The Nevada County Community Forum kicks off the new year with a wide-ranging discussion on the new power provider for Grass Valley and Nevada City.
Pioneer Community Energy CEO Don Eckert will join former Sacramento Bee Publisher, and Forum host, Cheryl Dell to introduce the community to the company that both of the Twin Cities have approved as an electric power provider.
The one-hour discussion, the latest in an ongoing series of talks focused on local issues in western Nevada County, is set to start at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 19 at Sierra College’s Multipurpose Center (N-12) in Grass Valley. The free event is sponsored by the Sierra College Foundation.
The city councils of Grass Valley and Nevada City approved Pioneer Energy as an alternative to Pacific Gas & Electric for their residents last spring. Nevada County doesn’t have an agreement with Pioneer Energy, so its residents are currently unaffected by this change.
According to the company, Pioneer is a community-owned, nonprofit that also serves more than 150,000 residential and commercial accounts in unincorporated Placer and El Dorado counties and Auburn, Colfax, Lincoln, Placerville, Rocklin and Loomis.
In addition to what the changes mean for local residents and business owners, the Forum will also include billing practices, procedures and operations, as well as opt-out options.
January’s Forum discussion will be the sixth in the series of locally focused talks. Early Forums have focused on Nevada Irrigation District’s infrastructure, the Sheriff’s role in evacuating Nevada County in the event of wildfire and how Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital’s meeting the challenges of rural healthcare.
More recent topics have included discussion of the California FAIR Plan for fire insurance and coming changes to Waste Management’s food waste collection at the county’s McCourtney Road Transfer Station due change in state law.
In February, the Forum will be joined by Nevada County Clerk Recorder Natalie Adona, who as registrar of voters will discuss the March 5 presidential primary election.
Friday’s free event also offers free event parking on the Nevada County campus at Sierra College.
KNOW & GO
WHAT: Nevada County Community Forum discussion on Pioneer Energy
WHO: Pioneer Community Energy CEO Don Eckert
WHEN: 10:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 19
WHERE: Sierra College, N12-Multipurpose Center, Nevada County Campus, 250 Sierra College Dr., Grass Valley
INFO: pioneercommunityenergy.org