On Tuesday, February 14, a significant development took place regarding Irvine’s potential membership in the Orange County Electricity Authority (OCPA). Mike Carroll, a member of the Irvine City Council, requested the postponement of discussions regarding the city’s affiliation with the energy provider. Despite the delay, uncertainties surrounding Irvine’s future with the two-year-old energy authority have raised questions previously.
The Irvine City Council had earlier decided to address internal issues affecting the OCPA in response to the Orange County Board of Supervisors’ decision to withdraw from the organization. Dr. Kathleen Treseder, who represents the Irvine City Council on the OCPA Board, convened a special meeting on February 10. The meeting aimed to discuss the appointment of a special counsel to facilitate the removal of OCPA CEO Brian Probolsky. Treseder expressed concern about Probolsky’s lack of industry experience meeting the energy sector’s requirements.
Treseder explained that she called the special meeting due to the challenges involved in firing a CEO under the Community Choice Energy model without external legal advice. However, her attempt to secure a second vote did not succeed. She expressed her intention to vote for Irvine’s withdrawal from OCPA if support for removing the CEO was not obtained.
In response to the lack of support, Treseder expressed distrust in the management of the authority and highlighted potential negative impacts on Irvine ratepayers if the city continued to support OCPA amidst these issues. The matter was postponed to the February 28 Council meeting, where Treseder could have been a pivotal vote on Irvine’s future with OCPA.
In December, the Council voted 3-2 to maintain enrollment with the OCPA and address internal challenges, focusing on the need to remove Probolsky. Irvine would be responsible for nearly $145 million in withdrawal expenses according to a staff report attached to the special meeting agenda. Approximately 40% of OCPA accounts consist of Irvine ratepayers, while Huntington Beach, Fullerton, and Buena Park account for the remaining 60%.
Mike Carroll, a former head of the OCPA Board of Directors and an Irvine City Council member, acknowledged that Irvine’s plan to leave was highly publicized due to concerns that the Council’s departure could adversely affect the authority.
The December vote saw Vice Mayor Kim and Mayor Khan of Irvine choosing to remain, while Council Members Larry Agran and Mike Carroll opted to leave the organization. Treseder’s deciding vote supported staying.
Treseder expressed the potential for changes in the council’s decision based on future votes and her own stance, indicating the upcoming review of the verdict.
On February 15, during a regularly scheduled OCPA board meeting, it was announced that the organization would seek a new general counsel following the departure of Ryan Baron, the previous general counsel, on February 6. Treseder expressed satisfaction with the board’s direction after the meeting, particularly with the decision to seek a new general counsel.
