Frequently Asked Questions regarding Power Purchase Agreements & The Oaks Solar Project
Q.1 Sounds too good to be true, how can PPA company guarantee $0.15/KWh?
A.1 The PPA is basing their rate on a reasonable rate of return for their investment over the life of the contract. Because solar maintenance costs are low and the energy is from the Sun, the PPA company can provide electricity at a lower cost over time.
Q.2 I know someone with a rooftop PPA, and they got hit with a huge PG&E bill at the end of the year, something called a “true-up.” Will we get that too?
A.2 Yes there is an annual “true-up” with PG&E. If any solar customer, PPA or not, uses more electricity than their solar system generates they will owe PG&E at the end of the year.
Q.3 Great, so what is going to be my “true-up” and how will you determine it?
A.3 That is great question. If TOCA members don’t use more electricity than typical there won’t be a true-up.
If we do have a “true-up,” your portion will be calculated based on how much electricity you used over your 12-month allotment of 7,500KWh/year. This allotment is based on the size of our allowed system and is greater than 150% of your current PG&E annual allotment of 5,000 KWh. (Members who are signed up for Medical or CARE programs with PG&E will not receive a true-up as required by PUC rules).
Your excess usage will be compared against the total excess usage of all TOCA members and TOCA common areas. All excess users, including TOCA common areas like the clubhouse, pool, sewer pond, will share in the excess cost proportionally. While we hope for no “true-up” cost, TOCA cannot guarantee there will not be some level of true-up. You will still get the rest of your electricity at only $0.15/KWh which is a huge savings throughout the year.
Q.4 OK, so if I vote yes when will my rate go down?
A.4 Because our solar system will be so large, it will take approximately one year to get the necessary PG&E permits and build out the system. The soonest we could anticipate seeing savings would be Summer of 2023. Sorry, if we could do it faster, we would!
Q.5 OK, about that size, where is this “solar system” going to fit in the park?
A.5 The system will not be in the park. It will be across Jackson Valley Road, on the 40-acre parcel housing our sewer plant and RV parking area. It will face away from our park and be approximately 12’ at its tallest. The portion nearest the park will be obscured by new landscaping anticipated with the installation.
Q.1 Sounds too good to be true, how can PPA company guarantee $0.15/KWh?
A.1 The PPA is basing their rate on a reasonable rate of return for their investment over the life of the contract. Because solar maintenance costs are low and the energy is from the Sun, the PPA company can provide electricity at a lower cost over time.
Q.2 I know someone with a rooftop PPA, and they got hit with a huge PG&E bill at the end of the year, something called a “true-up.” Will we get that too?
A.2 Yes there is an annual “true-up” with PG&E. If any solar customer, PPA or not, uses more electricity than their solar system generates they will owe PG&E at the end of the year.
Q.3 Great, so what is going to be my “true-up” and how will you determine it?
A.3 That is great question. If TOCA members don’t use more electricity than typical there won’t be a true-up.
If we do have a “true-up,” your portion will be calculated based on how much electricity you used over your 12-month allotment of 7,500KWh/year. This allotment is based on the size of our allowed system and is greater than 150% of your current PG&E annual allotment of 5,000 KWh. (Members who are signed up for Medical or CARE programs with PG&E will not receive a true-up as required by PUC rules).
Your excess usage will be compared against the total excess usage of all TOCA members and TOCA common areas. All excess users, including TOCA common areas like the clubhouse, pool, sewer pond, will share in the excess cost proportionally. While we hope for no “true-up” cost, TOCA cannot guarantee there will not be some level of true-up. You will still get the rest of your electricity at only $0.15/KWh which is a huge savings throughout the year.
Q.4 OK, so if I vote yes when will my rate go down?
A.4 Because our solar system will be so large, it will take approximately one year to get the necessary PG&E permits and build out the system. The soonest we could anticipate seeing savings would be Summer of 2023. Sorry, if we could do it faster, we would!
Q.5 OK, about that size, where is this “solar system” going to fit in the park?
A.5 The system will not be in the park. It will be across Jackson Valley Road, on the 40-acre parcel housing our sewer plant and RV parking area. It will face away from our park and be approximately 12’ at its tallest. The portion nearest the park will be obscured by new landscaping anticipated with the installation.