savings to our customers, we take pride in providing more clean energy with cost savings for our customers. Paying your electric bill isn’t always easy, but we hope to make it a little easier, knowing you’re directly supporting important programs and initiatives right here in Yolo County.
For anyone struggling to pay their electric bill, please see several programs for which you may qualify here: https://valleycleanenergy.org/financial-assistance/.