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Ava Adds $0 to Local Investments, LCEA Opposes Nuclear Power Extension, New Interns + Job Posting!

THE PEOPLE’S CLEAN POWER ALLIANCE DEMANDS
LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FUNDING FOR GRASSROOTS POWER!

On Wednesday, May 20th, the Board of Directors of Ava Community Energy reviewed Item 9. Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Draft Budget Review as an informational item ahead of June 17, 2026 when the community choice agency’s budget will be voted on for approval.

 

The annual budget review is a crucial process that determines the allocation of funds, trajectory of program development, community investments, local development, and more. While financial stability is essential to delivering affordable and accessible clean power to Ava’s service territory, the Local Development Business Plan (LDBP) and Joint Powers Authority (JPA) also require meaningful investment in our local communities, ensuring tangible community benefits, and steering a just transition to a localized clean energy economy.

 

Last December 17, 2025, the Ava Community Energy board authorized staff to take $10M out of the Local Development Fund to account for its projected deficit. Now, staff is recommending $0 to the Local Development Fund this year. This Local Development fund was established to foster meaningful community benefits.

 

We must ensure that Ava Community Energy upholds the public agency’s ongoing commitment to provide equitable, accessible, and just investments that support a clear transition to green local development.

 

 

While Ava explores potential expansion of AI services, the agency considers local development as a “non-operating expense.” Yet cost increases, dwindling funds for clean energy projects, and federal rollbacks have clearly undermined energy justice, community needs, and equity efforts across the board.

 

In response, the People’s Clean Power Alliance, the Local Clean Energy Alliance, and community advocates have submitted public comment letters to demand funding for critical local clean energy investments such as capacity- building grants for community-based organizations and other decarbonization and electrification programs. Our communities understand that a community-driven budget is core to Ava’s longevity to operate as a clean energy agency for the people, by the people.

 

The Local Clean Energy Alliance (LCEA), which steers the coalition of People’s Clean Power Alliance, is committed to energy democracy and ensuring that frontline communities are at the forefront of participatory budgeting to determine budget and funding priorities that are most close to home.

 

If you live in Ava Community Energy territory, please send a comment to the Board of Directors:

 

To submit a written public comment via email, please email cob@avaenergy.org.

  • Allocate funding annually to Ava Local Development.
  • Reinvest in the Local Development Fund to restore $10 Million taken out back in December 2025 to balance the agency’s deficit.
  • Remain committed to the agency’s north star of local investments and community benefits with public ratepayer funds. 

Join us to speak to the Ava Board of Directors virtually (via Zoom):
We welcome your participation and thoughts, and we provide speaking points here.

Please reach out to our LCEA team (dohee@localcleanenergy.org) to learn more, support our budget advocacy, and sign onto our community budget demands in our People’s Clean Power Alliance Letter by June 2nd, ahead of the budget vote on June 17th, 2026 by the Ava Board of Directors!

The People’s Clean Power Alliance urges the Board of Directors to remain steadfast in advancing community priorities.

We demand Clean Power to the People as a fundamental community wealth-builder! 

Help Stop the Extension of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant!

 

A UC Santa Barbara study recently found PG&E is overcharging all Californians to extend the aging Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant’s operations to 2030, costing over $658 million from California taxpayers and over $1.84 billion in exorbitant electricity customer fees.

Whether you live in PG&E territory or not, all Californians are paying to keep this aging nuclear plant open. Meanwhile, PG&E has made record level profits three years in a row, well over $2 billion each year. In fact, the PG&E CEO lined her pockets with $19.8 million back in 2025. Last year, California’s electric utility providers reported that 1.9 million households had overdue electricity bills.

 

Now, the industry is trying to extend the life of Diablo Canyon to 2045, without comprehensive financial analysis of the current costs, let alone the costs of a 15-year extension. The cumulative $2.49 billion only includes the costs of the plant’s operation up to 2030 – we do not know the cost of 15 more years, but it will likely be a lot more than reported. Californians cannot afford to subsidize this aging nuclear plant for another 15 years.

 

Sierra Club Santa Lucia Chapter initiated the campaign against this extension, and the campaign asks Californians across the state to say NO to the overcharge and NO to extending the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant!

 

Please consider taking & amplifying the follow actions:


We encourage IMMEDIATE ACTION, ideally sending emails and social media by the end of May.

The decision could be made before the June 15th budget bill deadline.

Together, we will keep energy clean, affordable, and accessible!

LCEA INTERN SPOTLIGHT: Betsey (Bee) Bauman & Nicky Aquino! 

 

Bee (She/They) is a student at San Francisco State University (SFSU) studying Environmental Studies and Anthropology. They grew up in the mountains of San Diego, and developed a deep passion for the scientific world around them, which drives them and their work in environmental justice and activism against climate change. Bee strives for opportunities in community education, developing accessible educational programs on environmental dilemmas. They enjoy public speaking on the matter, and have worked with many different ages and demographics to make research understandable. On top of being passionate about climate justice and energy democracy, Bee has worked at the Alaska Sealife Center in education and interpretation. They focused on the rights of the indigenous people of Alaska and the subsistence harvesting lifestyle, including wildlife protection and conservation research. In their free time, Bee enjoys the outdoors, especially backpacking, kayaking, climbing, and traveling.

 

 

Nicky (she/her) is a fourth-year student at San Francisco State University studying Environmental Studies. From South San Francisco, growing up surrounded by air pollution, she became interested in entering the environmental field working at a nonprofit organization and eventually becoming an environmental lawyer. She is passionate about environmental sustainability and hopes to contribute to the fight against climate change by supporting solutions that create a healthier and more equitable planet. In her spare time, Nicky interns at the Environmental Resource Center on campus, surfs, hikes, and travels whenever she can.

 

Local Clean Energy Alliance (LCEA) is a Bay Area-based energy and social justice advocacy organization working at the local, state, and national level to promote a clean energy future through the development and democratization of local renewable energy resources.

 

LCEA seeks a motivated, creative, skilled and experienced Campaign Organizer, who is passionate about economic, climate and environmental justice to engage grassroots organizations in advancing the movement to democratize energy.

 

How to Apply:

Please send a cover letter explaining your interest in the position, including your phone number, email and your availability, along with a resume to hiring@localcleanenergy.org as soon as possible, with the email subject line “Applying for Bilingual LCEA Campaign Organizer.” The deadline to apply is Friday June 19 at 6:00 pm PST.