In February 2026, Fountain Valley acknowledged what should have been obvious long ago: its decision to join the Orange County Power Authority (OCPA) was poorly planned and poorly vetted. Councilman Glenn Grandis who led the push to join OCPA 16 months earlier, now says the city “lacks the resources” to begin receiving OCPA’s power in October 2026. He requested a six-month delay until April 2027, leaving open the possibility of further postponements.
It’s unclear if Grandis is looking ahead at the potentially catastrophic financial problems for his city or if he’s just trying to sidestep OCPA’s locked-in monthly costs now 12% – 16% higher than Southern California Edison’s (SCE) and whose energy products emit as much as 83% more carbon.
The most critical issue right now is OCPA’s pending execution of energy contracts on Fountain Valley’s behalf. Once those take-or-pay agreements are signed—even before energy deliveries start—OCPA will not likely grant additional delays, especially if the city’s eyeing exiting the agency…