VP of Sales Matt Brennan Appointed to City of San Diego Franchise Compliance Review Committee
| March 14,
CollectiveSun is proud to announce that Matt Brennan, our Vice President of Sales, has been appointed to the City of San Diego’s Franchise Compliance Review Committee (FCRC).
The citizen-led FCRC was created as part of the franchise agreement between the City and the local utility company, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E). The franchise agreement grants SDG&E the right to provide power to the city of San Diego, which includes using the public right of way to install and maintain necessary infrastructure, such as pipes, poles, and wires. In 2021, the City signed a new 10-year franchise agreement with SDG&E, with the option to extend the agreement for an additional 10 years, and established the FCRC to ensure the utility company fulfills its obligations under the contract.
“I’m honored to be part of the Franchise Compliance Review Committee,” said Brennan. “Our work is critical in ensuring that San Diego maintains oversight of the utility company that serves us and that all San Diegans get the reliable, affordable energy they need.”
In negotiating the new franchise agreement, San Diego joined a trend of cities using these agreements to establish new obligations. The City required SDG&E to explain changes in energy rates to the City Council, to build new electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and to plant thousands of trees in San Diego. The agreement also included an Energy Cooperation Agreement, which ensures alignment with the City’s Climate Action Plan goals and advocates for equity programs for rooftop solar, affordable housing, and energy efficiency.
FCRC members are appointed every two years when audits of SDG&E’s performance are conducted by an independent auditor. To ensure compliance with the terms of the franchise agreement, the FCRC reviews these audits and provides the Mayor and City Council with recommendations about the franchise. If certain parameters are not met, the agreement between the City and the utility can be cancelled — making the FCRC a critical watchdog ensuring the utility company serves its customers as agreed.
A previous audit reviewed by the FCRC uncovered issues such as costs for burying power lines, while concluding that overall, SDG&E had met most of its contractual obligations.
The FCRC provides an important service to all San Diegans. While CollectiveSun helps nonprofits across the nation go solar, many of the projects we finance are in the San Diego area. Ensuring that the local utility company meets its obligations helps our local customers as well as all San Diego ratepayers.
