Redondo reviews, stays at 100 percent renewable energy
by Garth Meyer Redondo Beach will remain a default 100-percent renewable energy town after a city council vote April 5 to reaffirm. Councilman Nils Nehrenheim dissented. The decision followed controversy over unexpectedly high electric bills in January. Councilman Todd Loewenstein subsequently called for a review of the city’s commitment – made last fall, to take effect this October. Nehrenheim and Councilman Zein Obagi, Jr., supported the second look. Last week, after Ted Bardake, CEO of Clean Power Alliance (CPA), spoke to the council, Loewenstein and Obagi voted to keep the city at 100 percent, joining representatives Laura Emdee and Christian Horvath. “The real culprit here is SCE (Southern California Edison),” said Obagi, Jr., referring to two thirds to three-fourths of a resident’s bill that pays SCE to send power here – and its subsequent maintenance and wildfire containment costs. Loewenstein agreed with Obagi. “Mr. Bardake has been very generous with his time explaining things,” he said. “Rates have stabilized since December. A lot.” Nehrenheim did not follow suit. “This is directly taking money out of people’s pockets,” he said. “You’ll get more people (to participate)…
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