After four scathing audits lambasted the Orange County Power Authority’s management, pricing strategies and transparency, Irvine’s own review of the green power agency praised its rates as “competitive” and net income as “positive.”
The firm hired by Irvine to conduct the operational review of OCPA said it focused on “how the actual CCA (community choice aggregation) operates” versus “process and admin” like the other audits. And it found OCPA’s power purchasing practices are consistent with industry best practices.
OCPA has a higher opt-out rate (23%) compared to other green power agencies which typically have a rate between 5-10%, representatives from EES Consulting, the firm hired to do the audit, said.
The firm, which was contracted to do work for OCPA in 2020, blamed the discrepancy on the negative press attention the power agency has received.
But “opt-outs have settled down now,” said Councilmember Kathleen Treseder, a member of the OCPA board. She said the green power agency is “on a course of reform.”
In March, OCPA began an improvement plan which includes mandating a member of the Community Advisory Committee, made up of residents from the member cities appointed by board members, be present at oversight and board meetings as well as the hiring of a new position meant to ensure greater transparency.
The goal, Treseder said, is to complete the 24 steps outlined in the plan by June, including drafting bylaws, “something that was really highlighted as being urgent by different auditors,” she said.
OCPA is hiring. The company is already bringing on a “power resources director with more than 22 years of experience” in the industry who will start this month and plans to announce additional new hires “in the near future,” OCPA said following the audit.
As for the audit, OCPA is “pleased that the consultant found no operational issues,” a spokesperson said.
When EES Consulting presented its report to…
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