Overview/Benefits
Desert Community Energy is a not-for-profit, publicly managed electricity provider that will work for you!
Desert Community Energy, launched in April 2020, is the public electricity provider for the City of Palm Springs.
- CHOICE—For the first time, CCAs offer electricity customers a choice in who provides their electricity, how much they pay for it, and how clean it is.
- BETTER RATES—DCE offers a Desert Saver rate plan that is a savings over SCE's base rate plan. And while other utilities may seek rate adjustments at any time, our rates will be reviewed periodically on at least an annual basis, for more predicatable bills.
- LOCAL CONTROL—Our Board of Directors is comprised of elected officials from each participating city. The Board sets rates and determines how much we rely on renewable energy sources, with the well-being of residents and businesses in mind.
- ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT—CCAs reinvest revenues locally to support the community, rather than supporting electricity company shareholders. They’re used to create jobs, energy efficiency programs, and to develop more local renewable energy sources close to home.
- FOCUS ON RENEWABLE RESOURCES—Customers have the option to buy cleaner, greener electricity with fewer greenhouse gases at competitive prices, improving air quality and helping our cities achieve their climate action goals.
- COMPETITION—CCAs end the monopoly that investor-owned utility companies have had on electricity in California, providing customer choice and increasing the benefits of healthy innovation and competition.
- SPECIAL PROGRAMS STILL IN PLACE—If you participate in a special rate program, such as CARE, FERA, Medical Baseline, Level Pay or Summer Discounts, they will still be offered. There’s no need to reapply. And DCE will be working on special programs of its own for the benefit of our customers, so stay tuned.
- NET ENERGY METERING (NEM) / SOLAR BILLING—DCE customers with solar panels can participate in our Net Energy Metering (NEM) Solar Billing Programs, which offer the same rates for your excess energy production as SCE.
How do we do it?
Desert Community Energy works with the best interests of our community members in mind. If you have a great idea to help us advance our goals, come to one of our upcoming Board meetings and let us know about it.
