The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has launched a new initiative aimed at fully electrifying selected mobilehome parks throughout the state. The pilot program, approved during the CPUC’s November 20 Voting Meeting, is intended to provide insight into technical, legal, and policy issues associated with mobilehome park electrification.
Investor-owned utilities will partner with the California Energy Commission’s Equitable Building Decarbonization (EBD) program as part of this effort. The EBD program offers energy efficiency improvements and electric appliances to residents at little or no cost, along with upgrades necessary to support these measures. Participants in the electrification pilot will also be enrolled in the CPUC’s Mobilehome Park Utility Conversion Program, which transitions submetered electrical systems to direct-metered, utility-owned infrastructure.
According to the CPUC, “This electrification pilot initiative…will help the CPUC better understand technical, legal, and policy concerns related to mobilehome park electrification and to inform potential changes to the Mobilehome Park Utility Conversion Program.”
The commission originally began evaluating mobilehome park utility service through a pilot program established in 2014 that encouraged conversion from master-metered natural gas and electricity systems to direct utility service. Based on positive results from that evaluation, the current 10-year Mobilehome Park Utility Conversion Program was established for 2021 through 2030.
The new pilot supports broader state objectives around decarbonization and equity by making clean energy more accessible for mobilehome park residents.
The CPUC oversees services and utilities across California with responsibilities including consumer protection and ensuring access to reliable utility infrastructure. More information about their work can be found at www.cpuc.ca.gov.
