Executive Summary

Purpose and Scope of the Plan

This Community Power Plan (CPP) is a guide to help the Orange County Power Authority (OCPA) to create and run programs to deliver local, clean, and equitable energy. The plan identifies program opportunities that will be impactful and achievable, and offers a clear process for prioritizing and implementing them in phases.

The CPP is a flexible roadmap that can grow and evolve over time. It ensures that OCPA’s investments will align with what the community needs, help OCPA meet its goals, and keep the agency on track to lead Orange County’s clean energy transition.

Strategic Vision: Local, Sustainable, and Equitable Energy

OCPA’s strategic vision is, “…to think globally and act locally by empowering our communities with choice in energy needs. We are committed to transforming the energy landscape, driving a sustainable future and beyond by empowering and enabling our communities, and ensuring that no community is left behind in this transition to renewable energy.” This vision guides all aspects of the CPP and defines how OCPA serves its member communities. Local reflects OCPA’s commitment to supporting workforce development, economic resilience, and community reinvestment. Sustainable represents OCPA’s focus on expanding renewable energy access and accelerating electrification across buildings, transportation, and industry to meet California’s climate goals. No community left behind underscores the agency’s dedication to ensuring that all customers (particularly renters, small businesses, and historically underserved communities) have meaningful access to the benefits of clean energy.

By focusing on these principles, OCPA aims to provide renewable energy at stable rates and equitably invest in programs that support a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient Orange County.

Summary of the Process & Key Findings

The CPP was developed through a collaborative, multi-phased, and data-informed process that integrated community feedback, organizational insight, and market analysis.

The process began with a Community Needs Assessment conducted between January and September 2025, which gathered extensive community input through 1,244 survey responses, 25 tabling events, and seven listening sessions and reached over 54,000 residents through newsletters and outreach. The assessment identified key community priorities, barriers to program participation, and equity considerations. Feedback revealed that affordability, convenience, and landlord-related challenges were major factors limiting participation in past clean energy programs, underscoring the importance of renter-focused and flexible offerings.

OCPA then conducted an Operational Alignment Assessment in June and July 2025, surveying OCPA staff and leadership to determine which program structures would best support the agency’s operational goals. The assessment found that programs focused on load shifting, community impact, and rate reduction were top priorities. Staff also emphasized that customer satisfaction and community are essential to long-term success, with outreach and education identified as one of the most beneficial potential program types.

Next, OCPA developed an Existing Programs Assessment during July and August 2025. OCPA studied existing programs across the state and region to find service gaps and make sure new programs complement currently available programs. The analysis found opportunities for OCPA to invest in demand response, renter-focused programs, electrification efforts, and industrial and cross-cutting efficiency measures. These findings helped OCPA define where new programs could add unique value beyond current offerings from SCE, SoCalREN, and other entities.

A Funding Opportunities Assessment, completed between July and November 2025, evaluated available state and federal funding streams to support new programs and reduce reliance on ratepayer funds. Key findings highlighted the California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) Apply to Administer (ATA) process as a high-impact funding pathway for CCAs, alongside opportunities in clean mobility and energy efficiency pilot projects. The assessment also emphasized the value of collaboration with member cities (Buena Park, Fullerton, Irvine, and Fountain Valley) to strengthen funding applications and share administrative capacity.

Finally, OCPA conducted a Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) from March through October 2025, integrating data from all prior assessments. OCPA developed a customized CBA scoring tool, established weighting criteria for impact and feasibility, and convened a six-member scoring committee to evaluate proposed programs. The results were used to prioritize programs by both community benefit and operational viability, providing the foundation for the CPP’s final recommended program portfolio.

This structured and comprehensive approach ensured that the CPP’s final recommendations are both responsive to community needs and aligned with OCPA’s operational, financial, and strategic priorities.

Summary of Identified Programs Recommendations

Through the assessment process, eleven potential program initiatives were identified and evaluated according to their anticipated impact and feasibility. Two initiatives emerged as high-priority candidates: a direct-to-renter electrification and demand response (DR) program initiative and a comprehensive energy efficiency and electrification program initiative. These offerings could begin operations within five months of adoption of the CPP. These program concepts demonstrated the strongest alignment with OCPA’s strategic goals and were identified as the most feasible to get up-and-running quickly.
Refrigeration efficiency and electrification was identified as a medium-priority initiative, suitable for deployment within 18 months while program infrastructure and partnerships are developed. The remaining initiatives were categorized as low priority or not recommended due to either limited feasibility or overlap with existing offerings.

OCPA can begin implementing high-impact programs quickly while building capacity, refining design and delivery mechanisms, and pursuing external funding to expand its portfolio over time. The CPP provides the strategic and analytical foundation to ensure efforts remain aligned with operational and community needs and vision. The sections that follow detail the context, analyses, and program strategies that will guide OCPA’s implementation of this plan and will support the agency’s ongoing commitment to delivering local, sustainable, and equitable energy.