Villaraigosa, 3 council members back solar power initiative
The proposal for the spring ballot would place rooftop panels, installed by DWP workers, on some L.A. buildings. A key backer is a group tied to the employees' union.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and three City Council members have thrown their support behind a proposal to install enough rooftop solar panels on buildings across the city to power 100,000 residential customers of the Department of Water and Power by 2013.
The proposal, which would appear on the March 3 ballot, was developed by Working Californians, a pro-labor advocacy group with strong ties to the union that represents DWP workers.
Working Californians is led by two high-level officials with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Under the plan, the solar panels would be installed by DWP employees and remain the property of the city's electrical utility once they were up and running.
The group also contends that the solar strategy will create jobs and boost the Los Angeles economy, according to position papers prepared by Working Californians.
Council members Eric Garcetti, Wendy Greuel and Jan Perry plan to call for the ballot measure today. All three met Tuesday with Brian D'Arcy, business manager of IBEW Local 18, and Deputy Mayor Nancy Sutley to review the proposal, which must be placed on the ballot by Nov. 5.
"We're asking the people to embrace what we're trying to do, which is deliver reliable and clean power," Greuel said.
The solar initiative would be voluntary, applying primarily to commercial, industrial and government buildings. Greuel said the proposal would keep the DWP from having to purchase more expensive power from other sources.
Still, one DWP critic warned that the plan would lead to higher electrical bills. "There's no question they're going to pass this through to the ratepayers," said Jack Humphreville, a neighborhood activist who has pressed the utility to create a ratepayer advocate.
The DWP has already agreed to increase its customers' electrical bills by nearly 24% between 2006 and 2010.
None of the participants in Tuesday's meeting could provide a price tag for the initiative. Sutley, who handles environmental issues for the mayor, said DWP officials have reassured her that the initiative wouldn't place any additional burden on ratepayers.
The solar initiative is being crafted as Villaraigosa works to fulfill his promise to ensure that 20% of the DWP's energy comes from renewable sources, such as wind and geothermal power, by 2010. And it is the latest big-ticket proposal unveiled by the mayor as he fires up his reelection campaign.
