Showing impressive growth six years after it launched in 2010, Marin Clean Energy’s CCA today added added seven (7) more cities to its Community Choice Power program.  The cities of Lafayette, Walnut Creek, Napa, American Canyon, St. Helena, Calistoga and Yountville will now join the county of Marin and all 11 of Marin’s municipalities along with unincorporated Napa County, and the cities of Benicia, El Cerrito, San Pablo and Richmond — about 174,000 customers.

Combined, the seven municipalities approved by Marin Clean Energy’s board on Thursday have about 94,000 electricity accounts.

According to the Marin newspaper, the Marin Independent Journal,  Dawn Weisz, Marin Clean Energy’s executive officer, said the extra revenue generated by the addition of the seven new cities could result in an average 8 percent reduction in Marin Clean Energy’s rates.

“We did not anticipate the interest that we’ve seen from the neighboring communities that have now become members and are continuing to express interest in membership,” Weisz said. “It speaks to the interest the communities have in providing choice in their communities and also providing more access to cleaner energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

We at South Bay Clean Power have watched as city after city, after witnessing the proof of concept and success of the Marin Clean Energy program, decide to join the Community Choice Power program.  We know that our own program will launch with a group of cities who will be know as our founding, starter cities – and then just like in Marin, other eligible cities will join them and our Clean Power program will grow and grow and grow.