City’s New Electrification Ordinance Nears Final Hurdle

The City Council conducted the first reading on an electrification ordinance at its Monday meeting, setting the code up for its final reading and enactment.

The ordinance requires the electrification of certain categories of newly constructed buildings in an effort to further advance the City’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The new ordinance amendments will require newly constructed mixed-use buildings, commercial buildings (except food service establishments and commercial kitchens), and multi-family buildings with more than three units to utilize electric energy only.

“The ordinance will result in additional electric sales to PWP customers, which will help fund PWP’s fixed costs, thereby lowering average electric rates for all customers. It will also increase the revenue basis for determining the General Fund transfer from the Light and Power fund,” according to a city fact sheet.  

Single-family dwellings, accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and junior accessory dwelling units (JADUs) are exempt from the ordinance, but staff will return to the City Council within a year with a recommendation as to whether these buildings should also be included.

The City Council must successfully conduct a second reading before the ordinance can go into effect. Once adopted, the City of Pasadena will become the 55th city in the state, the second in Los Angeles County, and the first in the San Gabriel Valley region to adopt an electrification ordinance.

According to the City’s Climate Action Plan, as of 2009, approximately 47% of community-wide greenhouse gas emissions are from residential and commercial energy use, with residential energy use totaling 16% and commercial energy use totaling 31%. Pasadena cannot meet its climate goals without shifting away from natural gas use. State policies and lower prices of renewable energy mean that substituting natural gas with electricity is one of the quickest, safest, and least expensive pathways to eliminating greenhouse gas emissions from buildings.

The City Council initially approved the concept and directed the City Attorney to return with the amendments to the Pasadena Municipal Code to create new regulations in June.