If you’ve seen the Friction at MCE series of articles published in the Marin Independent Journal in October 2025, you likely have questions: What’s going on at MCE? Why is the board concerned? Is MCE in a financial crisis? From under-explained energy industry facts to over-inflated statements of concern, these articles miss the mark on helping customers understand the reality of MCE and our work.
MCE has always been a team effort, built and sustained through collaboration. We started in Marin County through a grassroots effort led by customers and community advocates just like you who were looking for cleaner electricity options. We began service to just 8,000 customers in a handful of Marin communities as the first Community Choice provider in California.
Today, 24 other CCAs have followed MCE’s footsteps, and together we now serve one-third of California energy customers — boosting renewable energy across the state, improving air quality, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Before MCE, the only electricity option in Marin was PG&E, offering just 12% renewable energy. Today, MCE offers 60–100% renewable electricity and is 100% fossil-free.
Over the last 15 years, MCE has:
If you’re an MCE customer, you’re contributing to building a cleaner California and a stronger local economy that you can be proud of. As a not-for-profit public agency, MCE is here to serve you — not create profits for shareholders. That’s the power of community choice.
First, it’s important to know that MCE is a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program. That means MCE buys the electricity you use, while PG&E continues to handle billing and maintains the power lines and wires that deliver electricity to you. You’ll still get one bill from PG&E, but it includes separate line items for MCE generation charges 和 PG&E delivery charges.
In short:
There’s also a difference between rates and costs. Rates are what you’re charged per kilowatt-hour for your electricity — whether that’s delivery, generation, or other fees. MCE’s generation rates have always been lower than PG&E’s.
Let’s do a quick rundown:
| Fiction | Fact |
|---|---|
|
MCE is overcharging customers |
MCE is a not-for-profit and charges customers based on the cost of service. We are not overcharging.
|
|
MCE is outrageously more expensive than other providers
|
MCE’s total bill costs are roughly 4% above the state average and 1% above PG&E, or about $1.50 per month for the average customer. |
|
MCE is the reason your electricity bills cost so much |
Your energy bill includes charges for: gas services, energy delivery, fees for services, generation services.
MCE’s generation charges represent less than 30% of your total bill costs and you pay MCE less for your generation service than you would have paid PG&E. |
|
MCE isn’t focused on helping customers lower their bills
|
In addition to helping customers enroll in state-run bill-savings programs, MCE’s $10 million Cares Credit offers bill relief for income-qualifying residents and businesses. |
| Fiction | Fact |
|---|---|
|
MCE is overcharging customers |
MCE is a not-for-profit and charges customers based on the cost of service. We are not overcharging.
|
|
MCE is outrageously more expensive than other providers
|
MCE’s total bill costs are roughly 4% above the state average and 1% above PG&E, or about $1.50 per month for the average customer. |
|
MCE is the reason your electricity bills cost so much |
Your energy bill includes charges for: gas services, energy delivery, fees for services, generation services.
MCE’s generation charges represent less than 30% of your total bill costs and you pay MCE less for your generation service than you would have paid PG&E. |
|
MCE isn’t focused on helping customers lower their bills
|
In addition to helping customers enroll in state-run bill-savings programs, MCE’s $10 million Cares Credit offers bill relief for income-qualifying residents and businesses. |
Some recent articles raised questions about MCE’s finances. Here’s what you should know: each year, our books are reviewed by an independent auditor, and the results are publicly available on our website. For Fiscal Year 2025, MCE reported a $13 million net gain, not a loss.
Ratings agencies like Fitch Ratings and S&P Global have also recognized MCE’s strong stable financial position with investment-grade credit ratings. These ratings reflect what we see every day — a financially sound organization built to serve our communities for the long term.
MCE’s 34-member Board of Directors includes locally elected officials from every city and county we serve. This structure ensures that each community has a voice in shaping MCE’s direction.
All board meetings are open to the public, and every agenda, policy, and budget document is posted online. The board provides guidance and oversight, while MCE staff carry out that vision through day-to-day operations.
Diverse perspectives are a strength of our model. They help MCE stay responsive to our customers and grounded in the values of transparency, accountability, and community service.
At MCE, we welcome questions and conversations. Listening to our customers and communities helps us stay connected and continue improving.
We’ll keep sharing updates, data, and stories that show the impact of community choice energy — from cleaner power and stable rates to programs that support local businesses and families. Our commitment to transparency and partnership hasn’t changed, and it remains at the heart of everything we do.
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